The Loop

Weird Golf News Of The Week: Golfer gets angry, attacks people using his putter as a sword

September 04, 2014

There's a strangely compelling crime story trickling out of South Florida that makes for some great reading, if you're into that sort of thing.

It all started on the seventh hole of Madison Green Golf Club in West Palm Beach on Labor Day. According to the Palm Beach Post, a local man named Michael Rich, 48, started hitting a series of bad shots. It escalated throughout the round and eventually boiled over on the 18th green when 72-year-old Anthony Nazzaro, who was playing in the group with Rich and a third golfer, Roy Hall, lined up a short putt. Rich reportedly recommended that Nazzaro mark his ball, to which Nazzaro responded that he didn't realize the putt "was worth $400,000."

It turns out that little joke appeared a step to far for Rich. According to local TV station WSOC's retelling of events:

"He went berserk," Nazzaro said. "He runs up to me and starts stomping on the hole yelling I'm stepping in your line!' I said Hey, calm down. You're messing up the golf course.'"

The two men tried to calm Rich down when Rich suddenly swung his putter at Hall, striking the back of Hall's leg and breaking the head off the club's shaft. Nazzaro said he then tried to call the pro shop but Rich knocked the phone out of his hand when Nazzaro hit him on his wrist with the broken putter.

"He has this sword and is running around the green yelling, I'm going to stick this in your eye!'" Nazzaro remembers.

Stay safe out there, people.