Hole #16 at The Rise is a shorter par 3, but it’s a tough hole with forced carry over water and bunkers behind. The pin was near the back left of the green, which made it play about 160 yards with not a breath of wind to contend with. I have a draw on my irons, so it suited my ball flight. Just before I swung, I jokingly told my playing partners that I was going to hit a little draw with my 7 iron and put her tight. Lo and behold, after I hit the ball, it was tracking right at the pin in the air, landed about five feet short on a little upslope, bounced forward, danced around the pin and disappeared!
For the next few seconds it was all a fog. Our group was jumping around and high-fiving like fools, and even the group on the 15th green who had a great view were screaming. It was unreal.
I live close to the course, so I usually squeeze on as a single. Therefore, I had just met my playing partners that day. Unfortunately, I lost my scorecard at the end of the round, so I have already forgotten two of the fellas’ names. But, Greg, (a retired police officer) was with me in my cart and took the picture to commemorate the hole-in-one.
I played the course again three days later and was sharing my story with one of the young shuttle cart crew members that works at the course. He asked me when it was, and I told him roughly when I was on that hole. He said he was on the course that day, and he remembers hearing a bunch of screaming and yelling at about that time and was wondering what it was. Yeah, that was me.
