Golf courses are no stranger to animals, but few would have witnessed scenes like the Heritage Golf & Country Club encountered this week when a stampede of kangaroos ran over the course.
Professional golf has seen its fair share of animal-related interruptions. Several players at last year's Mexico Open had to hit the deck to avoid a swarm of bees while only last month, the Magical Kenya Ladies Open was delayed after wild giraffes wandered onto the fairways.
However, a recent video captured by an Australian golfer may be the most impressive. Playing at the course near Melbourne, Stephen Roche had his round interrupted on the fourth hole when a large group of kangaroos invaded the course.
Thankfully for the rest of us, Roche pulled out his camera to document the remarkable scenes. "We have kangaroos on our 2 courses at Heritage Golf & Country Club, but I’ve never seen this before!!" he tweeted alongside the video.
Take a look:
We have kangaroos on our 2 courses at Heritage Golf & Country Club, but I’ve never seen this before!!@AndyMaherDFA @MarkAllenGolf @BaronPhilbert @mikeclaytongolf @flushingitgolf @GolfloverUK @OfficialTourPro @GolfAust pic.twitter.com/ZtMO0C0UHuMarch 6, 2024
Another golfer, Michael McCarthy was also enjoying a round when the kangaroos strolled through. Stood back on the fourth tee, he said it "felt like it went forever".
Was this yesterday? If so, I was on the tee filming it from the other angle! Felt like it went forever. pic.twitter.com/m9WOBprSvlMarch 7, 2024
The Australian course, featuring a Jack Nicklaus-designed course, is no stranger to mobs of marsupials and, in 2021, was at the centre of a controversy when it announced it would carry out a culling of kangaroos that continued to run over the course.
However, after public outcry and protests at the course which saw large numbers of locals stand in the way of the hired shooters, the decision was reversed.