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.
Alan Campbell, Brundenell River Golf Course, Hole #10
Thanks for sharing my first hole-in-one. It was #10 at Brudenell River Golf Course. 131 yards across water and windy and cool. The guys who were playing with me were John Currie, Alyre Poirier, and Josh Campbell (my son). I hit a 7 iron, it hit the green and rolled to the right and into the hole.
Barbara Ollenberger, Dunes Golf & Winter Club, Hole #3
Thank you.
I was golfing with my friends Trina Irons and Allen Tomkins. It was 90 yards, and I used a 9 iron.
Benjamin Lisi, The Pulpit Club, Hole #16
Good evening Golf Canada Team,
Thank you so much for your email.
I am more than happy to share the details. It was so unexpected and a moment I will remember for the rest of my life.
My good friend from university, Joshua Hardy, invited me out to the club that day alongside his other two buddies, Noah Maunder and Connor Logan. The yardage was 164 yards and I hit an 8-iron.
We were playing a money game and Noah and Connor were 1 up headed into 16. I previously made an up-and-down to save par on 15. I was the last to go in the group, Josh had hit the green and I had the opportunity to put the pressure on. Hole #16 at The Pulpit is very similar to hole #12 (Golden Bell) at Augusta, where you have to hit over some water with a bunker guarding the green in front and two bunkers behind. The pin was located on the middle left and there was a ridge feeding the ball down towards the hole.
The most satisfying part of it all was that I said to Josh right before I hit it “Smooth 8-iron over the bunker.” I was playing a draw for the majority of the round with my short irons and I hit the exact shot I wanted to hit. Josh said, “Oh, that could be in” once I hit it. The ball landed three feet to the right pin high, spun left off the ridge, and just disappeared!
It was so surreal and just like that the match was all square onto hole #17. Good thing there weren’t many people in the clubhouse when we came in or else it would have been an expensive bar tab.
Thank you again for reaching out! I appreciate it!
Best,
Ben
Bohdan Kolomijchuk, Willow Park Golf & Country Club, Hole #18
Thank you for the email and reaching out. It’s still very surreal that I got my hole-in-one.
Here’s a recap of the day:
It was Saturday, May 13th, a beautiful morning in Calgary. We had a shot gun start at 8:30 AM, the tee sheet being jammed with two groups on each hole. Our starting hole was hole #13.
When I got to the course I knew or was expecting the round to be a long round, around 5 hours, based on the amount of players. The funny thing was while walking with my golf group heading out to our first tee on hole #13, one of my playing partners said “maybe we will only play 15 holes and not play 10, 11 and 12” based on all of us thinking it would be extremely slow with the number of players playing in the shot gun. I remember saying to everyone we will have to play all 18 holes if someone in our group gets a hole-in-one, too funny that I called it. ?
The horn goes off; the shot gun has begun, and we tee off on hole #13 as group one for that hole. I am playing with my regular Saturday group that would include other members of Willow Park as follows: my brother (Yar), my son (Tyler) and my friend (Bob). The time we got to the 18th hole this was our sixth hole of the day. I was not having my best golf day going into this hole I was already 8 over par so not having much fun. The good part of the day was the pace of play actually was way better than expected.
We were playing from the back tees this round which would be the (black/blue combo). Hole #18 was playing long at 201 yards into the wind the pin placement was positioned and tucked between two mounds middle right side of the green so needing the perfect tee shot to get it anywhere close.
As I recall I was eight over par going into this and remember quote on quote this is what I truly said to the group prior to teeing off, “Nothing that a hole-in-one can’t cure.”
I used a 5 iron and striped it. I knew it was good but had no idea it was in the hole. Walking up towards the green I didn’t see my ball. In my mind I was thinking the ball must have rolled off the back of the green?
To my surprise when I approach the green one of my playing partners has his hand extended to shake my hand. I am thinking, “What is he doing?” He said, “Look down into the cup.” Wow, what a surprise as I see my Titleist ball looking right at me. I mark my balls with a Happy Face on them and it was staring me in the eye.
At that moment I did not know what to say or do, I was in shock but so happy and it was surreal that I was able to have this moment and especially doing this with my regular weekend group including my brother and son.
Thanks again,
Bohdan Kolomijchuk
Brandon Kleinknecht, Weston Golf & Country Club, Hole #8
What a great email to receive. Wow, very professional. Thank you very much. I was playing with my best friend, Jeff O’Neill who is a member there. It was playing 122 yards and I hit my 50-degree gap wedge on route to a smooth 71. Jeff actually got an ace on the same hole with the same yardage a few years ago. Thanks again.
Brent Davidson, Legacy Ridge Golf Club, Hole #2
Hello and thanks for the congratulations email. Nice touch. My hole-in-one was at Legacy Ridge #2. It was a pitching wedge from 131 yards that bounced twice and trickled in. The excitement was shared with my wife, Kim, and our golf friends, Gord and Donna. A big thanks to the Legacy Ridge Management for presenting me with a hole-in-one flag directly after the round. Very nice touch!
Brian Goodwin, Glacier Greens, Hole #4
After going bogey, par, double bogey, Bill Village, Ernie Peaker and I made our way to the 4th hole at Glacier Greens, in the Comox Valley. Both gents hit decent shots over a pond to the green. Having not started very well, I changed to a used, beat-up ball as my confidence wasn’t running very high as I have put balls in the pond on numerous occasions. I hit a good shot in the direction of the pin that was 135 yards away. As I was a little frustrated, I turned to walk back to my bag. The boys said, that may have gone in. The pin was hard to see as it was in the sun. My first thought was that it went passed the pin and no one could see it. As we neared the green, none of us could see the ball, so I started looking past the green in the rough. Still not seeing the ball I walked slowly to the pin and saw the ball at the bottom of the cup. This was my second hole-in- one, having one 21 years earlier on my 40th birthday. This was the one time that I thoroughly enjoyed buying beer for my buddies and funny enough, a few more showed up after the round.
Sincerely,
Brian Goodwin
Carmen Bropinak, Goose Hummock Golf Resort, Hole #4
Thanks for the cool graphic.
The hole was 103 yards to the flag and was very windy. I hit an 8 iron and it landed beside the flag and spun into the hole. I was with my husband, Jeff Kropinak, and his friend, Robert Toutant.
Deborah Cooper, Toronto Golf Club, Hole #7
Thank you for your email.
My story should be called Pure Luck. I was playing with Tammy Demaine and her daughter Rachel Demaine as well as my daughter, Kiera Dirisio. All members at TGC. First round of the season!
I used my rescue club. First hole-in-one for me. I hit my ball on the green and honestly saw it roll to the right and lost sight of it. The rest of the group was talking and didn’t see me hit. Typical! We all walked up to the green and I thought it rolled off down the hill as it was nowhere to be seen. I even brought my pitching wedge with me. My daughter also landed on the green and when she went to putt hers in the hole, she screamed, “Mom, your ball is in the hole!” I think the entire course heard us screaming. Lots of celebrating on the lawn afterwards.
Overall super exciting and truly unbelievable!
Deb
Jean-Guy Godin, Nottawasaga Inn Golf Club, Hole #4
Thank you for your kind message. My hole-in-one on May 1, 2023 was my very first one.It happened on hole #4 of the Hill-Valley course at the Nottawasaga Inn Golf Club in Alliston. I was playing with three of my neighbours and friends, Ken Beckett, Terry Corbett and Terry Mudry. The hole played to 149 yards (front pin position), with a slight headwind. I used a Callaway Big Bertha Diablo Hybrid 4 club and a Callaway Max ball. We were playing the white tees on an elevated tee box. When I struck the ball off my tee, I knew right away that it was a good shot – high loft and straight at the pin. I saw the ball land about one metre from the pin but did not see it roll into the cup. As I started walking away from the tee, my golf mates who were standing behind me started yelling that the ball rolled into the cup and that I had made a hole-in-one. Initially, I thought they were kidding, but then quickly realized that I had indeed shot my first hole-in-one. Quite a surprising and great golfing moment for me! Happy to have shared it with golfing buddies.
Best regards,
Jean-Guy Godin
Kory Mortimer, Galt Country Club, Hole #11
Thanks for reaching out. I was playing with my brother, Kyle Mortimer, and my two friends, Todd Chevalier and Vinny Luka. It was a 9 iron from 146 yards. Nice high draw that landed about three or four feet left of hole and rolled right inside the door. I was fourth to tee off in the group. Vinny was on the green and Kyle and Todd were 6 and 8 feet from the hole. Didn’t think I could do much better, turns out I could!
Murray Alley, Wyldewood Golf & Country Club, Hole #11
Hi,
May 11th 2023
Hole # 11
123 yards
9 iron
Thanks,
Murray Alley
Neil Pagett, Osoyoos Golf Club, Hole #13
Hello,
Thanks for the email, it was a nice surprise.
I was playing with a couple of friends and golf mates, Garry and Phil. 13th hole, out on the Meadows course back nine, which was our front nine due to an irrigation project under way at the Osoyoos Golf Club. Front pin, tees back, playing about 134 yards to the stick. I hit a 9 iron nice and easy into a little bit of a breeze, just caught the front apron and rolled right at the flag. It seemed to hang there for a moment then goik!
Ended up shooting 80, great day overall!
Warm Regards,
Neil Pagett
Randy Wood, Royal Regina Golf Club, Hole #14
On May 10, 2023, I recorded a hole-in-one on the 14th hole at the Royal Regina Golf Club.
Samuel Shiposh, Eagle Creek Golf Course, Hole #11
Thank you so much for reaching out! I was playing at my home course, Eagle Creek Golf Club, with two of my brothers, Aubry and Brennan Shiposh. Hole #11 was playing 115 yards and I hit my 52-degree wedge. I hit the shot and it was tracking the entire way and ended up dunking in the hole! We were all going crazy. This was my second hole-in-one ever, as well as my second on this very same hole.
Steve Geoffrey, Oaks of St. George Golf Club, Hole #8
Hi,
Thanks for sending this. I thought it was kind of cool at the time, but I really didn’t make a big deal about it. I didn’t even tell them at the Proshop. I was playing with Malcolm MacCrae, Brian (Malcolm’s friend) and Blair (Brian’s son).
Hole #8 played 190 to the pin that day with a slight head wind, so I picked up a 4 iron (from the gold). I hit it reasonably well but not flush. I saw the ball clear the water and bounce twice, lost it in the glare of the sun and bent over to pick up my tee thinking “Okay, it’s up there.”
I watched the others tee off and we made our way to the green. All the way to the green I was thinking I couldn’t see a ball on the green. I must have over hit it. So, I head to the back of the green. I looked at the fringe, over the back mounds and all way up on the next tee block. I was thinking the whole time, “205 max. No way I hit it this far.”
So, now I’m miffed at having lost the ball on what I thought was a really good shot. I dropped a ball on the back mound as the fellas were putting out. Blair was the first one to get within 3 feet of the hole and said, “There’s a ball in the hole!” He pulled it out and it had my red and blue markings on it!
I couldn’t believe it!
Thanks for asking. I love telling this story!
Steve
Steven Leslie, Saugeen Golf Club, Hole #8
Thank you for your email. I appreciate you taking the time and for your interest.
The hole was Saugeen Golf Club, Legacy #8. 126 yards. 8 iron. My playing partners were Larry (The Commish) Dudgeon, Gord Wallace and Byron Sadiku. All Saugeen Golf and Golf Canada members.
It was pure with nice loft, two hops, looked like it stopped and disappeared in the jar. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
Side note: Larry Dudgeon, a local legend, has seven aces!
Thank you again for your interest.
Hit’m straight.
Steven Leslie
Wayne Ricord, Loomis Trail, Hole #12
My name is Wayne Ricord. I played golf on Friday, May 12, 2023 at Loomis Trail in Blaine,Washington. I had a hole-in- one on hole #12. 177 yards. White tees. 5 iron. It was a shot in the sun, so we didn’t see it go in. My buddy Bill’s shot was just short of the green and we kind of thought that’s where I was. Walking up to the green we only saw one ball and it was Bill’s. He said you better look in the hole maybe it’s there. I waited till after he chipped then I looked in and low and behold there it was. Hole-in-one! It was a great day on the links with great friends, Randy Balfour and Bill Farden.
Wayne Ricord