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.
Cynthia Watada, Burlington Springs, Hole #12
– Burlington Springs Golf Club
– Hole #12, par 3, 129 yards, 6 hybrid
– Happened on Sunday March 31, 2024
- Foursome of my friends Brian, Zak and Marie and I
Marcello Pavan, Fraserview Public, Hole #7
I am a member of the Men’s Club at the Vancouver’s Fraserview municipal golf course. We were playing the opening day of the 2024 season on Saturday, March 30, a best three out of four, four man team game. My partners were fellow Men’s Club members Tony Aquino, Don Neville and Darren Trach.
We teed off at 9:10, with me arriving at the course just five minutes before that! I ran to the first tee and teed off straight away. After a disastrous opening snowman (no kidding), I settled down. Hole #7 is usually a long par 3, with huge bunkers shielding the left front half of the green. On that day the tees were up, to about 165 yards from the hole, which was cut well over to the centre-right. I took aim to more-or-less the middle of the green, to the right of the front bunker, about 5-10 yards left of the hole, with my 4 hybrid to hopefully ensure I cleared it even with a miss hit. Well, I did miss hit it a little to the right, directly at the flag. It landed about 10 or so yards short and rolled directly to the hole. I was thinking, “hHey, this could be a KP for me” when it suddenly disappeared. My distance vision isn’t the best with those glasses, so my first thought was, “It didn’t go over the back did it?” Then I heard my group screaming, I looked back incredulously, then again at the hole, and then the adrenaline hit.
What a feeling. Surreal, out of body. Not at all what I dreamed it would be like. I tried to keep it together to not gloat in front of my mates, but they were more excited that I was!
The best part? Yes, there is a best part after that – I kept it going, draining three birdies on the day (happened maybe once before in my life) including two on the harder back nine, to shoot a career round for an eight under net. I was buzzing after the ace and really really didn’t want to mess up the rest of the round to ruin it, and it is supremely gratifying to have kept it together.
Ellen Wallace, Big Horn Golf Club, Hole #8
Ellen Wallace had a hole-in-one on March 18 at Big Horn Golf Club in Palm Desert on the Mountains Course hole #8 using a 8 iron. Ellen made this during The Big Deal Golf tournament at her home course. I was excited to watch it go in and this was her second hole-in-one! We were playing nine hole matches, happy to say we won that hole! Way to go Ellen.
Allan Coldwells, Fort Langley Golf Course, Hole #17
I had made this shot hundreds of times before in the past 17 years but have never landed closer. It is hole #17 at the Fort Langley Golf Course and the hole has an elevated tee to a relatively round green surrounded by deciduous trees. In this case the distance was 93 yards so I took out the pitching wedge and made the shot of my life. It was a slight right to left draw shot that landed 15 inches below the hole and rolled up the slope and to my amazement into the hole. It was witnessed by my playing partners that Saturday afternoon which were Les Calder, Darryl Rankin and Calvin Enders.
Lynne Yule, Nanaimo Golf Club, Hole #8
Yes, March 26 was an exciting day! We were playing in our 18 hole Tuesday ladies league, with my playing partners – Wanda Cullen, Wanda Cox and Catherine Deutscher. Hole #8 was 112 yards uphill, and I used my 5 iron. We knew two of us landed on the green but when we walked up to the green, only one ball was there. We looked around the edges of the green, then is was suggested to look into the hole and there was my ball.
Liam Bracken, Copetown Woods, Hole #11
Carded my first ever hole-in-one yesterday at Copetown Woods on hole #11. I am a Golf Canada member and always record my score on my app while playing. Playing 174 yards, I hit my 7 iron and two hopped the ball into the hole. Just a couple hours before the eclipse.
Brenda Lemky, Indian Canyons Golf Resort, Hole #4
On January 15, 2024 while golfing at Indian Canyons Golf Resort, where I am a member during the winter months. I was able to score two hole-in-ones in the same day, same round. The staff at the golf course contacted local news paper and a lovely lady, Kendall Balchan, from the Palm Springs Post contacted me and we had an interview. During the summer months I’m a member at Rivers Edge Golf Club in Okotoks, Alberta. As an avid golfer, I hope to inspire all levels of golfers to never think that getting your first hole-in-one isn’t going to happen to them as I did. Out of the blue it happened to me and the second was overwhelming and exhilarating. Never give up and first and foremost enjoy every moment of participating in an activity you love.