A huge alligator peacefully walking along the fairway of a golf course in Florida became the star of a viral video shared on Facebook by meteorologist Matt Devitt with the message: "Welcome to Florida… where you can play golf alongside dinosaurs." The footage, recorded by Rachel Hanson, shows the reptile—measuring between two and three meters long—moving leisurely near a palm tree while a golfer watches from his cart.
The viral video of the alligator on the golf course accumulated more than 192,000 views, 3,394 likes, and 381 comments on Facebook, but the scene is far from being a rarity in the state.
Florida is home to approximately 1.3 million American alligators spread across its 67 counties, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC). Golf courses, often built alongside ponds, lakes, and wetlands, are common settings for these encounters.
The peak activity season runs from April to June, when males travel greater distances in search of females. It is no coincidence that viral videos of reptiles on the fairways multiply during these months.
Recent records illustrate the frequency of the phenomenon. In September 2024, a crocodile was filmed devouring a rabbit at The Quarry Golf Club in Naples.
That same year, a crocodile over three meters long crossed the grass of the Rotonda Golf & Country Club in southwestern Florida.
In November, golfer Greg Irving saw his ball land on the back of a crocodile at TwinEagles, Naples, without the animal reacting aggressively.
The most famous case of peaceful coexistence is that of "Chubbs," a crocodile approximately 4.5 meters long that has been residing at the Buffalo Creek Golf Course in Palmetto since at least 2016. Ken Powell, the general manager of the course, has stated that the animal "has never harmed anyone," and the management has no intention of capturing it.
Last June, meteorologist Brian McClure also shared images of a family of baby alligators crossing a golf course in Florida, another reminder that reptiles are a part of the everyday landscape of the sport in the state.
Despite the visual impact of these scenes, serious attacks are statistically infrequent. Since 1948, the FWC has documented more than 450 bites on individuals in Florida, with 30 fatalities up to 2022.
96% of incidents are related to risky human behavior, such as swimming in shallow canals or lakes.
The most serious incident that occurred at a golf course was that of 80-year-old Rose Marie Wiegand, who was attacked by two alligators after falling into a pond in Englewood in July 2022.
The FWC has been managing the Nuisance Alligator Program since 1988, which allows for the removal of specimens larger than four feet that repeatedly approach people or properties.
The general policy, however, is one of coexistence between golfers and alligators in Florida, a balance that viral videos test season after season.
Filed under: