Golf Can't Win Files: Gators At Rio Olympic Course Edition

As many of you who have followed the saga of the Olympic Golf Course in Rio know, a few locals and the AP have painted a picture of a virtual toxic waste dump that has ravaged the landscape and polluted the putridly polluted waters.

Having been there, I can tell you the site did have environmental components that I knew would be accentuated by Gil Hanse and friends, but convincing people that minimalist design is ultimately critter-friendly is always tough when the ignorant just assume that golf courses are all chemicals and no environment.

So I couldn't help but chuckle at the press conference called to assuage fears that the wildlife re-taking the Rio golf course could prove dangerous next year. That's right, the critters are back and the world that thought they were being eradicated unfairly need to have their fears calmed! What a world.

Golf News Net with the lowdown on the gators setting up shop in the lakes overnight and the efforts to calm those who are...obtuse?

And evidence that wildlife can co-exist with golf, as if we weren't aware.

Speaking of the course, USA Today's Roxanna Scott paid a visit and filed this update. More interesting is the photograph accompanying the story that shows native areas blossoming. Great for critters and great for projecting a rustic look for golf next summer.

Meanwhile Alex Miceli quotes Tim Finchem and Ty Votaw at length about recent news of budget cuts in Rio and how they could impact the golf.