A few years ago I was playing in a medal and played my tee shot to a short 160 yard par 3 17th hole. From the tee, it wasn't possible to see the pin but my shot looked like it was all over the flag. We arrived at the green to find there was absolutely no sign of my ball and concluded that it mustve gone over the back and OB.

I headed back to the tee and reloaded, this time taking one club less. Once again (they say lightening doesn't strike twice) my ball headed towards the pin like a homing missile. As I got closer to the green, my playing partner was pretending to worship me and stated that my tee shot had taken one bounce and plonked straight into the hole.

I don't know what made this one worse - the fact this this was the first time I'd ever made a hole in one and it was with my second ball off of the tee or the fact that I couldn't actually see it going in.

Either way, the blow was slightly softened by the fact that I ended up with a par for the hole and finished level par (net) to avoid the dreaded handicap increase.

I've come close to a hole in one since but haven't quite managed one. The only positive going forward is that I can see the hole from every tee at the new course I've joined so if I do ever make a hole in one there I should at least see it this time!