TWO Vicars Cross Golf Club members have made history by hitting holes in one on the same hole while playing together!
Mark Leigh and Tom Brownrigg were playing in a fourball competition at the Chester-based club when they both aced on the 143-yard long 18th hole.
Playing in the final group of the day, Tom, who was partnering his son Colin, was the first to hole when his perfectly struck six iron bounced twice and rolled into the cup for the 79-year-old’s first ever hole-in-one.
“I had been to the opticians a couple of days before and was told my eyes had deteriorated since my last appointment and that my glasses needed updating,” said Tom, who was an industrial distributor of engineering products before he retired.
“It meant I played without my glasses on and so I couldn’t even see properly! I could see the green, but not the flag so there was definitely some good luck involved,” added the 23-handicapper, who also enjoys Tai chi.
Tom, who lives in Heswall and supports Everton, explained: “We were all delighted when it went in and there were a few cheers from people watching outside the clubhouse.
“It was Mark’s shot next and Colin said jokingly ‘follow that’.
“Amazingly I had just been watching some PGA Tour golf from the USA and someone had two aces in the same round. The commentator was saying the odds were about 10million to one!”
With an eight iron in hand, seven handicapper Mark then hit almost the exact same shot to join his friend in the hole-in-one club.
“We couldn’t believe it. It was almost identical. Again, the ball bounced a couple of times and rolled in. There was a bigger gathering behind the green by now as people heard about Tom’s ace,” said drawing office manager Mark.
“I have kept the ball and just carry it around in my golf bag with me as a good luck omen.”
The 55-year-old was playing alongside Andrew Palin, who has now witnessed seven holes-in-one without having one himself.
Mark, from Winnington, was originally a member at Vale Royal Abbey before joining Pryors Hayes for a couple of years. “Tom was at Pryors Hayes with me too and there is a group of us that are all friends and we all play regularly together. We only joined Vicars Cross in October.”
The pair both put a bottle of whisky on the bar for fellow members to enjoy.
It marked the perfect sporting weekend for hockey player Mark. The Liverpool fan then got to see his beloved Reds win the Premier League title the following day.
