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NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla.– A Florida man is thankful he had his trusty putter when he was attacked by an alligator.

Tony Aarts was at the fourth hole of the Magnolia Landing Golf Court in North Fort Myers on Thursday when it happened.

“As I was walking about 5 to 6 feet away from the water, I heard a splash, and as soon as I heard that splash I knew it was an alligator, and he got me,” Aarts said.

The 10-foot-long gator grabbed onto the golfer’s foot and pulled him to a nearby water hazard, according to WINK News.

“I remember having a club in my hand, and as soon as he had me in the water up to my waist, I started hitting him over the head,” he said. “He’s just looking at me and I’m looking at him. So I started hitting him in the eye socket. I hit him three times and he let go of my foot, so I crawled back.”

Aarts gives a lot of credit to his Cleveland Putter.

“It’s a good, solid, heavy putter,” he said. He was not seriously injured.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission captured the alligator and put it down.

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