If this steel-swinging senior was in an anime, we know what his ultimate move would look like.

There’s something idyllic about golf when it’s played on a television. It’s a quiet enough sport (save for the calls of “fore!” and “mashed potato!” that dog the golfers) and is usually played on sweeping acres of green grass. You can watch as the golfers tap tiny pitted balls in graceful arcs over those downy hills, and feel at peace.

The following story is a world away from the glamorized serenity of televised golf. While Japan has its share of passionate, professional golfers (though most of them would prefer not to hit a hole-in-one) there are also hobbyists, and one such hobbyist went down to the riverbed of the Sagae river in Yamagata prefecture to practice his swing.

That day, at around 2:30 p.m. on March 3, the prefectural police received a number of shocking calls alerting them that the Sagae riverbed was on fire. According to eyewitness accounts, an unnamed gentleman of 83 years struck a powerful swing with a metal driver club and the dry grass around him lit up in front of his eyes. Though he attempted to curb the flames himself he was unsuccessful, and asked at the local playing field’s staff office for assistance.

Police are currently investigating if the club sparked against the asphalt and caused the nearby dry grass to catch fire, resulting in a burned area of around 1,300 square meters (1554.787 square yards). The fire was extinguished at around 3:20 p.m. on the same day. No one was injured in the fire.

The Internet, of course, had a field day with the news of this pyrokinetic patriarch.

“I have to wonder how good the swing was… I have to laugh at it, but this is pretty incredible.”
“Woah, and he’s 83? He’s probably more spry than I am.”
“I guess it IS possible to hit a burning ball like they do in Everybody’s Golf, then?”

▼ If you haven’t experienced a fire spin in Everybody’s Golf, it’s a treat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2g3v1QZTqkI

While golf has gone hand in hand with crime before, this is the first time that it’s sounded so much like a shonen hero’s super move. Let’s hope this golfing grandpa has a better defence than other people we’ve seen in the news lately!

Source: The Sankei News via My Game News Flash
Top image: Pakutaso
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