Hammerhead Shark ‘Literally Fell Out of the Sky’ on Myrtle Beach Disc Golfers

A casual morning round of disc golf turned into something out of a fever dream when a baby hammerhead shark fell from the sky and landed near Hole 11 at Splinter City Disc Golf Course in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Jonathan Marlowe, 44, was playing with three friends when they spotted an osprey overhead carrying something in its talons. “It’s not uncommon to see an osprey carrying something, but you take note because it’s really cool to see,” Marlowe told Garden & Gun. But then, things got interesting. Two crows swooped in and began harassing the bird, forcing it to drop its catch midair.

The group expected to find a fish in the trees. What they actually found was a one-foot-long baby hammerhead shark. “I’ve never even seen a hammerhead in real life, and here’s a baby one on the ground that literally fell out of the sky,” Marlowe told ABC News.

Hammerhead Shark ‘Literally Fell Out of the Sky’ in Myrtle Beach

Its distinctive T-shaped head left no doubt. Though the shark was small and unmoving, the shock of seeing it lying in the woods—dropped from the talons of a literal sky predator—was enough to freeze the group in place.

“We couldn’t believe it and kept asking ourselves, ‘Did that really just happen?’” Marlowe said.

Wildlife sightings aren’t rare at Splinter City. Marlowe says the course, which opened in 2020, is home to raccoons, snakes, owls, and even the occasional alligator. But a hammerhead shark mid-flight? That was a first.

The group left the shark under the tree, hoping the osprey might come back for it. Later that day, another disc golfer confirmed it was still there.

South Carolina’s coastal waters are home to several hammerhead species, including the great hammerhead and the newly discovered Carolina hammerhead (Sphyrna gilberti). They can grow up to 20 feet long, but the one dropped on the course was barely a foot. Its exact species remains unclear.

Marlowe and his friends briefly considered trying to return the shark to the ocean, which is only about a half-mile from the course. But ultimately, they decided it probably wouldn’t survive.

“It’s a place where we often see wildlife,” Marlowe said. “But never something like this.”

Some days, nature reminds you it’s still in charge. With a freaking shark falling out of the sky.