The Shot

I am 72 years old and have been playing the maddening game of golf for five and a half seasons. I was playing in my town's (Swampscott, Massachusetts) now annual golf tournament held at the Tedesco Country Club in Marblehead and Swampscott MA. This is my second year playing in this tournament. The tournament had been bi-annual but this year it became an annual event. It is a fund raiser for the town's 4th of July festivities. The format was best ball, shotgun start, with the highest gross score used. When we arrived at the 13th Tee there was a very congenial guy there to greet us. There was also a sign at the far edge of the Tee Box but I didn't pay much attention to it. I think I was the first in our foursome to hit. The tournament rules required us to hit from the white markers. The distance was listed at 125 yards par 3, though my GPS said 128 yards from where I was standing. I used an 8 hybrid iron and my Titleist tour distance ball. There is a large bunker in front and behind the green. I aimed to the left to avoid the front bunker. I took my shot and saw the ball hit the green to the left of the pin. Then I turned and went to my cart waiting for everyone else to hit. After they hit I drove to the green. I noticed the guy who greeted us was running to the green and I couldn't figure out why. When I arrived at the green I couldn't find my ball which was upsetting because I was sure I hit the green. I asked the greeter who was on the green, "have you seen my ball?" It was then that I found out why he was there and what happened. He said, "Its in the cup; you made a hole in one. Congratulations!" The 13th was one of two hole in one contest holes for the tournament and he was the Marshall for that hole. The sign was the hole in one contest sign. I was shocked. I never saw the ball go in but there it was in the cup. I took a picture with my cell phone. My prize was a complete head to toe golf outfit from Travis Mathew golf apparel plus a $500.00 shopping spree on their website. By the time we arrived at the other hole in one contest holes the word had spread. It was hole no. 3, about 168 yards par 3 and the hole in one prize was a new Chevrolet or $25,000. The hole is next to the clubhouse and I had quite an audience watching me tee off. Could he do it again? No he couldn't, but I tried. My shot landed on the fringe in front of the pin. The Marshall said it was the best shot he had seen so far. I made par as did the rest of my foursome. By the way our team did not win the tournament. The following is a link to a local newspaper article about my hole in one: http://www.itemlive.com/articles/2013/05/21/news/news83.txt I am still pinching myself. Did this really happen? It did!