Okay, here’s my take on that whole “hit bird with golf ball” thing, based on what actually happened to me.
Alright, so check it, I was out on the course last Saturday. Beautiful day, sun shining, birds chirping… you know, the whole deal. I step up to the tee on the 7th, a par 4, feeling pretty good about my swing. I’m using my driver, a trusty Callaway I’ve had for years.
I take a practice swing, everything feels smooth. Then I address the ball, get my stance right, and WHACK! I connect. Solid hit. The ball takes off, soaring through the air. I’m watching it, admiring my drive, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere, this… thing… flies right into the path of my ball.
It was a bird, man. Just a regular robin, minding its own business, probably looking for worms or something. Next thing I know, thwack! My ball hits it square on. I mean, a direct hit. Bird goes down like a stone.
I stood there for a second, completely stunned. Did I just… did I just actually do that? I’ve heard stories, but never thought I’d actually experience it. My playing partners were equally shocked. One of them just kept repeating, “Dude, did you see that?”
Okay, so now what? I felt terrible. I walked over to where the bird landed. It wasn’t moving. Sadly, the poor little fella was gone. My buddy, he’s an eagle scout. He went and found a small cardboard box that was lying near the golf cart storage area. We put the bird in it, and placed it behind a tree, respectfully. It felt like the right thing to do, you know?
Now, about the golf ball. According to the rules, and after a quick look at the rule book on my phone, you gotta play it where it lies. And guess what? My ball ended up like 20 yards further down the fairway than it would have normally gone. So, talk about a bittersweet moment. I felt horrible about the bird, but my drive was suddenly amazing.
So, I took my next shot, made par on the hole (I know, unbelievable, right?), and tried to put the whole bird incident out of my mind. But it was tough. I kept thinking about it for the rest of the round.
Here’s the thing: According to the official rules (Rule 11, I think), there’s no penalty if your ball hits a person, animal, or anything else accidentally. You just play it as it lies. That’s the rule. It’s just… you know… rough when it actually happens.
I guess the moral of the story is, golf is a crazy game. Anything can happen. And sometimes, you just gotta accept the result, even if it’s a little messed up. I definitely learned something that day. And I’m now extra careful when birds are around. Hopefully, nothing like that ever happens again!
- Took my shot.
- Bird flew into the ball’s path.
- Ball hit the bird.
- Bird went down.
- Felt terrible.
- Followed the rules (no penalty).
- Finished the hole.
- Learned a lesson.
That’s my story. Anyone else ever had something similar happen to them on the course? Let me know in the comments!
