This recent news story from the coastal region of the Palmetto State has prompted us to write about paying close attention to safety and your surroundings when playing at the amazing SC Golf Courses all around the coastal regions like Beaufort, Charleston, Kiawah Island, Hilton Head Island, the Isle of Palms and the many other smaller coastal areas. Just a few weeks ago, reports from Beaufort SC related that an alligator attacked a 77-year-old golfer as he was trying to retrieve a ball close to a pond’s edge at a private South Carolina Golf Course in the coastal town of Beaufort SC. Later, it was explained that the Fripp Island man was playing on the 11th hole at Ocean Creek Golf Course at 3 PM when he went to bend over to pick up a ball that had landed very close to a pond hazard. Right then, a 10-foot alligator, which was later retrieved and killed by local Wildlife Authorities, attacked the man and pulled him by his arm into the pond. The man's son and golf partners were able to fight off the attack and free the man, who lost his arm during the assault. The man's name was not released, but he was taken immediately to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston to receive emergency medical attention. Workers made an attempt to retrieve the man's arm from the alligator's stomach in hopes of reattaching the limb; further details are unknown.

While this story might seem like a tale to take in jest, it really is something serious to think about. We all love the beautiful, natural South Carolina Golf Courses that dot the coastline of the state, and we relish any opportunity to take a SC Golf Trip to the coastal region, but golfers should be careful and take extra precautions when playing on the South Carolina Golf Courses all around the beach and islands. Part of these courses’ appeal revolves around the nature and wildlife that is found in abundance in these low country areas. Golfers should, however, play with caution and keep in mind that, yes, snakes, alligators and other reptiles could be lurking nearby and we are taking a walk on the wild side by playing our favorite sport in their habitats. Here are a few safety tips for playing on the South Carolina Coastal Golf Courses:

- NEVER ever, ever feed or leave food behind for animals to eat! Previously documented cases of alligator attacks have shown that they often happen after patrons have started to feed the animals.

- Keep your distance! This may sound like common sense to most, but trust us, it's not. A lot of the cases of alligator attacks have occurred after people have prodded and picked at the reptiles. Some wrongly believe that, due to a gator's size, it cannot move very fast. Trust us, those suckers are agile, and they can motor about when they want to.

- Alligators lurk in lagoons and other low lying bodies of water. They are most active during the morning and just before dark. Pay close attention to your surroundings when you are near these low country bodies of water, especially if there is heavy vegetation near the banks; gators love to rest on their laurels in the thick vegetation near bodies of water.

- Mating season for alligators runs from May to June and this is a time when the males are at their most aggressive state; they may be more apt to attack during this time.

- Never allow small pets or young children to walk or play alone near the lagoon areas and water hazards; small children and pets are easy targets for an alligator.

Wildlife officials advise that if you do encounter an alligator while playing golf at one of the great SC Golf Courses found along the coastal region, you should try to back away from the gator, and make as much noise and as much movement as possible. Alligators prey on smaller, weaker animals; if you make noise and move about wildly you will show the alligator that it literally may not want to bite off more than it can chew. Wildlife workers also advise that golfers should call their local authorities, who can then get in touch with state and federal wildlife authorities, if they spot an alligator that they deem to be threatening.

There are tons of great SC Golf Courses all around the coastal regions of South Carolina. Learn more about playing the Hilton Head Golf Courses, Charleston SC Golf Courses, and Myrtle Beach SC Golf Courses that we provide information on. GolfSC.com is happy to provide information, listings and advertising for lodging, places to eat, and places to shop for fun golf related merchandise in the Palmetto State. Get deals on SC Golf Packages and fun Myrtle Beach Golf Trips by clicking around our site.