[gonzogone]

Now, I've got friends who spark up on the course to smoke just about anything from time to time... but this is a whole new type of sparking up on the course!



Golfer's swing sparks 25-acre California blaze
By Jay Busbee

You can use a golf club for all kinds of non-golfy purposes -- walking stick, fishing rod, club, to name three. And now we can add to that list -- firestarter.

Over the weekend, a golfer's routine swing in the rough at the Shady Canyon Golf Course in Irvine, Calif., struck a rock. Not so different from the way you play, right? Only this time, the impact caused a spark, and the spark set off a blaze that eventually covered 25 acres, according to the Steven Buck, General Manager of Shady Canyon Golf Course, and required the efforts of 150 Orange County firefighters, writes the Associated Press.

Wow. And I felt bad the time I shanked a ball through the window of a house too close to the fairway. That was nothing compared to this!

The golfer's name is being withheld, which is probably for the best, and no charges are going to be filed. Fortunately, it all could have been much worse. As it was, the blaze required both helicopters and on-the-ground crews.

The conditions were ripe for a blaze, with dry brush from a recent heat wave just waiting for the right spark. Like, say, one caused by metal on rock.

And now, your turn. This is going to inspire a raft of bad Sportscenter-esque "When we say he set the course on fire, he really set the course on fire!" jokes. So let's get ahead of the curve. Best bad golf-and-fire-related pun in the comments wins a round of applause. Go!


Golfer's swing sparks 25-acre California blaze - Devil Ball Golf - Golf - Yahoo! Sports

[Tigger]

ok how the frigs name did they work out this guys swing started the fire?

this looks more like a no news day article to me

[gonzogone]

I was guessing since he was right there when it started and he knew he sparked off a rock...