What to do if a Snake Bites on the Golf Course?

What to do if you get a snakebite on the golf course
Three species of tattlers call Colorado home, while 13 more are native to Arizona.

While August brings the proverbial dog days, other creatures pose a more serious threat to avid golfers.

Twilight rounds may be a bargain, but they’re also a buffet for mosquitoes, which abound in August and September. Retention ponds create the perfect breeding ground for Culex tarsalis, the species that carries such viruses as West Nile and three strains of encephalitis. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing long-sleeve shirts and pants, and spraying yourself with a repellent containing at least 20 percent DEET or Picardin, which protects for a four-hour round. A CDC-approved natural repellent, oil of lemon eucalyptus, is also an option, but you need to reapply it every two hours. Dew sweepers take note: Mosquito activity also surges at dawn.

Snakes of all types lurk on the fringes of golf courses—and we’re not just talking the sandbagging kind. Three species of venomous rattlers call Colorado home, and 13 are native to the snowbird mecca of Arizona, more than any state in the nation. Do you know what and what not to do if you or a companion is bitten? Your smartphone can save your life. There’s 911, of course, and SnakeBite911, a free app, that provides vital information on first aid and nearby hospitals. It also interfaces with doctors and first responders and features a time-stamped Venom Tracker, which capture photos of the bite area at regular intervals to help medical personnel diagnose and provide appropriate treatment. The app also offers “dos” and “don’ts” in a snakebite emergency. Among the don’ts:

  • DO NOT use tourniquets.
  • DO NOT attempt to cut or apply suction to the bite site.
  • DO NOT apply cold packs or ice to the skin.
  • DO NOT use Advil, Motrin or other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

crofab.com/snakebite911

Snakebite 911 app
Your smartphone may save your life if bitten by a snake.

This article appears in the August 2016 issue of Colorado AvidGolfer. Subscribe today!

RELATED: The 2016 CAGGY Winners including Best On-Course Wildlife

Colorado AvidGolfer is the state’s leading resource for golf and the lifestyle that surrounds it, publishing eight issues annually and proudly delivering daily content via coloradoavidgolfer.com. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

GET COLORADO GOLF NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR INBOX