NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla.-- Tony Aarts is nursing his foot at home after a good round of golf at Magnolia Landing took a serious turn for the worse. "My ball was about 10 feet from the pin and all I could think about was making a birdie," he said.
"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. 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. I seen (sic) the size of him, you know you can just see the claws as he was pulling me back and I'm heeling in trying to go the other way and he's just looking at me and I'm looking at him. So I started hitting him in the eye socket, I hit him 3 times and he let go of my foot. so I crawled back and by that time the guys... they were there."
Tony says if it weren't for his good, solid, heavy Cleveland putter he might not be here today. "It was a ten-footer. They dragged him out an hour after I went by ambulance they had him out of there."
And his advice for other golfers: "I guess a golfer should always keep a club in his hand."