Golfer attacked with post-hole digger
Two men were arrested Sunday following a bizarre boundary dispute at the Adara Golf Course in Crestview.
Okaloosa County Sheriff’s deputies were told Glendon R. Jones had blocked the course cart path with his truck while he and a friend endeavored to erect a barricade and prevent anyone from passing through.
Golfer Mark Garon and his cohorts happened upon the makeshift barricade and were told they could not pass.
Jones said he was blocking the cart path because of a “right of way dispute” with Adara Country Club and its manager, Kai Sun Chan, the Sheriff’s Office report said.
Garon and his group objected to not being allowed to use the cart path and requested that Jones move his truck. When Jones refused, Garon attempted to drive around the truck and Jones stuck his post hole digger into the ground to further hinder the golf cart’s travel.
“Mr. Garon continued on until he bumped into the post diggers twice,” the report said. “Mr. Jones then picked up the digger and began jabbing at Garon, who grabbed the digger and began wrestling with Jones.”
The wrestling match ended abruptly when William Thome, who was working with Jones to barricade the cart path, grabbed Garon and threw him to the ground, according to the report.
Jones punched Garon at least twice in the head after Thome took him down, the report said.
Jones, who admitted to officers he punched Garon, was charged with aggravated battery. Thome told officers he had bear hugged and thrown Garon to the ground. He was charged with battery.
The deputy observed injuries to Garon’s face. The injured man’s wife said she would take him to the hospital.
Golf course officials did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment.