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.
Adam Bilyea, Tarandowah Golfers Club, Hole #12
Hello,
I was playing as a single and was joined on hole #4 by another single (thank goodness). We got to hole #12 and I selected a 7 iron. Yardage to pin was 157.
I hit it pure and knew as soon as I hit it, it was going to be good. The ball landed a few feet on the green, took a nice hop and then rolled in. The foursome ahead of us that left the green and was on next tee box also got to celebrate it! This was on our first Men’s night, and on the closet to the pin hole.
As you can see in the pic my puppy Rory photo bombed the picture. I guess he is my good luck charm. It was his very first round.
Certainly, was a memorable evening.
Alex Dumais, Sirocco Golf Club, Hole #5
Good morning,
Thank you for the well wishes and the graphic! I will be printing it and putting it up with the flag I was given by the club that day.
I was grouped that morning with a member named Richard Wong, and two other public players, Phil and Dave. The hole was playing 179 yards and I hit a 6 iron.
There is a funny lesson regarding rules with this event:
I hit my tee shot left into a steep bank with trees, shrubs and fescue and was hoping for a bounce onto the green. The ball landed over a small mound, and I saw no bounce. I went up to the area the ball landed on the hill and searched for a minute or two and then decided to drop a ball to keep pace of play. I chipped my dropped ball close to the hole and tapped in to find my original tee shot in the bottom of the cup. Had this been in a tournament, I’m not sure if my tee shot would have counted as I had already put another ball in play (although maybe this could be discussed with a Rules official)? Regardless, always check the hole if you think there’s any chance the ball went in.
Thanks again,
Alex Dumais
Arlene King, Arrowsmith Golf & Country Club, Hole #14
Good morning,
What a lovely surprise receiving this note from you.
I serve as the Secretary of Zone 6 Ladies BCGA and have done for the past 6 years. I did not start playing golf until 8 years ago so to have these honors, as a Senior…well, it was well worth the wait!
On Wednesdays, I book a couple of tee times for members of the Qualicum Beach Legion Br#76. On this day I had the pleasure of playing with my husband, Wayne Brown alongside David Livingstone and Wendy Chisholm. The second group was made up of Dave Horrocks, Ben Villeneuve and Jenny Mann. They all joined us on the Clubhouse patio following the round to lift a glass in celebration.
Hole #14 is a par 3 and was playing 120 yards (uphill) that day. I got to the tee box with my 7W (Heavenwood) in hand and swung slow and easy, I could not see the ball finish, but it was on a good line and trajectory. By the time I got up to the green, Wayne was marking his ball and said, with a huge grin, “Can you get your junk outta the hole so the rest of us can putt?” WHOOOOHOOO! So excited. It was a fabulous day made even more special golfing with some of my favorite people! And yes, we enjoyed a pint and a toast to the golf gods. ?⛳?
Thanks for the opportunity to share my story. Ace number two is now in the books.
Thank you so much for taking an interest.
Best regards,
Arlene King
Bob Dubask, McKenzie Meadows Golf Club, Hole #17
Thank you very much for the email.
McKenzie Meadows Golf Club, Calgary, Alberta. It was May 4, 2023, at 4 PM (the “fourth” must’ve been with me!). Hole # 17 is a par 3 with water on the left. The hole was cut on the right front at about 116 yards. Strong wind blowing from left to right. I used a 7 iron and made what I thought was a pretty decent shot (for a 80-year old! ?). The ball landed on the green, bounced once, and then rolled towards the pin. It was the strangest feeling…time seemed to stand still, as the ball kept rolling and rolling and rolling, and then simply disappeared! Hole-in-one! ? This is my third hole-in-one. 22 years since the second! ?
Playing partners that day were Alex Tye, David Mahoney and Bruce Simpson
David Rossall, Deer Creek Golf Club, Hole #5
Thank you so much for sending me a congratulations card.
I was playing with my brother Wayne Rossall, my nephew John Alcott and Jeff Eadie. All are members of Golf Canada.
We play closest to pins on par 3’s and I had the last shot. Nobody was on the green, so it was wide open. I originally had a pitching wedge in my hand but watching all the other shots I thought let’s change it to a nine iron. The hole was playing 135 yards. As soon as I hit all I heard was “That’s got a chance.” I hit the ball as perfect as I ever could and it bounced once, twice and in the hole. It was on the 5th hole of Black Pearl Course. I just let out a yell and so did everyone I was playing with. Best feeling ever to have in the game of golf. I’m 61 years old and have been playing for 41 years.
Ethan Saucier, Beverly Golf & Country Club, Hole #17
Thank you very much. I was playing with my good friends, Ken Wiersma and Jim Hemrica. The pin was around 160 yards and I hit an easy 6 iron. The pin was on the downslope and the ball hit the top of the slope and slowly trickled back into the cup.
Jack Demroski, Tsawwassen Springs Golf Course, Hole #9
Hello.
Thank you for the mention of my hole-in-one. I think it was because my wife Kathy enters my scores hole-by-hole on the Golf Canada site.
Eight of us were playing a net score game and I was in the second group, getting ready to tee off on the short but tough 9th hole at Tsawwassen Springs G.C. It’s protected by traps on either side and at the back as well. The group ahead of us were part of our small money game and were heading to the tenth tee. One of them (Ken Natsuhara) left a KP marker where his tee shot stopped within a foot, left of the flag. Rob in our group said, “Someone’s got to hole it to beat that KP!”. Shortly after is when the lead group heard a loud whoop from our group, turned around and realized someone in our group had holed out. Me! For my very first hole-in-one, ever!
Members in my group took pictures and they were: Theo van Tunen, Robert Clare and Casey Whittit. The hole was only 110 yards, but playing into the wind, so more like 120 yards. I “stepped hard” on a pitching wedge as I realized I had left my pushcart and clubs several yards away in the designated area before realizing I might not have enough “club”. I committed to the wedge. It landed about six inches in front and slightly to the right of the cup, one hopped past and spun back into the hole. I was stunned and silent as I was realizing what had finally happened, but my friends cheered immediately!
Thanks for the graphic.
I had just turned 65, 2 days before (on the 24th), so took a couple days off to play with friends who play most Wednesdays throughout the year, weather permitting. We are all part of the Pacific Golf cCub, all players with established H’caps (Via BCGA/CGA), who play throughout the Lower Mainland, usually on Saturdays. Currently at around 40 members, open to men and women. I have been a member with Pacific for over 10 years, and was a member of Fraserview Golf Course, part of the Vancouver Parks board, for 25 years before that.
Cheers and thank you, again.
Jacques Fournier, Moncton Golf & Country Club, Hole #2
Had never had one in 17 years and now have two in the last three years.
Occurred on hole #2. I used a 9 iron on the 145-yard hole. Hit spin back in the hole.
Jacques Fournier
Jim Carlson, National Pines Golf Club, Hole #15
Thank you.
The hole-in-one was achieved May 5th on National Pines’ 15th hole. It was playing 110 yards and I used it Wedge. Playing partners were Bob Goss and Andy Williams.
Cheers.
Kelan Dhanai, McCall Lake Golf Course, Hole #4
I was playing with my friend. Wind was coming in from the back, I was 170 yards into a front left pin. I had a 9 iron in hand ready to try and draw it in. Right as I was about to swing, I thought to myself I should hit a light 8 iron. So, I grabbed it from my bag. As I hit my ball, it started off five yards left of the pin with a baby draw then landed five feet left of the pin and had a draw spin into the hole.
Ken Rondeau, Stonebridge Golf Club, Hole #13
Thank you for your email.
Hole #13 which played approximately 135 yards. Hit a 9 iron. Played with Steven Check and Bruce in the morning at 7:10.
Neil McKendrick, Fernie Golf & Country Club, Hole #11
Thanks for reaching out.
Here are the details:
– Fernie Golf Club, opening day for 2023.
– Hole #11, white tees. 142 yards, 8 iron.
– Playing partners were Bonny McKendrick (wife), Al Kamp and Jessica Rodrigues.
- The club gives a hole-in-one flag to commemorate the event.
This is my second hole-in-one on this hole (first was in August, 2020) and my sixth since I started playing golf. My score on Sunday was 72. I’m 71 years old and started playing when I was 16.
Very exciting for me and those I was playing with.
Thank you for the graphic.
Peter Hastings, Rattlesnake Point Golf Club, Hole #13
Hi and thank you for your email and the certificate.
I was playing with Don Young (Rattlesnake) and Carl Hiltz (Heron Point).
The hole-in-one was on Copperhead #13. I believe the yardage to the middle of the green was 160 and we were playing to a blue flag. There was a strong wind in our faces, so I hit a 5 wood to make sure I got to the back of the green. The shot had a high trajectory, landed about 15 feet left of the pin and then rolled into the hole.
Thanks.
Rey Erickson, Victoria Golf Club, Hole #8
My hole-in-one occurred while I was playing golf with my wife, Maureen Erickson, and Mitch Prothman, a member at Victoria Golf Club.
The yardage was 109 yards with wind against us. I used a Miura 9 iron to get my hole-in-one.
Shawn Delaney, Algonquin (Club de Golf), Hole #5
Witness was John Decontie. Yards were 166. Iron used was a 5 iron. Ball was a TaylorMade soft response. It was a very small left to right fade. Slam dunk. Man, it was unbelievable. I didn’t realize what happened until I looked over to John and he’s losing his mind then it clues in that it did in fact go in.
Steve Akazawa, Harvest Golf Club, Hole #4
Thank you for reaching out to me to celebrate my first and only hole-in-one after 40 years of golfing!
The happy event occurred on April 26, 2023, on hole #4 of the Harvest Golf Club in Kelowna, B.C. where I have been a member for six years since I retired and relocated from Vancouver.
On this Wednesday, April 26, I joined up as a single with some out of town visitors; a lovely couple, Christian and Catherine from Montreal and another single, Richard Burrage from Calgary. So, I was pleased to be able to be a course guide for them, helping with the hole layouts and green reading. Even without a hole-in- one it was a great day of golf and socializing, especially at the 19th hole.
I normally play the White tees, but on this occasion, decided to join Richard and Christian on the Combo tees. On hole #4 the regular white and blue tees were closed due an improvement project to the teeing area and the grass area was still undergoing new growth. So, all of the fourth hole tees were moved up to the 128-yard Green Tee location. I used an 8 iron for my lucky hole-in-one shot and was fortunate that all members of our foursome saw the ball roll into the cup! Talk about good course yardage for our guests. All in all, a phenomenal day.
P.S. I had an incident with my electric MGI golf cart last year that was fully covered (less $100 deductible) by the insurance program provided by the Golf Canada membership. The process was quick, simple and very courteous; thank you for providing this service.
Steve Akazawa
Todd Pearson, Hylands North, Hoe #12
Hole-in-one happened on hole #12 at the Hylands North, course in Ottawa. 199 yards. 4 iron.