Chaos descended at Links at Heartland Crossing on a cozy Friday afternoon. A fight between two men over ‘golf etiquette’ left one hospitalized and another potentially facing a decade behind bars. It all started when one group cut through the other as the latter stopped to buy food from the clubhouse. 

The 54-year-old, part of the group that took a break, didn’t quite like it. He had one or two things to say about golf etiquette to the other group, consisting of a couple and another man. Per police reports, the 54-year-old golfer said they were ‘a**ho**s’ for cutting them in the line. That’s even though his partners were okay with the second group making the turn before them.

He allegedly hurled abusive words toward the woman. She went back to her husband, Jerry Whitaker, crying. Soon Golf turned to combat sports as Whitaker demanded the 54-year-old apologize for insulting his wife, which he refused to do. 

Angered by that, the 34-year-old started viciously punching the golfer. An eyewitness revealed he didn’t stop even when the veteran golfer fell and was bleeding from his face. 

Rather, Whitaker picked him up and slammed him to the ground. The veteran golfer’s playing mates later told the police that the victim was unconscious for some time and stopped breathing for a few seconds. Medical reports seemed to corroborate that.

The victim suffered a punctured lung, seven broken ribs, and a broken vertebra on his back. Doctors also confirmed that the deep wound on his forehead required several stitches. The police have taken Whitaker into custody, Fox59 reported. The 34-year-old now faces up to sixteen years in prison. 

Legal consequences of level 3 assault are far-reaching

The Morgan County Sheriff charged Whittaker with aggravated battery, which is a level 3 felony. As per Indian laws, a felony is the gravest of all offenses divided into six categories. A level 3 felony invokes the third-most stringent punishment. 

A level 3 felony can lead to up to 3-16 years of prison time and $10,000 in fines. Moreover, the judge can also include mandatory counseling, probation, rehabilitation, and community service, in the sentence. A level 3 felony charge carries a negative impact on a person’s life, job, and future work opportunities. Of course, if Whittaker has prior criminal records, he stands a chance to be considered a habitual offender. A habitual offender might attract stricter punishment. 

This is the second time in recent times that a Golf course turned into the Colosseum. In July, two groups engaged in a wild fight as one of them repeatedly hit the other. Paramedics and police officials were called in, but no one was hurt. The recent incident is indeed one of the most vicious attacks on the Golf course.