Since issue 1 back in 2012, MG have always listed all the holes-in-ones we get to hear about from the Midlands golfers in our Pinboard section.
If you get a hole-in-one, take a photo, and send it to us. Dropping us a line on social media on our Midlands Golfer Twitter or Facebook pages is the best way but you can also email Phil on editor@midlandsgolfer.co.uk if you wish.
AUTUMN 2024 HIGHLIGHTS
A QUAD OF LARGEST BIRDS
Hole-in-ones are special enough as it is, but when they occur on par fours as well, that’s just showing off isn’t it! Albatrosses are rare but inside issue 101 we managed four of them from Midlands golfers, two of them juniors inside a very short period of time, late-summer/autumn 2024.
The top photo above may look a little innocuous but it’s relevant to the story around our first albatross. The 18th at Kington GC in Herefordshire at 278 yards and playing downhill has produced a few in it’s time but never have they had a near miss albatross (see where the ball ended up on the top pic!) and then a real one in the very next group to play it on a September afternoon. The two groups were unrelated to each other, we can only trust that Lewis (bottom pic) the lucky golfer who did find the bottom of the hole treated the agonisingly near miss guy to a drink afterwards!
MAISIE’S VERY TIMELY ALBATROSS
In the Worcestershire County Girls U18 Scratch finals, Maisie Whittall (from Gaudet Luce GC) finished her match in style by holing out her tee shot on the 18th hole at Flackwell Heath Golf Club. Maisie needed to win the final hole to halve her match and took driver on the 292-yard par 4. She hit the fairway on a perfect line and got her first ever albatross. This was her fourth hole in one at age 15, and her albatross helped Worcestershire and Herefordshire County Girls win the final, defeating Berkshire U18 Girls by 3.5 to 1.5.
NATHAN TAMES PYPE HAYES’S 3RD
Nathan Maddocks achieved an albatross and hole in one during the Tame Cleaning & Maintenance golf charity day in aid of Birmingham Hospice attended by over 60 golfers on Friday 4th October.
His ace came on the par four 3rd, 300 yards in length, at Pype Hayes Golf Club.
The event raised over 5k for the hospice and Nathan’s hole in one was undoubtedly the highlight of an amazing day. He’s pictured 2nd right on the photo below.
JCB ALBATROSS FOR ALFIE
Finally for the hole-in-one stars on par fours to Alfie Turner, Staffordshire young star who also features at the moment with a full feature in our junior section. As part of a stellar 2024 Alfie managed one at JCB Golf no less, on the 280 yard 12th hole.
BACK TO NORMAL MORTALS WHO ACE PAR THREES!
Heather Cass is the hard-working Honorary Secretary at Leominster Golf Club in rural Herefordshire and a good friend of the magazine. She’s also a very active golfer at the club so it was a nice email to receive when she told us she had qualified for this section by aceing Leominster’s sixth hole in September. The 147-yard hole plays downhill, so Heather was able to watch it all the way in!
NOT SO UNLUCKY FOR DELIA
“Friday the 13th! Unlucky for some but this one turned out to be a superb one for me, playing my regular fourball on a glorious sunny day at Brocton Hall Golf Club.
Hole #3 is a signature hole and not one of my favourites.
On this day the stars were aligned, I got it just right, landing the ball front centre-left of the green. I watched it roll steadily towards the pin which was positioned back right. I knew it was going to be good, close enough for a birdie possibly, and then it dropped deliciously into the hole! Jumps of joy and a lot of whooping followed, all etiquette out of the window. A dream comes true.”
Delia Fowler – 13/9/24 – Brocton Hall Golf Club
