Q Golf - Official online magazine for Golf Queensland QGolf - Spring 2017 | Page 18

THE TEN ‘ONE-ERS’ WHO ACED COOLUM By Tony Durkin Golf Digest says the odds of an amateur golfer scoring a hole- in-one are 12,500 to one. And the chance of two amateurs each acing the same hole in the same round are 26 million to one. But calls to a number of bookmakers have resulted in a ‘write your own ticket’ response to the almost-implausible revelation that 10 members of Mt Coolum Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast have registered holes-in-one in a recent six-week period. “I would equate that to someone winning Lotto four weeks in a row – it is that phenomenal,” said UBET media manager Gerard Daffy. In the six-week period from June 22 to August 3, an incredible 10 holes-in-one have been scored at Mt Coolum in competition rounds, one of them by 92-year-old Roy Aiken and another to 77-year-old Judy Reilly. Others in that period to have their names displayed on the ever-expanding honour board are Rick Barrett, Darryl Crank, Brian Cunningham, Philip Doolan, James Jansen, Peter O’Neill, Jan Wilson and Helen Wilson. However, that is not the end of this incredible coincidence. Since the fourth day of February 2017 when reigning match- play champion and plus one marker TJ King aced the par-three 12th hole, 19 holes-in-one have been scored on the course. But in fairness to other golf clubs who may feel abandoned by Lady Luck, Mt Coolum does have six par threes in its par 72 layout, two on the front nine and four on the back. The longest is 187 metres, the shortest 114. It is still an unbelievable record and one General Manager, Sharon Purnell, believes should attract an influx of the many golfers who annually visit the Sunshine Coast. “It is quite incredible. I cannot fathom why all of sudden people are holing out all over the course,” said a stunned Ms Purnell. 18 Q Golf Spring 2017 www.golfqueensland.org.au FRONT: JUDY REILLY, HELEN WILSON, JAN WILSON, JAMES JANSEN; MIDDLE: RICK BARRETT, ROY AIKEN, PETER O’NEILL, DARRYL CRANK, PHILIP DOOLAN; BACK BRIAN CUNNINGHAM www.golfqueensland.org.au Spring 2017 Q Golf 19