Leaderboards 
Become a Member 
Shop 
Trade In NEWS
Tour pro hilariously instructs how to save strokes from a swamp
By T.J. Auclair
Published on
Len Mattiace is as good a guy as you'll find in professional golf.
He's one of the most appreciative people you'd ever meet and would do anything to lend a helping hand, even if it means getting down and dirty. Like, real dirty... disgustingly dirty.
Like anyone who plays the game, Mattiace is looking to save strokes wherever he can. Even if it means being covered from head-to-toe in mud to play a shot from a swamp.
And that's just what he did over the weekend in a funny "tips" video he posted on Instagram:
"First of all, look for any alligators," Mattiace says in the video. "Look for the eyes, look for the big snout. If you see alligators or snakes in the water, don't go in the water.
How did he keep a straight face for that entire minute?
PGA.com caught up with Mattiace to learn more about what possessed him to shoot such a video.
"I did it at Marsh Landing right across the street from TPC Sawgrass," Mattiace said. "That's where I was playing all week while the Players was going on. We were just off to the side of the first hole. What you saw on Instagram was like the third take. I had just finished up practicing and figured I'd have some fun."
Mattiace's social media accounts are loaded with helpful instruction tips.
With this on in particular, he was trying to provide a laugh while also giving a helpful tip.
"If your ball isn't completely submerged, you can hit it out of water," he said. "But usually, your feet are level with the ball. When you watch that video back, check it out -- my feet sink like 2 feet into that stuff!"
There was also a moment in the post that was inches away from earning a spot on "America's Funniest Home Videos."
"One ball, I just shanked sideways," Mattiace said. "The kid that was rolling the video, it hit him in the leg. I could have killed him. It hit his upper leg... so very close to where he wouldn't have been able to recover, if you know what I'm saying. He didn't flinch, though. What a pro. That was hilarious."
This isn't the first time Mattiace has had fun with an instruction video.
A couple of weeks back, he explained how to prepare to play golf in a driving rain... only in perfect sunshine, which meant bringing in some props -- like a course grounds worker and a hose:
Mattiace, who turned 50 last October, will play in the KitchenAid Senior PGA Championship next week at Harbor Shores in Benton Harbor, Mich.
