How Tom’s first ‘ace’ became the holy grail of golf
It is the 150th anniversary of the hole-in-one, that chance of glory anyone can attain, writes James Corrigan
There is a club champion off scratch still waiting while his mother, on 36, has three
Am I missing something, but is golf spurning a huge promotion opportunity this weekend? Shouldn’t the 150th anniversary of the most prized achievement in layman’s sport be gustily celebrated and yes, mercilessly marketed in the overwhelming desire to attract new participants?
Naturally, it must be doubted whether Young Tom Morris’s strike on the 166-yard eighth at Prestwick on Sept 16, 1869, did create the first ever hole-in-one. After all, the sport had been played for hundreds of years by that year’s Open Championship (King James II of Scotland actually banned it in 1457) and although they were not great at counting back then, it is hard to believe it took half a millennia to find the damn hole off the teeing ground.
But Young Tom’s ace was certainly the “first recorded” hole-in-one and for a pursuit which adores its history as much as golf, this was a hugely significant moment and should be commemorated as such. If only because it led on to millions of cherished moments that, in terms of democracy, define it above any other sporting feat.
If you type “hole-inone” into Google and press the news icon you
will find multiple recent reports. In Fort Saskatchewan on Sunday, 14-year-old Ethan Howes hit a nine iron 161 yards and won a car. “Now, I just I need a licence,” he said.
At Foxhills in Surrey last week, 68-year-old David Hoggins made a hole-in-one on the 11th – and then watched in amazement as his playing partner, 78-year-old Colin Andrews, followed him in. An honourable half, if ever there was one.
Meanwhile, the last seven days has also witnessed a former Miss Universe Canada finalist, Sara Winters, making her fourth and fifth holes-inone.
Of late, there seems to have been a glut, perhaps in honour of Young Tommy, but, in truth, this is normal for this time of year. For decades, the “hole-in-one” story has been a staple for local newspapers. As a junior reporter, I would ring around the courses on my beat and remember writing about a club champion off a scratch handicap who was still waiting for his first ace – while his old mother, playing off 36 with a star, had already made three.
Sometimes, they hit national news. In 1998, Derek Lawrenson, the then golf correspondent of The Sunday Telegraph, made a hole-in-one at an England football charity day which won him an £180,000 car. This rabid Liverpool fan’s afternoon was made all the memorable by the fact he was playing with Paul Ince and Steve Mcmanaman.
The R&A, in all its pomposity, gave the tale outrageous legs, by threatening Lawrenson with his amateur status. So he was left with the choice of a Lamborghini or continued entry into the monthly medal?
Lawrenson sold it and paid off his mortgage.
However, not every holer-in-one leaves with a new set of keys. In fact, the accomplishment normally proves costly, because of the custom to buy a drink for everybody in the clubhouse. Often the word goes out before the protagonist has finished and by the time they reach the 18th the place is packed with all those so generously wishing to toast their congratulations.
And so they should because this is unique. Granted, a club tennis player can sometimes conjure a volley of which Roger Federer would be proud, while down the parks on a Sunday morning, a 25-yard pile-driver could sometimes make Cristiano Ronaldo blush. But still, these are common occurrences for the legends. It is what they expect to do.
In contrast if Tiger Woods is stood on a tee-box and glimpses his ball disappearing, his reaction will be euphorically animated, even in a friendly round. High fives all round and, if he is feeling especially flush, perhaps even a tab in the bar.
The hole-in-one is the unattainably attainable, the shot at true sporting greatness, the chance of a glory that nobody could ever take away. It is why we play.
Each time, it could be you. One day, it could even be me. For us, the heirs to Young Tommy, the quest goes on.