Each week we write to Golf Canada members who record a hole-in-one, congratulating them and asking if they’d tell us how it happened. These are their stories (edited for length and clarity).
Have you recently accomplished the feat of a hole-in-one? Tell us about it! Share your story, picture / video and course information with us at holeinone@golfcanada.ca.
Lisa Nye, Estrella del Mar Golf and Country Club, Hole #13
It was a beautiful day in Mazatlan at the Estrella del Mar Golf and Country Club. I was on a golf trip with our Golf Professional, Debbie Janes. When I got my hole-in-one, I was playing with three other friends: Naz Sicherman, Elizabeth Bryden and Lisa Farrell. I hit my tee shot with an 8 iron on the 13th hole, 120 yard par 3, with a front right pin. It was a nice high shot that landed and rolled over a slight hill on a raised green. When we got to the green I was looking around for my ball thinking it had rolled off the green then Elizabeth said, “Uh, there is a ball in the hole”. It was very exciting – my first hole-in-one! We all shouted and hugged.
Terrance Hartwick, Whiskey Creek Country Club, Hole #16
Hole #16, and was playing 114 yards from the Blues that day. The Ranger was sitting by the green and was the first one to confirm it was in the hole. I’m 70 years old and have been golf seriously for about 2 1/2 years. My handicap is 24. Members of the foursome in front of us drove back to congratulate me on the course, (nice touch I thought). Club was a Callaway 3 rescue club, the oldest club in my bag and the most used. Ball was a Titleist 2. My playing partner of that day was my loving wife, Jackie Larouche Hartwick who deserves honourable mention because as she reminded me it has been all her great golf tips over the years that enabled the hole-in-one in the first place, and she’s not wrong.
John Esposto, Willowbrook, Hole #3
It was the first time out golfing this year in Florida. My friend Bob and I booked Willowbrook to get our first game in and also to see Alligators sunning themselves on the side of the ponds. Bill H. From Ontario joined us as a third.
After two double bogeys on the first two holes we came to the par 3 hole #3 at 143 yards. Normally I’d use a 7 iron but since it was the first time out I used a 6 iron.
I said to myself keep your head down and follow through the ball, to prevent “premature admiration”! I have this problem often! It felt great off the club and a nice follow through. I seen it land on the green and roll towards the hole. Then I lost sight of it thinking I was long and went over to the back of the green.
When we drove up to the green my ball was nowhere to be found. Bill looks in the hole and there it was my third hole-in-one. I had a hard time concentrating the rest of the game and proceeded to shoot 49/53 for 102! Not bad for the first time out! This was my third hole-in-one with the first one coming in 1985 at Cherokee Golf Course in Hamilton!
Peter Jarvis, Pelican Preserve Golf Club, Hole #7
What a pleasant surprise receiving this note and the attached photo of the hole as we did not go back to photograph it.
I was partnering with a friend who is also a member of my home course Deerhurst Highlands and Pelican Preserve. We also had a father and son two-some who joined us Ken (member) and Steve his son.
It is a short hole – 155 yards on a Florida still rising incline until the green with water in front and the wind was blowing directly towards us. I pulled out a longer yardage club – my 5 wood – teed it up a bit and gave it a good stoke. It went high – seemed to almost stop in the wind and bounced on the curtain of the green just past the sandbox. The green had a slight downward slope away from us and pin was at the back so we couldn’t see where the ball ended up.
My partner remarked that was going to be a just dandy shot and Ken then hit one that landed close to mine and also looked like it had good shape. When we approached the green from different sides we both saw 1 ball close to the hole and both started looking for the other. I got there first to check if it was mine, pointed to Ken it was his and he eyeballed the cup – I went doubtfully towards the flag and lo and behold there she rested.
The rest is history and my back 9 was saved from the 2 doubles and 2 bogies that started it.
Paul Bordignon, Pitt Meadows Golf Club, Hole #7
It was a 7 iron from 158 yards, I was playing with my friends and fellow Pitt Meadows Golf Club members Connor Sam and James. Hit it right at it and it was 2 hops and in and the crowd went wild.
Stu Murphy, Golf Club of Estrella, Hole #7
I was playing with my girlfriend and a father and son from Seattle.
It was 171 yards with lucky number 7 iron.
Frank Enns, Estrella Del Mar, Hole #6
I was playing with Rod Kaasa of Edmonton and Rob Parker of Comox. The 6th hole at Estrella del Mar was playing at 106 yards over water. It is my 5th hole-in-one on that hole. Ironically, I have now made 5 aces on that hole, from 3 different tee boxes and FIVE different clubs: Gold(9i), Blue(PW), and White(50 degree wedge, 52 degree wedge, and 56 degree wedge). This one was made with my 50 degree wedge. It landed approximately 5’ past the hole and spun back into the cup. It is my 7th ace in my life. I’m 72 years of age.
Jim Sirup, Eagle Falls Golf Course, Hole #9
My 3rd hole-in-one! We were playing at Eagle Falls, Indio, California. Our foursome included my wife Karen and also playing with us, visiting from Kansas City, were Jeff & Sharon Alton. The big moment came at hole number 9. The hole was playing 174 yards, slight uphill to an elevated green. I used a 4 hybrid. The ball landed at the front part of the green, rolled to a back pin location and… disappeared! So, so exciting!
Jenifer Jones, Sandpiper Golf Club, Hole #7
It was my very first hole-in-one ever! I played golf as a junior, but then took a 25 year hiatus to finish my degrees and get established in my career as a physiotherapist owning 3 private clinic now.
I returned to golf in 2020 during Covid as a mental health escape and realized how much I love the game! I started back in lessons, and dedicated a lot of time to my game. I have been the Women’s Club Champion at Sandpiper Golf the last 3 years in a row and log over 150 games/year.
My hole-in-one was on hole #7 at Sandpiper, a par 3. I was playing from the white tees at had 99 yards to the pin. There is a hill off to the right of the green that rolls balls to the left – I landed there and rolled left onto the green and PLOP into the hole! Maybe not the prettiest hole-in-one, but a hole-in-one non-the-less.
Alison Murdoch, Victoria Golf Club, Hole #13
It was at Victoria Golf Club, one of the very few golf clubs open in Canada at this time of year. It was on the 13th hole, playing 117 yards that day with an 8 iron. You can see my friend Berne in this picture; I was also playing with Sunny who was the one who found the ball in the hole. It hit a tree and none of us saw where it went until Sunny took the flag out for Berne to putt. The men in the group behind us waited patiently on the tee while we took a few pictures. I guess they were happy to anticipate the hole-in-one drink they would be enjoying later.
Trish Jordan, Westbrook Village Country Club, Hole #2
I was playing with some American friends who I have met at our amazing golf course community at Westbrook Village in Peoria, AZ. They were: Jackie Boman, Dawn Prahl and Sharon Bolender. I think they were more excited than I was because they told me they had never seen a hole-in-one before.
I was playing the second hole at the Vistas Golf Course at Westbrook Village in Peoria. I am a snowbird who just retired last year and now have a bit more time to spend in Arizona.
It was a Blue pin. I estimated 125 yards. I choked up on a 7 iron (like Brook Henderson). I hit a pretty good shot but thought it might roll out and go long. But nope. It disappeared and I was like: Wow!
There is a tradition at the club that you donate your hat with the information and they post the hat on the wall of the bar in the clubhouse. So I did that too.
I have had 3 previous hole-in-ones but think this was the first in about 15 years and my first ever in the US. Not to bad for a 61 year old retiree!
Deb Harmidy, Mantarraya Golf Club, Hole #11
I was playing with my good friend Linda Macpherson and another woman who I did not know. There was a strong headwind so I decided to use my 7 wood on the 118 yard hole #11 at Mantarraya golf course in Rio Hato, Panama. The shot felt great off the tee but with the sun in our face, we couldn’t track the ball. What a great feeling to find my ball in the cup!
Tammy Bigelow, Desert Princess, Hole #17
I got my hole-in-one January 27th at Desert Princess in Palm Springs, CA as you already know. After recovering from tri level fusion in my back in 2019 I am so happy to be able to golf and my index is a 22 which I am proud of after such a recovery. My husband Wayne and I were playing with a friend of ours Byron and we were just about finished our round, playing Lagos 8 which is the 17th for my round, an elevated tee box and a turtle back green. I had actually just lost a ball to the water on #16 so I was deflated and I was getting tired. My husband says, “dig deep here honey” we are almost finished and you have a great round going! I grab my 6 iron so I don’t have to swing hard as I know my body is done this round. He says… “carry it 85, land it in the middle and just let it release to the pin which was a right, uphill then downhill lie approximately 118 yards”. So, I am thinking to myself, my 6 iron is too much. I go back to the cart and grab my 7 iron. It flies perfectly, lands nice and soft, I bend over to pick up my tee because I think that was good… hopefully it stays on the green when suddenly, the guys are shouting “go in the hole!” I missed most of it because I just thought they were yelling that as everyone tends to when you have a great shot, but I was happy to see it in the bottom of the cup!
Howie Cunningham, Eagle Quest Golf Course, Hole # 7
I’ve played golf in my earlier years not so often but in the last 2-3 years my son Aaron (24) years has gotten me into golfing seriously. We play at Eagle Quest Golf Course in Coquitlam BC. Canada. 3-4 times a week. Par 3 course, 9 hole.
We’ve got very close to hole-in-one’s but on February 19 , 2023 at 2:20 pm. I made an unbelievable tee off to receive my first hole-in-one. 81 yards on Hole #7. My son and I still can believe it today as we’re so happy.
Kenn Stocks, The Okanagan Golf Club, Hole #4
– July 3, 2023
– Quail course hole #4
– Black Tee’s
– About 210 yards
– 4 rescue club
– First one
– 3 witnesses
– 18 holes finished the round
– No gimmes, no do overs, no breakfast ball.
Kyle Lagerstrom, TPC of Scottsdale, Hole #3
We were in Arizona for a golf trip for my cousins stag. This course was gorgeous, nicest course any of us had ever played. My cousin and I were paired together with two guys we met at the course, and the other 3 guys in our group were playing right behind us.
We got to hole #3 and I ranged the pin at 122 yards. Usually that would be a pitching wedge for me but the green was a little bit below the tee box so I used my Gap wedge. I struck the ball pretty good and it was heading just a little bit left of the pin. It landed about 10′ left of the pin and a few feet long. I got a nice kick to the right off of the slope of the green and it started rolling towards the pin. We got to watch it roll closer and closer to the pin until it dropped! My cousin and I looked at each other and started cheering and jumping on the tee box with the two other guys we had just met. My cousin is in the picture in the pink hat. (Not his first choice of hat but we made him wear it). I learnt that apparently when you get a hole-in-one you have to pick up the bill at the bar at the 19th hole which made for a great time. All in all made for a trip we will never forget! Couldn’t have picked a better spot to get an ace!
Brett Kury, Superstition Springs Golf Club, Hole #17
It was an awesome moment given that this was my second ace ever (my first was at Ledgeview GCC, home to Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin in May of 2018, hole #17!) and THIS time I got to actually see it roll in! At Superstition Springs GC they’ve switched the nines there, so it actually happened on the 6th hole (old 15th) 173 yards, I hit my 6 iron with a nice high draw, one big bounce then just tracked straight into the hole! A fun day to be sure and It was witnessed by three partners from Minnesota (one who now lives in Mesa, and two just visiting).
Mac Shiells, Arcadian Shores Golf Club, Hole #17
I was playing with my wife. The yardage was 117 and I used a 9 iron.
Ron Cornell, Indian Wells Golf Resort, Hole #12
It was a 7 iron from 156 yards away on 12th hole Indian wells players course.
Witnessed by Alex Mcphail and one other who was a single that joined us. My 6th hole-in-one but first in the USA.
Andy Constand, Shelburne Golf & Country Club, Hole #18
My name is Andy Constand. I had a hole-in-one on July 24, 2023 on hole #18 at Shelburne Golf & Country Club.
Nicholas Lum, Marine Drive Golf Club, Hole #16
– Marine Drive Golf Club
– Feb 10, 2024
– Hole 16
– 155 yrds
– Srixon ZX Mkii 7 Iron
– Ball: ProV1
– Played with Philip Mak and Daniel Lum