Buzz
While golf is often seen as a refined sport governed by etiquette, it is also a game with a hidden, more sinister side, where murder, mystery, and disappearances have left their mark. One of the most well-known tragedies was the plane crash of Major champion Payne Stewart in 1999, a shocking event in the golf world. However, there are other stories, less publicized or forgotten, that highlight the darker side of the sport. Here are ten such instances when golf and its community ventured into more unsettling territory…
10. Golfing Amid the Blitz
During the intense bombardment of England by Adolf Hitler's forces in 1940 and 1941, golf courses along England’s southern coast made unique adaptations to accommodate the ongoing air raids. Richmond Golf Club in Surrey, for example, issued a set of guidelines for players during these turbulent times. The guidelines included collecting shrapnel during rounds, taking shelter without penalty during attacks, and allowing players to re-hit if their strokes were disrupted by explosions.
The Nazi propaganda machine ridiculed these rules, dismissing them as “absurd reforms” and mocking the “pretended heroism” of those observing them, even as German forces relentlessly bombarded the golf course and the surrounding areas. The bombing campaign resulted in the destruction of parts of the Richmond Golf Club, as well as significant damage in Surrey, leaving over 2,300 dead and more than 14,000 injured or maimed.
9. The Mystery of Jimmy Hoffa's Disappearance
In 1982, Jimmy Hoffa was officially declared dead after vanishing in 1975 under mysterious circumstances. Investigative journalists have long suggested that Hoffa was murdered and his body lies beneath one of the greens at the Savannah Inn and Golf Country Club in Atlanta, Georgia. (Various theories about Hoffa’s final resting place have circulated, including under a barn, a swimming pool, and even beneath the former Giants Stadium.) The course was owned by mobster Lou Rosanova, who allegedly made a habit of urinating on a specific spot during his golf rounds.
When questioned about this peculiar behavior, Rosanova supposedly revealed that Hoffa’s body was buried beneath the green. Legal accounts indicate that Rosanova claimed Hoffa had been flown in from Detroit and buried there because it was a place where “no one would ever suspect.” Other members of the mob, aware of this secret, would reportedly join Rosanova in urinating on the spot, chuckling over the supposed burial.
Hoffa, who had strong ties with the Teamsters and was receiving support from the mob during his bid for Union Presidency, was known to be involved in shady dealings. David Days Jr., the caddy master at the golf club during Hoffa's disappearance, recalls strange occurrences at the club at the time, stating, “Something was happening, but we just couldn’t put our finger on it.”
8. Being in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time
On a hot July afternoon at the Pinetree Country Club in Georgia, Gene Siller, the Director of Golf, was tragically shot in the head while investigating an abandoned vehicle on the course. The truck in question, a white RAM 3500, had been left on the 10th green. Upon further inspection, two dead bodies were discovered inside the vehicle. The killings seemed more like a scene from a Grand Theft Auto video game, yet the three murders did not appear to be related.
The two victims found in the truck had been bound at their mouths, hands, and legs before being shot. When Siller arrived to investigate the strange presence of the vehicle on the green, he was fatally shot. It seems he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, despite it being a busy Saturday afternoon at the club where he worked as a professional.
Just days after the triple homicide, 23-year-old Bryan Anthony Roden was arrested and charged with three counts of murder. However, the motive behind the killings remains unclear.
7. A Gruesome Discovery: A Dismembered Body Found
On the morning of April 29, 1955, a middle-aged woman’s body was found bludgeoned to death near the 17th tee box of Potters Bar Golf Course. The discovery led local authorities to question over 4,000 men, and through fingerprint analysis, they were able to identify the murderer by matching bloody prints found on a tee box marker, which was presumed to be the weapon. Eventually, a 17-year-old boy was arrested and convicted of the crime. However, this was not the first time a body had been discovered on the course.
Seven years prior, a young boy diving in one of the course’s ponds stumbled upon a decaying, severed hand. After draining the pond, further body parts were discovered, some of which appeared to be mutilated and burned. A hacksaw was found near the severed and charred head. The body was identified as Albert Welch, a man who had disappeared in 1947 after leaving his wife a brief note that read, “I have gone for a walk… Shan’t be home for tea.”
With the best forensic techniques available at the time, Welch was identified through various methods including plaster casts, fingerprints found in the lake, and examination of the upper jaw to match a dental abscess Welch had complained about before his disappearance. The mystery of who murdered Welch and dismembered his body remains unsolved, with key details set to be revealed in 2031. The Potters Bar Golf Club closed and ceased operations in 2018.
6. A Discovery Hundreds of Miles from Home... on a Golf Course
In August 2015, Saima Ahmed, a 36-year-old librarian from Wembley, London, was reported missing by her family. Her whereabouts remained unknown until fragments of her skull and other bones were discovered at Gogarburn Golf Club in Edinburgh in January 2016. The discovery of her remains so far from home left both her family and investigators puzzled. A train ticket found with her remains, dated August 30, indicated she had traveled alone to Scotland's capital on that day. CCTV footage confirmed she boarded a train at Wembley Central Station.
A local dog walker in Edinburgh told authorities that they had seen a woman resembling Ahmed, “staring out at the sea” at Portobello Beach. Beyond this, little is known about her actions once she arrived in Edinburgh. Police have faced misconduct allegations for not prioritizing the case, leaving Ahmed’s family deeply frustrated. Despite numerous forensic tests on her remains, no signs of criminal activity have been found. A renewed appeal for information was made in 2020, yet the case remains unsolved, continuing to perplex her family.
5. The Disappearance of the Golf Club Designer
Dave Boone, the brilliant mind behind Lynx Golf's Parallax Irons, vanished on December 5, 2006. After leaving his Orange County apartment that afternoon, Boone was never seen again. A renowned figure in the world of golf club design, his irons had been used by golfing legends like Ernie Els and Freddy Couples in the 1990s, contributing to their victories at prestigious tournaments such as the Masters and U.S. Open.
Boone's disappearance shocked the golf community. Local authorities launched an extensive search in the nearby Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park, deploying helicopters and search dogs, but they found no trace of him. Boone's four sons, ranging in age from 17 to 27, scoured the wilderness on bikes, desperate for any sign of their father. There were no signs that Boone had planned to end his life.
Boone's computer revealed no evidence of suicidal intent. He had left his apartment with nothing but the clothes he was wearing and his keys. While some bloodhounds followed his scent to a section of the mountain range, no solid clues were uncovered. Theories arose, with some online investigators speculating that Boone may have taken his own life, his body possibly claimed by local wildlife. Despite these theories, the case remains unsolved, forever tied to the world of golf equipment.
4. A Tragic Fall from the Sky
During thunderstorms, golf courses often become prime targets for lightning strikes, especially when fork lightning occurs. Being caught on the course during such a storm can be extremely hazardous. There are numerous stories of golfers being struck, but one tragic incident in 2021 stands out. A 70-year-old golfer was found deceased on the 7th green of Burlington Country Club in New Jersey in the middle of the day, with evidence suggesting he had been fatally struck by lightning during the storm.
A harrowing near-fatal incident took place in Wisconsin, where four individuals were struck by lightning in a single event while playing at Big Fish Golf Club. One of the golfers recalled hearing a deafening crack and then finding himself lying on the ground. Even professional golfers have faced such dangers; fans may remember Tony Jacklin having his club struck mid-swing, sending it flying 30 feet, or Lee Trevino, who was struck by a lightning surge from a nearby lake and had to be hospitalized.
3. The Missing Golfer
Many golfers enjoy the challenge of hunting for golf balls, often turning it into a hobby. In October, two men in Northern Ireland, employed at the Hilton Belfast Templepatrick Golf and Country Club, ventured into the lakes on the course in diving gear to recover golf balls. They would retrieve them and sell them back to the golf club.
Around 2 pm, one of the divers surfaced but his partner failed to reappear. After a brief wait, emergency services were called as it became clear that something was wrong. Tragically, five hours later, the body of the missing diver was recovered from the murky water. Post-mortem results indicated that the man may have suffered from an underlying health issue while diving, which ultimately led to his untimely death while working in the low-paying golf ball recovery industry.
2. A Meal for the Crocodiles
Across the globe, several golf courses have local residents in the form of alligators or crocodiles, often seen lounging in the waters surrounding the greens. Players frequently share their encounters on social media. In Kruger National Park, South Africa, Jacques van der Sandt was collecting golf balls from Lake Panic's dam, with his legs submerged in water up to his knees. Without warning, a powerful force from below pulled him underwater.
The crocodile, measuring 12 feet in length and recently emerged from hibernation in search of food, grabbed van der Sandt and pulled him beneath the surface, sinking its teeth into his back and chest. His companion, who had been playing a game to see who could collect the most golf balls, never saw him again. Van der Sandt's body was later retrieved by authorities, though it had not been entirely ravaged by the crocodile. Rangers eventually killed the animal to prevent further attacks on the local population.
1. A Fatal Blow to the Heart
Anyone who has ever played or watched golf knows the frustration that can arise, sometimes leading players to hurl their clubs in a fit of anger. This behavior is commonly witnessed on the PGA Tour. However, in Gloversville, NY, during July of 1994, a golfer's impulsive act of club-throwing would tragically result in his demise.
During a round at his local course, Kingsboro Golf Club, young golfer Jeremy Brenno made a disastrous shot with his 3-wood, causing the club to hit a bench wildly. The shaft broke off and unexpectedly rebounded, tragically piercing his chest and striking his heart. Despite receiving medical attention, he was declared dead by 6 pm. He was just 16 years old. His passing serves as a poignant reminder to golfers everywhere that, no matter the intensity of the game, it is ultimately just that—a game.
