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.
Kevin Trayling, Woodington Lakes, Hole #15
I did have my first ever hole-in-one this past weekend! It was my second round of the day, our first round was played at Glen Eagle, but the second round was played at Woodington Lakes where I got the hole-in-one on hole #16.
I was playing with my two friends, Adam and Jim. The yardage was 145 (playing like 160) and I used an 8 iron. It was a moment I will never forget!
At first I was like where did my ball go? Then I thought to myself, “Oh man I think I hit an ace!” I ran and got my phone in the golf cart and video taped the moment going to the pin and my ball.
The group that just completed the hole were on the next hole close by and they saw the ace and they too were amazed.
Steve Smith, Tarandowah Golfers Club, Hole #3
The hole was playing at 145 yards that day (according to Garmin). I used my 7 iron. I was playing with Bryan Gast, Barry Kennedy and Doug Campbell with Ron McLeod also witnessing. This was first hole-in-one!
Jadyn Lit, Chateau Whistler Golf Club, Hole #8
I was playing with Bill Lit who is also a Golf Canada member, along with Amar Paddam and Parb Rehal. The official yardage I got was 152 and I used a 9 iron (Ping i530) and Taylormade Project A ball.
Nancy Wynter, Greyhawk Golf Club, Hole #7
I was playing in the third and final round of our Senior Intersectional Qualifier event that also happened to coincide with our weekly women’s league.
It was a 91 yard shot and I used an 8 iron. It wasn’t pretty as I just barely got over the green side bunker and was so lucky that the rough slowed it up enough as it rolled on the green and went into the hole.
I was one of the earlier tee times so I took my time to come into the clubhouse to give the women a chance to partake in a hole-in-one drink. At our club, everyone will get a free drink for up to an hour after the person getting the hole-in-one enters the bar.
It sure helped that there was a thunderstorm in the area and they sounded the horn which forced everyone to come back to the clubhouse.
This is my third hole-in-one. All have been at GreyHawk. I’ve had a hole-in-one on hole’s #7 and #17 on Talon and hole #11 on Predator.
I was golfing with Sylvie Goulard and Elaine Willcock that day.
Bruce Liski, Murray Municipal, Hole #4
I was playing golf with Hal Wilkie, Joe Bladyko and Shawn Koroluk.
The fourth hole at the Murray Golf Course that day was playing 187 yards. I used a 4 hybrid.
It took 51 years of playing golf to finally get a hole-in-one!
Starting playing golf as a unattached junior at one of the local country clubs at age 13. I am now 64 years old and the wait is officially over.
Shawn Woolls, Forest Heights Golf Course, Hole #5
It’s been a good year of golf for me so far. Put in some solid work over the winter and it seems to be paying off. The women in my wife’s family have had the upper hand over the men in the hole-in-one department.
Wife has one, mother-in-law has one and sister-in-law has two! Two years ago my brother-in-law ended the drought with two of his own. I’ve been close a few times in the past. Inches away a few times and once I damaged the hole by hitting pin and cup at same time.
This year I was close twice. Just missing by inches, until I got to hole #5 at Forest Heights Golf Course in Sundre, Alta. The hole was 164 yards, back pin. I used my Titleist 8 iron and Pro-V1x combo. Hit a nice tight fade, landed about 10 feet from the pin, rolled up and disappeared! We weren’t sure until we got up to the green. The guys at the next tee box seen it and waited for us as they figured we didn’t know it went in because we weren’t hollering and cheering. Sent them four beers when the cart came by!
Now the monkey is off my back and the women have been in a drought for a couple years now, although I suspect they won’t let that last long!
Kristin Lewis, Ponoka Community Golf Course, Hole #15
I got my hole-in-one on hole #15 at the Ponoka Community Golf Course on the last round of an eleven day golf trip with my husband (Gary Sandberg), my dad (Dale Lewis) and my dad’s significant other (Susan Johnston). This is our third annual golf trip, how lucky am I that I get to golf with both my dad and my husband! We often colour match our golf outfits (my dad started it), and we were all in our matching blue “hammer time” shirts for our last day, it’s lots of fun.
This trip, in particular, was a special one, as it was the start of my recovery and my return to golf as I tried to get my game back and just enjoyed every day loving life on the course. I received the all clear in May of this year after spending the last year in treatment (surgery, chemo and radiation) after being diagnosed with breast cancer in July 2023.
The hole-in-one is my first, and likely only! I’ve been golfing pretty regularly for over 30 years! When I stepped up to the 102 yard hole from the forward tee boxes, I certainly didn’t have any big expectations, to the point where when I hit the ball with my pitching wedge, I was very excited just to see it clear the front sand trap (it wasn’t my best shot). And then it bounced and started rolling toward the pin and disappeared! I didn’t really believe it. I looked over to my husband and he nodded and threw his arms up, and then I lost my mind! I started cheering and screaming, threw my club down, ran a lap around the tee box like I’d just won the World Series and proceeded to give hugs all around! Everyone within a three hole radius had a pretty good idea what happened.
Some of my friends and family have speculated that this is my consolation prize for the last year of what I’ve been through. I’ll take it! So many reasons to keep smiling!
Claire Chanyi, Priddis Greens Golf & Country Club, Hole #8
The day I got my hole-in-one I was playing with my two friends, it was our second round of the day. The yardage was 108 and I used my 54 degree wedge.
Kate Pascal, Greystone Golf Club, Hole #11
That day was absolutely amazing! I am still processing what happened. I was in a disbelief at first, then shock and finally, a crazy state of happiness. Getting the hole-in-one is such an incredible feeling! From the red tees and I’m not sure what the exact distance was but for me to use 6 hybrid must’ve been 112-115 yards. Kirkland ball used. I was playing with my boss Craig H., Jeremy R. and Steve B. It was our team golf day.
Lindsey Hermer-Bell, Georgian Bay Club, Hole #3
I was playing with my friends Sue and John Chippendale. Approaching hole #3, I selected a 7 wood to hit the ball 138 yards into the wind. I walked up to the hole and just hit the ball. It bounced about two times in front of the hole and disappeared. I thought it may have gone past the hole but we didn’t see the ball. It was in direct line to the hole so my playing friends were convinced it dropped in the hole. Sure enough, there it was. I guess I was in a state of shock! It was my first!
Norm Piche, Osprey Links Golf Club, Hole #15
The funny thing is that I detest this hole because for years golfing this hole I have a terrible time hitting the green from my tee shot. While I had a pretty good front nine, I had struggled on holes #12, #13, and had a triple bogey on #14. I was walking up the hill to the 15th tee and told my buddy, Darryl, that we should have quit playing after nine holes. Anyways, as we prepared to tee off on #15, my nemesis hole, I finally hit a shot that was actually going to stay on the green. Little did I know it would fall two inches past the hole and back spin into the hole. I was in disbelief at first then realized what had happened.