Sometimes Golf Can Be Hazardous to One’s Health

The April issue of Men’s Health magazine lists the 10 most dangerous golf courses in the world--real hazards. A sampling:

--Beachwood Golf Course, Natal, South Africa: Mrs. Molly Whitaker successfully executed a bunker shot here a few years ago, but was then attacked by a monkey who leaped from the bush and tried to strangle her. An alert caddie dispatched the intruder.

--Lost City Golf Course, Sun City, South Africa: The 13th green is fronted by a stone pit filled with crocodiles, some stretching up to 15 feet long.

--Pelham Bay and Split Rock golf courses, Bronx, New York: Pelham’s remote location makes it ideal for dumping unfortunate souls. In a recent 10-year period, 12 bodies were said to have been found.

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Trivia time: Who is the last player at the Masters to record a double eagle?

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An ordinary guy: A press release from the publishers of Dennis Rodman’s new book, “Walk on the Wild Side”: “[He] shares his outrageous wisdom on everything from dating to one-night stands to cross-dressing to playing in the NBA.”

Said Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune: “Now there’s a guy who has his priorities in order.”

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Calling his shot: David Shaefer, 52, recently made a hole in one on the 108-yard fifth hole at Glenwood Country Club in Maumelle, Ark. Then, when he and playing partner Rich Judkins reached the 134-yard 15th hole, Shaefer kiddingly told Judkins he was “about to witness history.”

Shaefer’s tee shot bounced once, flew about 12 feet and landed in the cup. Advice to Shaefer: Don’t press your luck.

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Parole requested: Denver’s Dale Ellis, 36, would like to spend his remaining years in the NBA with a contending team, not the woeful Nuggets.

“What’s the point of having me here,” Ellis told Dave Krieger of the Rocky Mountain News. “I don’t understand it. I really don’t. So we can look halfway decent? If you’re going to be bad, why not just go on and be bad?”

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Reason enough: Larry Merchant, HBO boxing commentator and former sports editor of the Philadelphia Daily News, once asked Stan Musial why he was always smiling.

Replied Musial, smiling even more broadly: “You’d smile too if you hit .340 for 20 years.”

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Looking back: On this day in 1962, the Lakers’ Elgin Baylor scored 61 points against the Boston Celtics, the most in an NBA final series game.

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Trivia answer: Jeff Maggert, with a 222-yard three-iron shot at the 13th hole in 1994.

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And finally: Blackie Sherrod in the Dallas Morning News: “When Duffy Daugherty was coaching Michigan State, he once braced Tommy Prothro, his UCLA counterpart.

“ ‘You’ve been recruiting in my territory,’ barked Duffy, ‘and I don’t appreciate it.’ Prothro was startled. ‘What are you talking about? I haven’t been near Michigan.’

“Said Duffy, ‘I’m not talking about Michigan. I’m talking about Texas.’ ”