Alligator attacks Florida man as he dives into lake to retrieve golf balls

A Florida man was attacked by an alligator while diving for golf balls at a course in the Charlotte County on Friday (7 July).

Scott Lahodik, a scuba diver who works for various golf courses, was bitten on his left arm by the reptile. Fortunately, he somehow managed to get himself out of the lake without any other life-threatening injuries.

The 51-year-old was soon rushed to a hospital in Lee County where he underwent surgery. It was said that the alligator has been trapped and would reportedly be euthanised, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission protocol.

"He drove up in his utility cart. He was out of it so we didn't get a chance to talk to him much, but he did make it up here. He's a big guy; he's not a small guy," country club general manager David Kelly said.

"I was able to see the wound, so he did have a good hold of him. There's quite a bit of flesh wounds."

Authorities at the golf club said they had hired Lahodik to retrieve the golf balls from the ponds at the club. According to reports, Lahodik has been diving at courses around the country for 30 years.

Alligator attacks are a common occurrence in Florida. They are a known hazard at many golf courses in the state.

"This is a pretty active season right now. Whenever it gets hot like this, the alligators get more active. I wouldn't say it's rare, but it doesn't happen a lot either. Once a year probably we have an incident in this area," Florida Fish & Wildlife officer Lt. Michael Frantz said.

In earlier June, a man was also attacked by an alligator when he tried to take its photo. The incident took place on the La Chua Trail at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, near Gainesville.

The reptile attacked the man on two occasions while he was trying to snap a picture of it.