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I have to tell you. I didn't expect to get a hole in one.

Especially on my first hole.

I started on the back nine at Linwood CC. This is a short, easy par 3. About 105 yards. I teed up my PW and hit it a little soft (I usually hit my PW about 115). The ball landed on the green and rolled towards the pin. From the teebox there is a blind spot so I figure, "OK...I'm close to the pin. Maybe I can birdie this!"

However, as I get to the green, the ball is not to be found. My grandfather thinks that the ball rolled off the back seeing as I took more club than usual (I typically hit a SW). Anyway, long story short, I look in the hole, and there the ball sat, my TaylorMade ball that I found under a tree. A junky ball to tell you the truth.

So after the ace, I got...

Double, bogey, double, bogey, double, bogey, par, par for a 43 (+7). Even with the ace that was pretty good.

Then, I get to the front.

I start out with a double bogey on an easy hole. Then I get a triple . I begin to think, "have my chances of breaking 90 been shattered?". After thinking this awful thought, I par the 3rd hole, and the 9 continues with a double, par, double, bogey, and bogey.

Then I enter the 9th hole.

#9 is a short, easy par 5. Only 487 yards from the men's tees. I think to myself, "OK, OK...all I need is a bogey to break 90. Just take your time and swing easy."

I swung hard.

My drive was safe in the left rough, but it was a pretty hard duck hook. I only hit the ball 170 when I typically smack my tee-shots 230 yards.

For my second shot, I take a 7-wood and hit it off the toe. The ball travels 120 yards to the right rough. I begin to search. I'm searching, searching, and searching for five minutes. I find nothing! Just as I begin to get ready to drop another ball, my grandfather comes up to me and says, "Look Alex! Your ball is just behind you!" Lo and behold, my ball is sitting up nicely in the second cut.

My third shot was uneventful. A simple 100-yard SW layup to the water. So I'm laying three around 100 yards from the green. I take my SW and swing in vain. I land a little short of the green. I begin to panic. "Will I make my six?"

I approach the fringe. I take my PW and think to myself, "I've done this shot a million times before. Don't panic." Beads of sweat form on my forehead. I line up to my target and chip.

I land within 3 feet of the pin.

After lining up an easy putt, I sunk my bogey and got an 89!!!

And that's my story.

Bates!


This is fantastic! What a day! Yes, an ace can rattle you, so it's not surprising that you gave some strokes back after your hole-in-one. What makes your story great (besides the fact that you were with your grandfather; he must have been proud) is that you then fought back to get your 89.

I hope you put that ball away somewhere safe. You didn't mention buying refreshments for people. If you didn't do this part of the tradition, make sure you do when you get your next H-i-O!

Great post. Thanks for telling us. I sat there reading and smiling.

Great golf story. Congratulations on two fantastic achievements.

I think it highlights many things about the golf game too:

Wonderful things can happen but positive events can throw us even more than negative ones.

We go through many emotional ups/downs in most games and it is a part of the game that is often neglected in our approach.

Expectations can ruin our game.....but, even when we think that all is lost, something can come along to change it back to positive again.

Now and again we achieve our dreams as long as we persist. They say you don't have to draw a picture and it is how many, not how! But your story shows that the journey is just as important as the result. Some stories need to be shared!

Congrats!

Hope I can break 90 tomorrow. I've been out of commission for over 3 months after fracturing part of my right elbow. It's all fine now and I've finally gotten to the range and hit some balls this week. I cant wait for tomorrow!

Nice job young un

Gooood story, effectively told--A+!

Now you have your topic for the obligatory back-to-school "What I Did Over the Summer" essay!

Way to go Bates! Glad to see your hole in one, but even happier to see you battle back and break 90. We are all proud of you.

Congratulations with both achievements. I know both must feel special to you and you wouldn't want to ever favor one over the other but just between you and all of the people who visit this forum. Which feels better?

Good Job, ,Bates! We laughingly call it the 'birdie curse'.LOL...........Never fails to have the shot of a lifetime or a clutch putt for birdie and blow the rest of the nine........But you beat the 'birdie curse'! Proud of ya !!!

Victory, while breaking 90 feels very good, lots of people do it. The hole-in-one feels better because it's a rare feat. Only 1 in 33,500 golfers ever get one (although on the other hand, breaking 90 takes some skills and holes-in-one are mostly luck)

It's pretty much a given that you will continue to break 90....a hole in one is a feat to celebrate!! Congratulations!