So you think that you’re the world’s worst golfer? With all due respect, your swing — crappy as it may be — has never set off a raging inferno like the one to the right. The golfer who did this has asked that his name be withheld, and with good reason. He’d never hear the end of it (“You’re really on fire today, Larry!”) But we do know these facts: It happened at the Shady Canyon Golf Course in Irvine on Saturday, when the guy hit a ball into the rough. On his second swing, he hit a rock, causing a spark that lit the dry grass. Eventually, 150 firefighters were called to the scene.
Another photo following the jump.
From the Los Angeles Times:
The fire spread across two hillsides in dry-as-tinderbox conditions.
“Usually, we’re able to close out the fire season in the winters here,” Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg McKeown said, “but we haven’t been able to do that since 2006. That’s just how dry it is out there.”
Do you know how hard it is to start a fire without matches? And this guy does it with two swings of a golf club, and then can’t put it out? I say alcohol was involved.
***
Golfer sparked Irvine brush fire trying to hit ball, officials say; 150 firefighters respond [Los Angeles Times]
Golfer shoots out of rough, starts fire [Wildfire Today]
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- crs - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:08 PM
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Holy Smokes what a shot!
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- J - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:10 PM
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No, if you are hitting a titanium driver/club sparks are a very real occurrence. Been there just no fire resulted.
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- GOPHER - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:17 PM
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oh golly I’m hot today…..
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- Dad's girl - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:32 PM
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All it takes is a spark and it isn’t too difficult with a golf club and rock. Several years ago my father was adjusting the ‘sight’ on one of his rifles when the bullet glazed a stone on his property. It was just enough to set off the dry grass. Although it burned several acres, the very quick actions of the firefighters in the area were able to get it under control rather quickly without any structures damaged. Their response was amazing bringing in water-dropping helicopters, etc., as it could have quickly gotten out of hand if not for their efforts. Despite the remoteness of my folk’s place in the Sierras, I do not believe he has tried this again on his property (however, the ‘embarassment factor’ may have knocked his pride down a couple notches!).
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- Jack Kennedy - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:48 PM
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Chandler, How do you conclude alcohol was involved? if anything, a beer would have put the small blaze out.
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- golpher - Aug 31, 2010 at 7:57 PM
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Are you sure this isn’t Burning Bush colf course?
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- deb - Aug 31, 2010 at 8:02 PM
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ELIN !!!!! Stop swinging that club !!!!
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- Rodney - Compton - Aug 31, 2010 at 8:11 PM
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God has turned his back on American golf courses because of stem cell research. Or, maybe He’s still mad about the “V” shaped groove decision. Big hitter, the Lord.
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- Matthew50 - Aug 31, 2010 at 8:11 PM
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Golf course burnt down not long after that….
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- jc - Aug 31, 2010 at 8:50 PM
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I agree- likely a cig. However, titanium head clubs make a fantastic spark at night
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- chris - Aug 31, 2010 at 8:57 PM
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Not the only Woods to have been burnt recently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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- hank - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:04 PM
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This guy’s SMOKIN’!
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- Hiroller58 - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:08 PM
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Ken, Ever fight fires you welfare reject? Your probably a golfer who is unemployed and a drug dealer. Go get a job
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- Redondo - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:15 PM
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I guarantee the lawyers will pick up on this one and they’ll never again get another arsonist conviction, as long “alleged” arsonist can prove he had his Pings at the time of “alleged” inferno. Just sayin…..
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- little oldme - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:18 PM
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Top 10th things heard on the gold course before the fire… (from papada post)
1. anyone have any flint? I need to sharpen my driver…
2. what do mean the labels fell off the can a gas next the greens guy fertileizer…
3. OK maybe a lighter around that leaking galf cart wasnt such a good idea…
4. no officer I swear, I had no idea the gas lines were under there…
5. I wonder what happens when you rub two drivers together…
6. really, I had no idea trick flaming golf balls would do that…
7 . really, I had no idea trick exploding golf balls would do that…
8. really, those are incenderary devices ?
9. really it started after that little red guy horned played though…
10. Honey, You’ll never beleive this, I need you to come down to the station with bail money…
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- duke - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:19 PM
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And the Man is TOO Stupid to put the Spark out???
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- Rocketfueler - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:25 PM
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Worse: He didn’t even have the presence of mind to pee on the freakin’ thing!
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- parachute - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:34 PM
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This course must be expensive being as it’s the only one in existence with water and FIRE hazzards
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- Mike C. - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:35 PM
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Better pass this news on to the Onion.
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- Basqui - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:45 PM
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You’d better believe it could happen. In Kansas, my buddy and I, as teens, had a summer job mowing the right of way for the county with medium size tractors with attached mowers. When we mowed too low over gravel, the flying gravel would cause sparks that would light up any nearby dry grass. We, too, were accused of smoking and tossing a butt.
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- Mack - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:49 PM
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I was there. The course had been closed for months and it was opening day. The guy is 75 years old and doesn’t smoke (though his swing is slow…like that of my nine iron.
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- Just Sayin - Aug 31, 2010 at 9:50 PM
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Not that I don’t think Ken is an “A$$” too, but really, how many unemployed drug dealers do you think are out there just itching to try out their new driver?
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- Jon - Aug 31, 2010 at 10:03 PM
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Match Play scoring?
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- Mike - Aug 31, 2010 at 10:05 PM
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Trying to smoke out the moles burrowing underneath the course….
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- toosano - Aug 31, 2010 at 10:10 PM
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A titanium driver or fairway metal, will cause sparks by hitting sand or dirt when swinging. Don’t believe me? Go try it at dusk or in the dark. You’ll be amazed at the sparks that fly off.
