As an experienced golfer, you might find sticking your hand into the hole to be second nature. But what happens when you find more than your hole-in-one ball in the cup?
Em Casey recently posted a video on X that shows a hairy tarantula hiding out in a golf hole at the base of a flagstick. Casey, the assistant superintendent at Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona, Arizona, later posted a picture showing the tarantula safely removed from the hole.
Reactions to the video were mixed. Some users were horrified by Casey’s find.
“No, thank you — I’ll deal with the javelina instead!” X user @MattLaWell said.
Welcome to tarantula season in northern Arizona. Better check the cup before reaching in to grab your ball
pic.twitter.com/0aE2MPA4AH
— Em Casey (@emcaseyturf) July 13, 2024
In October, Casey shared a video showing how javelinas had torn up sections of the golf course, spurring a conversation about water use and wildlife.
Like Seven Canyons, many other courses around the state are expecting to see more creatures in the coming weeks. But why are so many tarantulas popping up this season?
What to do if you see a tarantula
If you see one of these hairy spiders in Arizona, it will most likely be the Arizona Blond tarantula, also known as the Western Desert or Mexican Blond tarantula.
With the ability to grow up to three or four inches, these large-bodied spiders spend most of their lives in self-made burrows underground. The females can be identified by their uniform tan fur while the males have black legs and a copper or reddish body and head.
When these Southwest tarantulas do leave their burrows, it is typically during mating season. Between July and October, it is more common to see these critters in your neighborhood, house or even on the golf course.
While the eight eyes and six legs may creep you out, tarantulas aren’t much of a threat to humans. Unless provoked, the spider will most likely leave you alone. But if they feel attacked, tarantulas will bare their fangs — in attempt to intimidate you — and bite.