That’s ace! Ken, 90, finally hits a hole-in-one
A GOLFER has sunk his first hole-in-one – at the age of 90.
Ken Robertson, who still plays three times a week, said he was “very pleased” to have finally aced after playing for 40 years.
The 25-handicapper added: “I didn’t see it but I knew it was a good shot as one of the chaps was giving me live updates.
“He was saying, ‘It’s heading to the green, it’s heading towards the hole, then finally – it’s in’.”
The hole was a 189-yard par three.
Former engineer Ken often gets up at 5.30am to start his round as soon as he can.
Caddied
He originally began the routine so he would not miss out on spending time with wife Hilda.
She now lives in a care home and suffers from dementia, but the early habit has remained.
“Hilda started me off – I don’t think she regretted it,” he said.
“Golf had a reputation of ladies becoming ‘golfing widows’ because their husbands spent so much time on the green.
“But my wife has always had me around after midday so I could give her a lift to do the shopping. I don’t like getting up at 5.30 but then there’s more time in the rest of the day.”
Ken, of Bishops Tachbrook, near Warwick, said he would miss the sport terribly if he had to stop.
He said he has made good friends at Leamington and County Golf Club, at Whitnash.
For his 90th birthday they bought him numbered balloons to carry around the course.
“I play with a group of anything up to 20,” he said.
“They all made a fuss – it was congratulations all round.”
Ken’s connection with the sport began when he caddied at a club as a boy.
“I never thought of it as a working man’s game, to be honest,” he said.
“As a boy I caddied at a club where everyone seemed to be very well off.
“When I started working as a caddie I’d get paid two and sixpence to collect golf balls and I used to sell them for two shillings – but golf balls are comparatively cheap today.
“I haven’t bought a ball in years.
“I tend to use the ones I find on the golf course.”