Hole-in-one success for both father and son

Chris Smith (left) and his father, Don, hit hole-in-ones at Hill Barn Golf Club in the space of two weeks of each other.

The father and son duo struck their aces within two weeks of each other.

Don’s came in the Roberts/Moggridge betterball competition, while Chris’s had even more importance as it came in the Sandell Cup foursomes summer knockout final.

The Smiths were partners for the foursomes competition and the hole-in-one sealed the trophy for the duo, which Don felt made it that extra bit special.

He said: “It’s a really great achievement for the both of us to hit hole-in-ones in such a short space of time.

“Most players never manage to achieve this, so for me and my son to have done it is remarkable.

“This now means we will have our names together on both the honours board and the hole-in-one achievements board.

“For my one, I did not see the ball go into the hole as, from the tee, you can’t see the flag, so I only knew as we walked down the green.

“However, for my son’s we watched it all the way into the hole and we then knew we had secured the trophy as well.

“My original aim was for us just to win the trophy, so to add that on to the final hole and to win it with a hole-in-one was absolutely fantastic.

“It was a really emotional experience and it will be again once our names are up on the honours board together.”

Don, who was the Hill Barn club captain last year, achieved his ace on the fifth and Chris secured his on the 17th hole.

Chris, who has been a member at the club for nearly two years, was delighted with his hole-in-one, and said: “It was a massive achievement to get my hole-in-one and to do it the way I did was great.

“Me and dad were in the foursomes final and were under a bit of pressure being two-up with two to play, so to see the ball go in and then just turn to my dad and say ‘that’s over with’ was brilliant.

“It’s strange because I was joking with my dad saying that is another thing you have beaten me to.

“So to then equal his effort just two weeks later is great and, because he has been playing longer than me, technically it counts as me doing it first.

“But it’s great to have my name next to my dad’s on the Hill Barn honours board.

“It’s a great achievement and to do it playing alongside my dad made it that much more special.”