LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Las Vegas youth golf director is warning others not to repeat the potentially deadly mistakes he made when he suffered heat exhaustion while caddying during a golf tournament.
Ronnie Tallent, Las Vegas Director for the U.S. Kids Golf Foundation, was carrying a young player’s golf bag during a tournament in Pahrump where he says temperatures reached around 110 degrees.
Tallent said his symptoms began around the sixth hole with a headache and dry mouth. By the 11th hole, he was experiencing dizziness and blurry vision and vomited a few times.
MORE ON FOX5: Southern Nevada cooling stations activated for extreme heat
“When I got to the point that from just going from dizziness to could barely focus what was in front of me, it felt like somebody was ripping out my eyeballs, to be honest with you,” Tallent said.
Despite his condition, Tallent continued through all 18 holes. Someone else took over the caddying duties for the young golfer and Tallent rode the remaining 18 holes on a golf cart. He later acknowledged that decision was a mistake.
“If I would have listened to the signs and got out of the heat and put myself in a better situation. Knowing that, I don’t think that you should ever put yourself in danger, even though you’re trying to do right by others,” said Tallent.
He said he didn’t want to disappoint the young golfer he was caddying for.
Hospital diagnosis
After the 18 holes, someone drove Tallent back to Las Vegas where he went to the VA Hospital. He was lethargic and unable to walk. He says a doctor delivered disturbing news; he had already begun experiencing acute kidney failure.
“He said I put myself to a certain point that I could have died,” Tallent said.
“My body was giving me signs, and I was not listening to those signs,” he said.
According to Tallent, his kidneys have since recovered. But he emphasizes the experience was a close call.
Lessons for others
Tallent, who advises young golfers to hydrate two to three days before tournaments, acknowledged he failed to follow his own guidance.
“That’s the funniest thing, I provide them the information, but I didn’t take that same information for myself,” Tallent said.
Tallent advises others not to try and power through the heat, especially when they experience symptoms of heat illness that he was feeling.
Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.
