Florida golfer nearly gets dragged into lake by alligator after searching for lost golf ball

For all the incredibly ridiculous rules that govern the game of golf, one that the USGA has focused on is very smart. If you hit a golf shot in an area that is deemed unsafe, you can drop it without penalty to a safe area. This rule mostly comes into effect when you're near a beehive or a rattlesnake is sunbathing by your ball in a bunker and in Florida, alligators.

Albert Miller will definitely be checking that rule after his incident.

The 75-year-old was playing golf at Lake Ashton Golf and Country Club in Lake Wales, Fla. when a 9-foot (yes, NINE foot) alligator jumped out of the pond he was approaching trying to recover a golf ball and sank his teeth into the elderly man's left knee.

The situation gets scarier (if you can imagine), because the gator started pulling Miller into the lake, apparently to his death, before friends took to helping their friend and started pulling back.

The Ledger newspaper was the first to report this, saying the animal was "thrashing wildly" as he attempted to pull poor Miller into the lake, and Miller was quoted as saying, "He had me submerged up to my belt buckle."

Now, there are plenty of scary situations on a golf course. Snakes jumping at you as you look for your golf ball in the desert. Runaway golf carts taking out an unsuspecting golfer. Anytime you stand to the right of my buddy Andrew when he's hitting a pitching wedge. But "getting dragged into a lake by a 9-foot alligator while clawing for your life" easily ranks as the number one reason I do not and will not live and play golf in Florida.

Miller needed 40 stitches to close up his 10-inch wound but luckily is going to be okay, and probably will leave that Penta in the water next time he's golfing.

(Also, you can see a picture of the alligator on the Ledger website right here if you aren't scared enough of this story as is.)