Bass Launches Mid-Air to Swallow Golfer’s Ball Whole
When a Bass Decides Your Golf Ball Looks Like Lunch: The Charl Schwartzel Story
The Wildest Water Hazard You’ll Ever See
Imagine this: you’re a professional golfer playing in a big tournament. You hit a beautiful shot toward the green on a par-3 hole. The ball lands perfectly, but then it spins backward and rolls toward a pond. Splash!
But before you can even sigh about the penalty stroke, a massive largemouth bass explodes out of the water and swallows your golf ball like it’s a tasty snack.
That’s exactly what happened to LIV golfer Charl Schwartzel at the LIV Golf New York tournament at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster. And no, "a fish ate my ball" doesn’t get you a free do-over in golf!
Meet the Hungry Culprit: The Largemouth Bass
Important Point: Largemouth bass are ambush predators — they hide and wait for food to come to them, then strike lightning fast.
What’s on a Bass’s Normal Menu?
- Other fish
- Crayfish (tiny lobster-looking creatures)
- Frogs
- Lizards and insects
- Even small mice if they fall in the water!
A Titleist golf ball? Not exactly nutritious. But this bass didn’t get the memo.
The Play-by-Play: What Happened on Hole 7
- The Setup: 134-yard, par-3 seventh hole at Trump National Golf Club Bedminster
- The Shot: Schwartzel hits his tee shot — it lands on the green perfectly
- The Spin: The ball spins backward (that’s what pros call "backspin") and rolls off the green toward the water
- The Splash: Ball hits the pond
- The Strike: Instantly, a largemouth bass rockets up and gulps the ball down
- The Result: Schwartzel takes a penalty stroke and makes bogey (one over par)
Golf Rules: When Animals Get Involved
Here’s how the rulebook handles wildlife encounters:
| Situation | Rule |
|---|---|
| Animal moves ball at rest (sitting still) | No penalty — replace the ball where it was |
| Ball in motion hits animal | No penalty — play it as it lies |
| Ball lands in penalty area (water hazard) then gets eaten | One-stroke penalty — take relief and drop a new ball |
Since Schwartzel’s ball had already entered the penalty area (the pond) before the bass struck, he couldn’t just replace it. He had to take the penalty.
Golf Courses: Nature’s Unexpected Stadiums
Golf courses are basically wildlife corridors with manicured grass. Players regularly encounter:
- Alligators (especially in Florida!)
- Snakes sunning on cart paths
- Birds stealing balls or nesting in hazards
- Bears and moose (in northern courses)
- Coyotes, deer, foxes — you name it
But a bass waiting beside the green like a goalie to hammer a golf ball the instant it hits the water?
That’s a once-in-a-lifetime highlight reel moment.
Who Is Charl Schwartzel?
- 2011 Masters Champion (that’s the green jacket tournament!)
- Winner of the very first LIV Golf event in 2022
- South African pro with a smooth swing and 18+ professional wins
- Was competing at Bedminster August 6–9 as LIV returned to the New York area
Bonus: Fishing That Actually Heals
The article also featured a video about Project Healing Waters — a program founded in 2005 at Walter Reed Medical Center that helps veterans heal through fly fishing.
It provides:
- Peer support from fellow veterans
- A sense of community
- Therapeutic time on the water
- Shared experiences that build connection
Summary
- Charl Schwartzel (2011 Masters champ) lost a golf ball to a largemouth bass at LIV Golf Bedminster
- The bass exploded from the water and swallowed the ball mid-air after it spun into the pond
- Golf rules: Since the ball was already in the penalty area, Schwartzel took a one-stroke penalty and made bogey
- Largemouth bass are ambush predators that eat almost anything fitting in their mouths
- Golf courses are wildlife hotspots — but this bass encounter is exceptionally rare
- Project Healing Waters uses fly fishing to help veterans heal and build community
FAQ: Your Questions Answered
1. Did the bass actually eat the ball, or just hit it?
The ball was swallowed — the bass "gobbled it up like someone had just tossed a topwater lure directly onto its head." It didn’t spit it out.
2. Could Schwartzel have played the ball from inside the fish?
No! Once a ball enters a penalty area (water hazard), it’s considered lost in that area. The rules don’t allow fishing it out of a fish.
3. Do bass really eat golf balls often?
Rarely. Bass are opportunistic and will strike at anything that looks like prey moving on the surface. A spinning, splashing white ball likely triggered a predatory instinct — not hunger for Titleist.
4. What happens to the bass after eating a golf ball?
Golf balls aren’t digestible. The bass would likely regurgitate it or pass it eventually. But swallowing foreign objects can harm wildlife — so it’s not a good thing!
5. Has this ever happened before in pro golf?
Extremely rare. There are stories of fish nipping at balls, but a bass fully engulfing a ball mid-air the instant it hits the water is practically unheard of in professional competition.
Love wildlife and the outdoors? Follow OutKick Outdoors on Instagram and TikTok for more wild sports moments!