Golfer’s rare feat: Acing the same hole seven days apart
TONY Sciame did something that even golf statisticians had a hard time calculating exact odds.
The National Hole-in-One Registry placed the feat well into the millions to one. What exactly did Sciame do? He aced the par-three fourth hole at Tara Golf and Country Club. Then he did it again seven days later. “I think the golf gods were out those two days,” Sciame said.
Using a 5-iron from 135 yards, the on Nov. 10, before acing the fourth hole a second time just seven days later.
Tara head pro Melissa Williams said she’s never seen it done before.
“It’s just amazing to see one holein- one, let alone two in a week,” Williams said.
Sciame said the odds for a professional to make an ace is 3,000to-1, while the odds for an average
Sciame, who had never achieved a hole-in-one before, couldn’t tell he made either the two times he played the fourth hole, due to the pin position falling away from his line of sight at the tee.
Navigating water and a greenside bunker, Sciame also didn’t think he had thought it was coming up short.
“When we got up there, the guy said it’s in the hole,” Sciame said. “I said, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’” Then when it happened again just a week later, Sciame, who was playing in a regular Friday game, said he
thought they the group ahead was joking with him that he made another ace.
“I said quit messing around,” Sciame said.
Sciame added he never heard of anyone getting two in a week, let alone the same hole.
His wife of 63 years, Claire, said she was in disbelief. Mentioning it to their three kids, Paul, Paula and Joe, they were also shocked.
“They were over the moon,” Claire said.
Coming from humble beginnings, Sciame said he learned a strong work ethic from his parents. That led to various jobs, which included caddying at Rockford Country Club in Illinois between the
But Sciame never touched a club at that point.
Claire when they were in their early 50s. Another couple had convinced them to try it out at the Victorian Golf Course, a par-three executive track in Rockton, Ill., which was just a few miles from their home.
But Sciame, who also enjoys working out and swimming, really started playing golf after he retired in 1995.
Now full-time residents of East Manatee County after previously being seasonal visitors for the winter, the Sciames enjoy golf.
And after Tony logged two aces in seven days, he said he might have to play a bit more than two times a week.
“It couldn’t have happened to a better guy,” Claire said.
So how did Sciame perform on the fourth hole this Friday? He made par. Not quite as good as a hole-in-one two times in a week, but few, if any, can ever claim that. “I guess the man upstairs was watching out for me,” Sciame said. “The golf gods did a pretty good job, but I think he was
steering them.”