I live on a golf course in Pinellas. We have gators in all our lakes and water hazards. If the guy was bit on the foot, he had to have stepped pretty near the water or in the water, or wasn't paying attention to a gator that was sunning itself (usually they head for the water when you get close.)
You'd be surprised at the number of golfers I see reach into the water to retrieve a ball....dumb, dumb, dumb!!!
I played golf on Sunday. Got paired up with a snowbird from Canada. He hit his ball into a soggy, grassy area near a swamp filled with water moccasins, cottonmouths, gators, leeches, etc., and wanted to go look for it. I asked him if I could have his clubs if he didn't make it out alive. I guess he had a change of heart because he played a drop instead.