The Improbable Hole-in-One

As anyone would have expected, my bachelor party consisted of a lot of golf.

This is awesome for friends and family who are avid golfers, but that only accounts for some of the guests. Among the rest was my friend, Jason, who has played golf twice in his life. The other time was at Golden Sands in Cecil, Wisconsin together a few years back.

Jason’s a natural athlete and always has a great attitude. Even so, I was shocked when we finished the 18th hole at Greywalls Golf Club in Marquette, Michigan, and saw a text saying “Dude, someone in our bachelor party just got a hole-in-one! With a pink ball!”

Jason and my old roommate, Mike, drove up later and were playing in the last group of the round.

It happened on the short par three 17th: A fantastic little golf hole with a diabolical two-tiered green teed up from about 120 yards.

Hole 17: Par 3 (137/137/121/94/94)

A fellow golf blogger and friend, Kris Halsrud of Kristazio on Golf, got video of the aftermath:


When their group got to the green on 18 where we were watching everyone finish, I asked who got the hole-in-one, still thinking it might have been a hoax. In the group of 18 guys, nobody else has ever had one, and I was amazed it was Jason!

I tried getting him to understand how rare it is. For example, supposedly one in 40,000 people who play the game of golf will get a hole-in-one during their life, and throughout thousands of rounds played it’s an elusive feat that’s always slipped through my hands.

Head PGA Professional at North Hills Country Club, Eddie Terasa, even has never had one and he is one of the greatest players in the history of the state.

Jason thought that was all pretty cool, but wasn’t too worked up. When I asked him if he was in shock or something, he said no but “It was a lot easier than playing the entire hole!” He figured he probably shot about 160 on the round. I said he should be really excited and he said, “Well, I wish it would’ve been you.” I told him I was pumped that it happened to him and especially at my bachelor party.

Maybe the funniest part of the story is what happened on 18. Not realizing it was a big deal at all, he teed up the same pink ball and shanked it dead left in to the woods. Kris was watching and said no way he was going to lose it. He went back and searched the woods, somehow found it and told him to put it somewhere safe for the rest of the round.

Hilarious. Jason didn’t feel a need to get the flag or report the hole-in-one; he just headed back to The Island Resort and Casino where we were staying, and talked to his father-in-law (an avid golfer) on the way who was in almost as much of a state of disbelief.

Golf’s a funny game.

We’ve all heard stories of people hitting shots off a tree branch and ricocheting on to the green and in the hole; maybe you’ve even seen it happen yourself.

I wish I would have been there for this one. Jason’s an awesome friend and I hope this will spark him to start taking up the game so many of us love more.

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3 thoughts on “The Improbable Hole-in-One

  1. Awesome story Paul! Thanks for sharing and congrats to Jason…go figure that he’d get one and many avid golfers (including myself) are still waiting! Haha

    Cheers
    Josh

  2. The Grateful Golfer – Golf is an amazing sport with secretive healing powers! It provides that rare opportunity for self-improvement, personal growth, and introspection simultaneously. After 40+ years, I continue to learn new aspects of the game and my life every time I tee it up. Nine years ago, I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and started the most important journey of my life. Fortunate to have my wife (who is also my best friend) by my side, we endured three years of treatment and continually strove to make positive changes to all aspects of our lives. Unfortunately, in March of 2018 I was diagnosed with my second bout of the same cancer. After completing an autogenesis stem cell transplant, I am happy to say that I am well on my way to good health. I still have many months of recovery left, but that is my journey for now. During my treatments, there were many dark days that occupied my thoughts. This is when the healing powers of golf played a significant role in my recovery. Nearing the end of my first treatments, I decided to embark on a journey of writing and positive growth through this golf blog. In May 2012, The Grateful Golfer was launched. My intent was to talk about the positive aspects of golf, interact with like-minded golfing fanatics, and to have a constructive exchange about all things golf. The Grateful Golfer has morphed over these six years, but the main goal of improving my mental strength continues to expand. As The Grateful Golfer grows, I strive to freely share tips, drills and positive views about this fantastic sport. Fortunately, I love playing, talking, watching, and reading about golf; so follow along and feel free to share your thoughts! I am The Grateful Golfer! See you on the links!
    The Grateful Golfer says:

    Paul

    What a great story! Congratulations to Jason and to yourself on your upcoming wedding. I hope Jason eventually reported his feat!

    Cheers
    Jim

    1. Paul Seifert – Menomonee Falls, WI – Owner/Publisher/Content Creator for WiscoGolfAddict; FAA 107 commercially licensed drone pilot/artist; contributor to other golf publications including Midwest Golfing Magazine, Grass Roots and others. 16-year healthcare/long-term care industry sales/strategy/analytics professional.
      Paul Seifert says:

      Thanks Jim! This actually happened back in August – I’m playing catch-up on content after a crazy few months. Happy Holidays!

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