If Fred Nixon was offering lessons, his schedule would fill up fast. Nixon seems to be an expert on aim, since the sharpshooting senior — soon to be celebrating his 70th birthday — recently carded his 22nd career hole-in-one. Yeah, you read that right — 22! Nixon notched his latest on No. 5 at his home club of Douglasdale, swishing a six-hybrid from 175 yards away. Asked to share his secret to success, Nixon noted that the layout at Douglasdale offers plenty of ace opportunities and suggested: “Play lots of Par-3s.” If only it were that simple.
Gary Zhang completed his personal hole-in-one hat-trick. Zhang made short work of the second at Silver Springs for his third career ‘1.’ Five-iron was the right call for a 150-yard shot.
Callum Sholes and Taylor McMullen can swap stories after both aced the 17th at Winston Golf Club, a knee-knocker of an assignment with an island green. Sholes, a junior member at this semi-private setup, potted a pitched wedge from 145 yards away, describing his superb shot as “nothing but net,” while McMullen was accurate with an eight-iron from a distance of 185.
Justin Lang capped a round at Lakeview in fine style, draining his tee-shot on the 107-yard finishing hole. It was nearly dark, so Lang told his wife and a friend to putt out as he searched around the green for his golf ball. Turns out, that lucky TaylorMade was already resting at the bottom of the cup.
Peggy Cochrane was perfect with a pitching wedge on No. 15 at Maple Ridge, which measures 114 yards.
Youn Su Lee skipped the putting portion on No. 11 at Shaganappi Point, finding the flag-stick with a nifty nine-iron that covered 118 yards.
Chase Davies breezed through the fifth hole on Highwood’s Mountainview Nine, finishing his business with one knock of a nine-iron from the 162-yard blocks.
Also at Highwood, Tuan Luu had reason to hoot and holler after sinking a super seven-iron on the sixth on the Heritage Nine. That’s a 163-yard challenge.
Aaron Ball smoothed a seven-iron on No. 6 on Shaganappi’s Valley Nine and was bang-on from 164 yards out.
Wayne Dunn will be saying only good things about his six-iron, his weapon of choice for a 140-yard memory-maker on No. 6 at Maple Ridge.
Tony Deng was one-and-done on the fourth hole at Fox Hollow, pin-seeking with a seven-iron from 130 yards away.