Golf Canada Hole-In-One Report – Week of July 1, 2024

Ken Tomalty, Turtle Creek Golf Club, Hole #2

This hole-in-one was a par 3 on the second hole which measured 112 yards. This was done with a pitching wedge and the ball struck the green with one bounce and rolled into the cup. The witness to this was Bob Handley who is a golfing buddy with me at Turtle Creek who is a member also. Quite the excitement.

Thomas Free, Crowsnest Pass Golf & Country Club, Hole #8

I was playing with Julia Free and Sheldon Steiner. The hole was 143 yards and the club was a 7 iron.

Anna Johnstad-Moller, Hope Golf & Country Club, Hole #9

It happened on hole #9, a 103 yard shot. It was witnessed by Ruth Bangay. We played early morning, so not a big celebration as most people were still in bed but it was a great experience.

Mary Rizok, Metcalfe Golf Club, Hole #5

On May 24, 2024, I was playing at our home course Metcalfe Golf Club with my husband and two other male friends. We got to hole #5 on the 18 hole course which is 124 yards from the red tee box. I was the last player to step up to the red tee with my driver and hit a Pinnacle gold ball, unfortunately no one saw the ball go in. Once on the green, we were all looking around and then my friend says that it may be in the hole.

Lo and behold there it was. Such a great feeling as I never thought that it could happen. As they say, “what are the chances.”

Mikael Arsenault, Dunes (Club de golf Les), Hole #3

I am still very shocked and happy because I never even thought it would happen as I started golfing only last year. For the specifications of the shot it was a 158 yard par 3 and I used a 7 iron. I was playing with Gabriel Parent and Fabrice Gagnon.

Diane McArthur-Rodgers, Thornhill Country Club, Hole #7

Best part was my golf buddy and I could see it land on green and continue to roll and disappear, might have been a few cheers from the tee deck. It was on the Valley course hole #7 and distance was 119 yards. I used a 7 wood and found Callaway ball. My partner was Kim MacBride who got her own hole-in-one on hole #5 at Valley on May 31.

Ken Evanecz, Red Deer Golf and Country Club, Hole #17

My hole-in-one was on hole #17 at Red Deer Golf and Country Club. Nine iron from 152 yards.

Sandy Debolt, Country Hills Golf Club, Hole #6

I was excited to get my third hole-in-one at Country Hills Golf Course in Calgary on Talons hole #6. It was a reasonably nice day, given the cold, rainy and windy spring we have been having. It was a beautiful morning on our regular Tuesday Ladies Day. I was golfing with three great friends: Carol Lamb, Deb Peacock and Lorraine Templeton, all of whom have also been members at Country Hills for many years. I used my 25 degree rescue hybrid and hit an easy shot to a front pin, about 100 yards. The key thing about this shot is that I actually saw it go in! I never saw the first two hole-in-one’s go in. All three hole-in-one’s have been on my home course, Country Hills, Talons (hole #4, hole #14 and now hole #6). Now my goal is to get one on Talons hole #16 and I can call it a “grand slam!”

Glen Dyrda, Westmount Golf & Country Club, Hole #17

I have been golfing for about 50 years, and had never had an ace. I have had an albatross and several eagles on par 4’s and 5’s but never an ace. It seems silly, but every time I stepped on the tee on a par 3 at my home course, Westmount Golf & Country Club in Kitchener-Waterloo, I thought to myself, “maybe this will be the one.” As it turns out the 17th hole was the one on May 26th, a beautiful Sunday morning. The 17th is a beautiful hole, at 149 yards to the middle of the green. It was playing a bit shorter that day, and I had 137 yards to the pin, which was tucked just over the front bunkers that protect the full front of the green. It can be a tricky shot to get close, because the back of the bunkers kick the ball forward and a shot of about 130 yards might just clear the front bunkers and bounce into the back bunker. I chose my 8 iron, which I hit about 140 yards and it was a pure shot right off the face. It landed about three yards short of the pin, on the left, took one hop and then rolled the last three or four feet into the hole. I was playing with my buddies Rick Findlay, Steve Knipping and Dave Castell, and we had a great view of it from the elevated tee. I was so glad it hadn’t been a skull, or hadn’t bounced in off a rake. After that it was pretty much a blur! The best part of it all was when we came up to the 18th green, someone on the patio yelled out, “who got the hole-in-one?” They could hear the roar from about 400 yards away. That was very special. A wonderful memory with my friends, and for some strange reason I now expect to make another one every time I step onto one of the par 3 tee boxes.

Linda Roberts, Red Deer Golf & Country Club

I was playing in a ladies league with three other lady members, Lois McPherson, Sheila Engert and Tina Ladd. I hit a nine iron on this 114 yard hole and in it went!

Gerard Macneil, Mill River Golf Club, Hole #3

Hole #3 at Mill River. 150 yards. 7 iron. With playing partners Ray Cameron and Mike LePage.

Derek Pollard, Harvest Golf Club, Hole #4

I was golfing at the beautiful Harvest Golf Course in Kelowna with my wife Courtney and another friendly older couple we got paired with. Chilly morning, but the sun was out. Playing from the white tees, no judging! Hole #4, 136 yards away with the pin tucked to the right behind an elevated front, I used a full pitching wedge. The line looked great the whole way, but we couldn’t see the hole from the tee box so we had no idea where it ended up. As I am usually long on this hole and I didn’t see my ball on the green when we walked by, I started searching in the rough at the back. The older man then said, “let me just check the cup just in case, it’s in the hole!” First one for me! The rest of the round was a mess, but that’s golf for ya. We celebrated at the turn with a round of drinks and then a few after.

Paul Ives, Glacier Greens Golf Club, Hole #4

I was playing with Richard Kanigan and another nice couple – it was about 135 yards and I used my trusty 7 iron, hit a baby draw, bounced 12 feet in front of hole, and rolled in! My second hole-in-one on that hole, and third overall, the other being on hole #9 at Comox Golf Club.

Mike Rocca, Sarnia Golf & Curling Club, Hole #3

This hole-in-one has a story just like its two predecessors. When opportunity knocks to go out and play 18 holes after dinner, I rarely don’t take advantage of the weather when it presents itself and last Tuesday was no different. I believe it was around 6:45 pm when I arrived at Sarnia Golf and Curling Club and hurriedly I tried to get to the first tee with the hopes of playing a complete round of 18 holes. Right out of the gate an obstruction to get my round started. My Stewart Vertx trolley had slid in the back of my truck deep towards the direction passenger cabin requiring me to retrieve it with my 5 iron to pull it out. I placed my 5 iron on top of the tonneau cover and unknowingly until I needed it later during my round I forgot I had left it there. So, I’m down in my compliment of clubs to 13 clubs, which by chance wasn’t so unlucky that evening after all. Like I said before, I already had two hole-in-one’s on my resume and much to my wife’s chagrin my moniker is, “things always happen in three’s!”

I arrived on hole #3 and from the blue tees at a measured distance with my range finder of 193 yards, struck my Titleist TSi2 hybrid 4 iron into the sun and actually despite it being a lower but straight shot, couldn’t discern it’s finally resting place. I was actually disappointed with the ball trajectory despite it being struck squarely and on my target line. For those who have never played Sarnia Golf & Curling Club, hole #3 runs in an east to west direction and during that time of the day the sun hovers directly behind the backdrop of trees found at the rear of the green and most of the time you can’t see the ball flight in its entirety. The cart path for the the #4 tee deck is a common area for players to leave their clubs on their way to the hole #3 green. On my way to the green, I saw a foursome in two carts consisting of two couples and the male playing partners had just finished teeing off at the moment I was leaving my trolley there. I grabbed my putter, my 52 and 56 degree Vokey SM8 wedges in preparation to either chip the ball on to the green or to putt. The greens have been running rather fast of late, so my thought process was a low struck ball likely traversed to the back of the green and a chip shot was likely going to be in order, as it was nowhere to be seen at the front of the green. As I walked past the pin, more out of some misplaced optimism I looked glancing look inside the hole and frankly was shocked to see the ball resting in the cup. Never heard it hit the pin nor saw it go in. I raised my arms and yelled, “hole-in-one,” problem being though I was playing myself. However, like I said there was a group on hole #4 and the ladies were teeing off from the advance yellow tees off to the south side of the green at the time and looked at my direction after my emphatic exclamation of just having aced the third hole.

The group of Pat Brennan and Matt Bailey with their better halves witnessed me retrieve the ball from the cup. This was a hole-in-one nightmare scenario that has always run through my mind, “what if I ever got a hole-in-one playing solo,” as it’s not uncommon for me to play solo in the evening to get in 18 holes in just over two hours time.

Back to the three’s. So, I got my third hole-in-one, on a hole numbered three with a Callway Chrome Soft 360 Triple Track ball numbered with the number three. All the while and unknown to me at the time with just 13 (which is supposed to be an unlucky number) clubs in my bag. However; 13 did prove to be unlucky as somewhere along the way from the parking lot after my round and my way home that evening I lost my trolley remote and have searched everywhere for it and can’t find it. No one has turned it into the ProShop yet either since. Also, my mood was further dampened when I failed to break 80 on the last hole because of a three putt in the near darkness conditions. Perhaps threes come in fours? A hole-in-one with a round in the 70’s would have been the dream round of my life. Guess I’ll have to start playing rounds with golf balls numbered with the number four and get to the course 15 minutes earlier!

Brian MacLean, Glen Arbour Golf Club, Hole #7

It was my first career hole-in-one. Hole was playing 155 yards. I hit 9 a iron. The ball landed about three feet from the pin and hopped forward to find the hole. Was playing with Jay MacIntyre, Chris Clarke and Jason Shears.

Sherri Nichol, Country Meadows Members Club, Hole #12

I used my Cobra Air x 7 wood. The shot was approximately 140 yards. I was golfing with a good friend Jennifer Lee and her friend Romi. Romi watched my drive and saw it hit the ground and roll into the hole. There was lots of cheering. I really didn’t believe it until I went to the green and found my ball in the hole. Country Meadows was great; they presented me with a trophy and were very excited for me.

Brandon Cole, Kingsville Golf and Country Club, Hole #8

June 9th, Kingsville Golf and Country Club, hole #8, gold tees, 155 yards with a 9 iron. Witnesses were Jeff Cole, Dylan Weston and Griffin Robinson.

Jason Perry, Dundas Valley Golf & Curling Club, Hole #15

It was a moment of a lifetime. I was playing with four members. The hole was 119 yards adjusted to 108 yards and the club was a 52 degree wedge!

Neil Gelowitz, Deer Valley Golf Course, Hole #4

The moment was shared with two great friends on hole #4 at Deer Valley, 112 yards. A 52-degree wedge landed a touch past the pin and went in with backspin. A 40-year gap between this and my first ace in my youth. Fantastic memory.

Chris Ramsay, Quilchena Golf & Country Club, Hole #11

It was on hole #11 at Quilchena, my home course. I used a 6 iron from 160 yards (the blue tees at my course). I was playing with fellow Quilchena members Porter Yang and Liquan Tian. This is actually my third hole-in-one. The other two were at the Oaks in Komoka, Ontario. Interestingly, my second and third holes in one were with a 6 iron! Also, fun fact, my first was in April 2018, my second was in May 2019 and my third was in June 2024. My guess is July is next!

Riley Marshall, Gander Golf Club, Hole #4

On Tuesday, June 11 my parents were going to play golf with a group of their co-workers. They had an open spot so invited me to go with them. We were the second of two foursomes to tee off with the group. The foursome consisted of my mom, dad and one of their coworkers. I hadn’t been playing well through the first three holes and when we got to the fourth hole at the Gander Golf Club, a 149-yard par 3, I decided to use my 7 iron off the tee instead of my usual 8 iron. My dad and I are both members of the Gander Golf Club and golf there regularly. This is my fourth year golfing. I was the second one to tee off and I felt like I made good contact. The ball landed in the green and disappeared on the second bounce. Both my mom and dad said they thought it went in and my dad started jumping up and down. The foursome in front of us, more of my parent’s co-workers, having just left the green heard us and also came back to see it. It was my first hole-in-one, having only been golfing for four years but I have been close hitting the flag stick on another hole last year.

Howard Cooper, Whitevale Golf Club, Hole #12

I played with Larry Valianes and Tom Monroe, which was a good thing because they saw the ball go in the hole but I didn’t! It was 157 yards, down hill, right into about a two and a half club wind. I grabbed my 7 iron and said to Larry and Tom, “I’m going to start it on the right edge of the bunker and bring it left to the hole,” and surprisingly that’s exactly what I did. The ball actually damaged the edge of the hole. It took me 65 years, but I finally got my first ace!

Karen Brown, Summerland Golf & Country Club, Hole #14

I’ve been an avid golfer always hoping for a hole-in-one but thinking it will never come, but now I say never say never as it really does happen. We were golfing with my husband Marty and Jill and Danny Lunge. The hole was 151 yards, I used my 5 wood shot short of the flag and my signature happy face ball rolled in!

Alex Woitas, Sandpiper Golf & Country Club, Hole #4

It was my first hole-in-one so I’m very excited! Was a wild round. Hole-in-one on hole #4. Started pouring on us hole #7 and then hailed on us for all of hole #9 and hole #10. Played through rain again until hole #12 and then had sun to finish off the round. I was playing with my girlfriend, Sarah Morin. 160 yards and used an 8 iron.

Marcus Decotiis, Whirlpool Golf Course, Hole #17

I was playing with Tim Dorish and Kyzer Troy Auger who are both members. The hole was playing 137 yards that day. This picture was taken by Tim just a couple of minutes after I made the shot. We had a favourable wind that day on that particular hole and I was not sure if I should hit my pitching wedge or my nine iron. I chose the nine iron and hit it super clean as soon as the ball left the club I said, “oh be the club be the club be the club?” All three of us saw it the whole way. The ball landed about 13 inches in front of the hole took one more small bounce and then in. I started playing golf 42 years ago and this is my first hole-in-one.

Steve McCauley, Cambridge Golf Club Ltd., Hole #15

Thank you so much for recognizing a feat that took me 59 years and two days to accomplish! We were actually playing with a twosome they matched us up with – and my boss! The actual date was Friday, June 14th. Cambridge Golf Club hole #15, white tees playing about 167 yards. I teed up my Callaway Hex Tour ball, took out my Taylormade 5 hybrid , I know, I’m getting oldish. I hit a cut to the right side of the green it rolled toward the flag, I thought it went over a mound at the back of the green. One of the guys in our foursome said, “that might go in,” I didn’t even give it a second thought. It was my boss who looked in the cup and told me it was in the cup. It was a delayed but nonetheless exhilarating celebration!

Daniel Hrabowych, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Hole #16

Pine Ridge Golf Club. Hole #16. 142 yards. Pitching wedge. I was playing with my golf league partner, Josh Loewen and our opponents Ryan Levesque and Chris Dersken.

Edward Kwok, Fairview Mountain Golf Club, Hole #7

I was playing with my son Alex, Darren and Neil. I had 154 yards. I hit my 8 iron to about six feet and it rolled in the hole. It was a great memory for sure.

Jason Yao, The Hamptons Golf Club, Hole #15

I was playing with Sherry Han and 139 yards from the blue tee with a 5 wood.

Peter Dykstra, Coppinwood, Hole #16

Was with my brother-in-law Danny Cioffi. Felt guilty as kids had sports and we were out on the courses. Couldn’t hit a shot on the front nine and then with a little coaching Danny said my alignment is off so once I reset went on a good stretch of par until a triple bogey (fescue got me), par, birdie, par, eagle, bogey and bogey. 53 and 39, the true amateur story. Once the ball went in I said, “I guess this is where I am supposed to be in the world.” Truly a special moment and so glad I was able to share it with Danny. The club I joined this year is exceptional and is making a frame with all the details so I am truly spoiled.

Sarah Hurst, Credit Valley Golf & Country Club, Hole #11

The story is that my husband Jim Hurst and I were playing a second round match against Brad and Anita Taylor in Credit Valley’s Weston Cup, the mixed match-play league. It was unseasonably cold that day, Jim and I were not playing well and were down four by the time we reached our signature hole #11. We were starting to count how many more holes were needed to warm up at the 19th hole. It was 126 yards from the yellow tees, over the Credit River and over a bunker to the flag, a nasty pin placement. I used my 9 iron, it landed about five feet in front of the flag, rolled and dropped out of view. Did it go in the hole or roll behind the stick? We weren’t sure but you can tell from the attached photos that we couldn’t have been happier to discover it was a hole-in-one. I’d never come close before. Did we end up winning the match to round out the good news story? Of course not, we rallied a little but Anita and Brad were declared the winners of the match. Oh well, much more to celebrate. This is my 13th season at Credit Valley, our beautiful home away from home.

Ken De Decker, Fox Hollow Golf Course, Hole #13

I was playing with a friend Jeff Syvret. Hit the 7 iron sweet right at the pin, bounced on the green, two hops and rolled in! 37 years of golfing and finally made one. Lots of fun with the guys and learned a new phrase, “holy shot!” Hole #13. 137 yards. 7 iron. TaylorMade Tour Response Stripe.

Tony Paluzzi, Beacon Hall Golf Club, Hole #8

The hole-in-one was on hole #8, approximately 145 yards, using my 8 iron. It was an extra special hole-in-one, given it was on Father’s Day weekend, the first one without my dad, who had passed in November. When it went in, it was like someone had hand placed it in the cup!

Greg Lawlor, Moncton Golf & Country Club, Hole #2

134 yards and club was 8 iron. Playing partners were Ralph Chambers, Bill Sloan and Rob Middlemiss.

Chris Oliver, Whispering Pines Golf & Country Club Resort, Hole #11

This is my second hole-in-one. However my first hole-in-one was while on vacation so no one saw it other than the caddie I was with. To be fortunate to get a second one with a witness is truly special. I was with my wife Jody and two other members. One of which had gotten a hole-in-one on the very same hole. This particular hole the gold and the blue tee boxes are the same distance but different elevations. So usual I just tee off from the gold so I don’t have to walk down to the lower tee box. However the couple that my wife and I were playing with went to the blue tee box. So I went down to the blue tee box and tee’d off. It was 141 yards and I used a 9 iron. Again to have my wife present made it all the more special.

Peter Fitzgerald, Real Club de Golf Sotogrande, Hole #4

Date May 27, 2024. Real Club De Golf Sotogrande, Spain. Hole #4, 190 yards with a three wood. Playing partners were Susan Fitzgerald, Jim Livermore and Ginny Parks.

Kevin Jones, Sturgeon Valley Golf & Country Club, Hole #5

I was playing with Lorne Wight, Hugh Hindle and Daryl Nixon. Yardage 139 yards. Club was a 7 iron.

Randy Franks, Brookfield Golf Club, Hole #1

Golfed with Scot Foster. First swing of the day, easy 7 iron for 141 yard distance. I am a member at Rebel Creek, Golf North.

Dale Ivanchuk, Forest Heights Golf Course, Hole #5

I recently aced a hole at Forest Heights Golf Course. It was on hole #5. 151 yards to the pin and stroked a six iron. Ball did one bounce on to the green, a left to right roll and it found the cup! I was with two long time friends and we shared some high fives!

Gaston Derepentigny, Iroqouis Golf Course, Hole #4

Golfed with Larry, Dale and Jimmy at Iroqouis Golf Course on June 12th. Did the hole-in-one on hole #4 used an easy 7 iron about 143 yards.

Neil Skelding, Lake Joseph Golf Club, Hole #8

I was playing with our Head Pro, Director of Operations and our Men’s Captain. The yardage was 155 and I used a 9 iron.

Rick Kingston, Westmount Golf & Country Club, Hole #6

I was playing with my regular golf group at Westmount Golf & Country Club on Saturday June 1, 2024. As I prepared to hit my 5-wood on the 175 yard hole #6 I mentioned to the guys that I was due since almost exactly three years before that date I had another hole-in-one on that hole. I also shared that, since I hadn’t hit a green in regulation in the round yet, I would settle for just hitting the green. The pin was about half way back on the right and as soon as the ball left my club I said, “well that’s on the green.” As soon as the ball landed we all started calling for it to get in. It just rolled up like a putt and dropped in the middle without even touching the pin. This was my fourth hole-in-one, but definitely my favourite since we had such a good view and we had a chance to “talk it into the hole”.

Beth McDougall, Maplewood Golf and Country Club, Hole #9

Knocked off a bucket list item by getting my first hole-in-one, on a beautiful sunny Monday morning, June 17, 2024. Witnessed by Claudette Landry, Trevor and Joanne Wallace. From the red tee box (120 yards) I hit a beautiful shot to the pin that hit the green and rolled into the cup. I looked at Joanne and said, “I think it went in the hole,” and she said “I think it did too,” then we started screaming. Once it was verified we screamed some more. What a tremendous feat to have a hole-in-one. I am still smiling!

Shane Dyck, Pine Ridge Golf Club, Hole #14

It was a 177-yard par 3 with a 6 iron. I became an adaptive golfer after I was initially paralyzed from below the neck and given a one percent chance to walk again. My whole spine was fused with metal after a 12-hour surgery and doctors said I would be in a power chair for the rest of my life. Needless to say, I am beyond grateful for how the game of golf has helped me throughout my injury, both mentally and physically.