After a hiatus of nearly 20 years, I took up golf again in 2009, not long after I launched my own employment law business. As my business grew so too did the amount of golf I played. I had joined a club and was also playing in a lot of business golf events, which is what took me to Fortrose & Rosemarkie Golf Club in Inverness.
It was 13 April 2018 and I was playing in the monthly FORE Business golf event. It was a wet and windy morning when we tee’d off and until we reached the 9th I was seriously considering sacking the round because of the rain, but I decided to finish the front 9 before deciding, and I’m so glad I did!
Up to that point I was having a pretty uneventful round. As I stepped up to the tee at the 191 yard uphill par 3 with my driver in my hand, I took a couple of practice swings before setting up to hit the ball. As soon as I hit the ball I knew I’d struck it well and was confident it would be on the green, but because of the uphill slope to the green I couldn’t see it. As my playing partner and I walked up to the green we quickly saw his ball on the green to the left of the hole, but there was no sign of mine. Having walked past the two bunkers at the front of the green I know my ball wasn’t in either of them, so I assumed it must have overshot the green into the rough at the back of the green and started walking in that direction.
As I headed towards the back of the green past the hole, frustrated that I hadn’t hit the green, I suddenly felt the urge to check the hole. I turned around and headed towards the hole, not for a minute expecting to find my ball, but as I got to the hole and looked down and there it was, my ball, sitting on the hole!!
Even though I did not see the ball go in the hole, I don’t think I could have been more thrilled. I’d come close a couple of times before but finally I’d achieved an elusive ace and I was delighted!!
I won the event that day but the hole in one was by far a much better prize and an experience I will treasure for the rest of my days!