GOLFERS raised their glasses to Harrison Vernon and Martin Proffitt who scored
holes-in-one in the same competition at Denton.
The aces came during a Captain’s qualifier with Harrison holing from the tee at the eighth and Martin at the fifth.
Harrison, who used a three iron at the 200-yard hole, said: “I knew it was close, but not sure it had gone in being such a long way away.
“When I saw it had gone in, I couldn’t control my emotions. It was an amazing feeling.”
Harrison, a 19-year-old apprentice gas engineer from Mottram, added he is the envy of his family.
Grandparents George and Joyce Vernon and father Lee are all members at Denton.
“None of them have ever had a hole-in-one and my granddad has been playing for between 30 and 40 years. My dad was as happy as I was,” he continued.
Harrison, whose handicap is 15, joined Denton aged 10 but only started playing competitive golf last summer.
“The hole-in-one was extra special as it came in a competition,” he said.
Martin, who used a rescue wood on the 170-yard hole, relived the joyous moment, explaining:
“There was one bounce before the green, one on it and the ball then rolled to the pin and dropped in.
“It was a case of arms raised and high fives with my playing partners.”
Martin, a 56-year-old electrician from Denton, had a previous hole-in-one at Denton but that was during a social game.
That ace came at the fifth which has since become the second hole on the remodelled course.
Martin has had a memorable start to the season as he also recently recorded a major victory in President’s weekend.
The successes have been a pick-me-up for Martin who last August had a stroke which mainly affected his speech but also the brain’s communications with his left arm which has played havoc with his timing.
“My game has plummeted. I was playing off a handicap of nine at the time of the stroke, but now it is 18,” he explained.
“The most annoying thing is that I know I can do better.”
• David Hughes scored a hole in one at Denton’s fifth hole during a club competition.
The 10-handicapper used a utility club at the 176-yard hole.
“The ball pitched before the green, and the three of us playing together saw it roll on to the green and trickled into the hole,” he explained.
“When I walked to the green, I started doubting whether it had gone in, but it was in the hole.”
It was the third hole-in-one Dave has had, one at Stamford and the other at Denton’s eighth.
Dave, 63, who is retired from a management role with Manchester City Council, has been playing golf more than 40 years.
He was initially at Stamford but after moving to live in Gee Cross, switched to Denton about 16 years ago.