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Nevada man shoots golfer after errant ball strikes his house

-Follow Jay Busbee on Twitter at @jaybusbee.-

Golf is a game of assumed risk. You understand that with balls flying in the air at high speeds from hundreds of yards away, there's a decent chance you could get hit if you're not paying attention. You understand that if you buy a house near a golf course, there's a decent chance your home could get hit with a stray drive. And you understand that if you strike such a stray drive, there's a decent chance you could find yourself facing an irritated homeowner.

But getting shot for hitting a bad drive? Yeah, there's a decent chance you don't expect that when playing golf.

Our scene: the Lakeridge Golf Course in Reno, Nevada. An as-yet-unidentified golfer struck a ball that broke a window in the courseside home of Jeff Fleming, age 53. According to Washoe County authorities, Fleming came out of the house brandishing a shotgun and fired at two golfers on the 16th hole.

Fleming apparently had an easier time reaching the green than the golfer, because his shots struck one of the golfers. The golfer was treated and released at a local hospital, suffering only minor injury. (Of note: police have not indicated whether the golfer who was shot was actually the golfer who hit the shot, if you get what we mean. Details are rather sparse.)

The course was evacuated, though a few golfers surely decided on their own that it was a good day to call it a day and not test the fates. Dealing with a long par-5 is one thing; dealing with an angry, weapon-toting homeowner severely tests that old "a bad day golfing is better than a good day working" theory.

Fleming drove to a local attorney and surrendered to the police. He was booked on charges of battery and assault with a deadly weapon, and posted bail.

Keep 'em on the course, everybody.