Golf Canada Hole-In-One Report – Week of July 15, 2024

It was a rare outing because my daughter was back in Nelson on a break from her studies at the University of Victoria. It was a day that my wife and I were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary, so we played an afternoon round before a family dinner with the aforementioned 23 year old daughter and our 25 year old son. All my family loves the sport, so it was a perfect day at Granite Pointe. I had actually been playing rather poorly the week before.

I hover around a five to six index, but wasn’t feeling the game that day. But when I stepped up to the fourth hole which is a slightly elevated green, I pulled out an 8-iron for the 155 yard shot. I struck it well and knew it was good and heading straight for the flag. Because we could not see the putting surface, I was just happy that I’d likely have a birdie putt. When we got up for the green and I didn’t see the ball within 10 feet, I first figured that a gopher must have got it. But then another option occurred to me. When I went to the hole, there was the Titleist!

The family cheered and then we all laughed! That was my fourth hole-in-one in my life, all since 2017. I’m out there a lot, so it seems like math more than anything. This was by far the most memorable one because it was done with my family on a special anniversary day. It was awesome to experience that with them. We all feel fortunate to have our lovely community golf course in such a spectacular mountain location. Every day out there is a gift and a hole-in-one is simply icing on the cake!

I’ve played golf for close to 60 years and haven’t had an hole-in-one. I’ve holed out several times on par 4’s and have eagled a number of times on par 5’s but this is by far more exciting. I was playing with Dan Kelly and John Strickland. I hit an 8 iron 135 yards and it took one bounce and in. My last goal in golf is shoot my age. One happy relieved golfer.

On my 78th birthday I was playing with Steve Poots and Rick Baxter. I commented after a poor front nine that the golf gods were not being very nice on my birthday. Things picked up on the back and got to 18th hole much happier. Yardage was 111. Hit a 9 iron landing just short of hole and rolled in. Both partners were yelling that could go in and it did! The club has hole-in-one insurance so a good celebration on the patio followed. The club now presents you with the flag as a keepsake. This was my third hole-in-one. 

With fellow members and more like brothers Nick Caggiano and Frank Ieraci. Awesome moment with awesome company!

Hole #7. 110 yards. Club used was a 6 hybrid. Playing with Kim Elliott who was there for my hole-in-one last year too and two other Sturgeon members, Dale and Tony.

Played with a group of friends. Hole #15. Was playing 127 yards to the flag. 

Was playing with a buddy of mine. The course was backed up so the group behind us also witnessed it. Hole #7 at Gage Golf Course. A 160 yard par 3. I used a light 9 iron. Due to the shadows on the green, we were unable to tell if the ball went in or not from the tee box. The group behind us believed the ball rolled off the green but upon pulling up the the green it was clear the ball went in the hole.

My playing partners were, Neil Best, Paul Hitchcock and Lindsey Fraser. That hole is 177 yards. The pin was in the back so I am guessing close to 180 yards. I used a 4 iron.

It was my first ever hole-in-one. I was playing with my 15-year-old son, Liam. He beat me on the front nine for his first time ever and then I pulled ahead for keeps with my hole-in-one on hole #11! It was 163 yards to the pin and I hit an 8 iron (there was a helping wind). I didn’t hit it flush and it barely covered the trap, kicked towards the hole and went in. It was awesome to share that moment with my son.

Playing partners were Jeremy Faria and Dr. Neil Moss. Hole #3. Blue tees. 148 yards with an 8 iron.

After 35 years of playing golf, I had my first hole-in-one on Thursday, June 27th at Brantford Golf and Country Club. It was on the third hole with a nice 9 iron from around 140 yards. Landed just behind the pin, took one bounce and spun back off a slope into the hole. We all watched it drop! Amazing feeling that I was able to share with my close friends Abe, Chris and Jeff.

My name is Len Gibbons and I am Joey’s husband. This was an amazing accomplishment for her as she is a stroke victim and was advised after her stroke that she would probably not be able to golf again. Joey is a very strong willed person so she would not accept that. Joey never golfed for two years after her stroke but then decided it was time. She has her limitations but still manages. This was her fifth hole-in-one as she had four of them before her stroke. On this occasion Joey and I were just golfing together however her hole-in-one was witnessed by two gentlemen ahead of us. The hole #17 has an elevated tee and on this occasion the middle of the green white flag was directly over a pot bunker that was protecting the green. Joey used a Callaway Rogue 7 wood which flew over the pot bunker bounced once on the green and rolled into the hole without touching the flag. The red forward tees on this date made the hole play 115 yards downhill.

– Len Gibbons, on behalf of Joey

This is my first hole-in-one. I have hit the pin twice before but luck wasn’t on my side those times. This day was the earliest tee time I’ve ever started on at 6:40 am. I was with my friend, Mike Ansell, who is also a member of Golf Canada. I made the shot with a three quarter swing 9 iron with a slight draw at 141 yards. It landed 10 feet short of the hole, two bounces and it was in. 

I was golfing with my brother Josh and a friend Dale Cleghorn. The hole was 160 yards downhill. Decided to hit a pitching wedge and ended up dunking the ball in the hole. I had no idea the ball went in until I walked up to the green and saw the massive divot the ball made on the edge of the hole.

It was 137 yards to the pin from the blue tees as pinged by one of my playing partners Brad Trussler. I was playing with two friends, Brad, Andrew Savaglio and their neighbour Brett “The Vet” as they called him, I’m really not even sure what his last name is as I had just met him that afternoon. Shot was holed with a Titleist T200, 43 degree pitching wedge using a Taylormade Speedsoft golf ball. I had just started playing that ball that day as I had found one in the woods at a scramble a couple weeks back and liked how it felt off the club. It was actually my second hole-in-one but oddly enough, my first one was recorded at Rattlesnake as well on Sidewinder hole #2 – exactly 52 weeks (to the day) on Thursday June 22, 2023. Now, that’s just crazy! I can’t wait to see which hole it will be on next year?

I was golfing with my playing buddies Dale and Ron. We got to hole #17 and it was quite windy. From the black tees it was 148 yards. I hit a 8 iron, it was a good hit going straight at the flag but I couldn’t see the bottom of the hole as it was behind a little rise in front of the green. After we all hit we walk up to the green and I don’t see my ball. It wasn’t short, I look in the bunker just beyond the green and nothing was there. Then Dale walks and says, “let’s check the hole.” He reaches in and pulls out the ball. My first hole-in-one after over 40 years of golfing.

Saturday, June 22 myself and 11 friends were participating in our fourth annual “Big Honch Invitational” at Bear Mountain, in Victoria B.C. As we got to hole #4 of the Mountain course it was playing 148 yards with about 30 feet of elevation gain, front left pin on a shrub and brush filled valley between the tee box and green. Normally I would hit a smooth and easy 8 iron, only to fly the pin and be able to putt back. There was a heavy head wind so I clubbed up to a 7 iron.

I squared up to the flag and opened the club face a touch to cut the ball right of the pin onto a safe shelf. I had a clean strike and the ball flew to my desired location. It bounced and settled and then it began rolling slowly down left towards the pin. I thought it was going to roll off what appeared to be a false front of the green but rolled directly across and ever so slowly towards the pin and as it should have passed, it dropped. I dropped my club and was met with a roar of cheer, hugs and high fives from my friends. It was perfect, to be able to share that with my crew.

Hole #2 at Rivershore Golf Links playing 154 yards with an 8 iron and it took one hop and dropped. Playing with Kamloops Golf and Country Club Member Ken Hartt (University Teammate at TRU in 1994 – 1996), Kamloops Golf and Country Club Member Tim Rodgers and Tobiano Member Paul Manhas. Weather was perfect and course conditions were perfect. Great day by all.

I used an alternate wedge on hole #14, distance was 91 yards. Playing partners were Judy Johnson, Brian Loschuk and Cory Neuman. As a side note this was my 14th hole-in-one which occurred on hole #14.

It was on Wednesday June 26th. I was playing with my good friends Nancy and Steve Gilliland, and my wife Barbara Wishart. It was on hole #5 at West Hills Golf Club. It’s a short par three measuring a mere 105 yards but it is almost all over a pond. The pin was in a difficult front right location, with a cross wind going from right to left. I used a pitching wedge landing the ball about a foot from the hole and watched as it slowly rolled toward the pin and dropped in. Every Sunday my 95 year old mother calls to chat. At some point she gets around to asking whether I played golf that week. As usual she would ask, “did you get a hole-in-one?” I’d always have to say, “no not this week.” She would remind me that my father had one, but not to worry, “you will get one some day.” Well it was nice on this past Sunday that I was able to respond to the question with, “yes I did get a hole-in-one.” Of course my mother congratulated me and then quickly reminded me that I still had a ways to go as my wife Barbara has two hole-in-ones.