Two is better than one: Ron Horne aced the second hole at Pakenham Golf Course last Wednesday just minutes after fellow member Rod Cameron did the same thing.Picture: Luke Plummer.
By Glen Atwell
WHAT’S better than a hole in one? Just ask Ron and Rod!
Pakenham Golf Course was the place for an ace last Wednesday when Ron Horne and Rod Cameron both holed out from the second tee.
Rod was the first to record the magical hole in one on the 140metre parthree hole and did so using his trusty 9iron.
Moments later, Ron blasted an 8iron from the tee – and his golf ball disappeared too.
Rod, a board member at Pakenham Golf Club, said he had been warming up to the big moment all morning.
“I had been playing some great shots, I was happy with my game but never expected to hole out,” he said. “As soon as I teed off, I knew the ball was going to land somewhere near the pin, but you never expect them go in.”
The ball hit the green of the second hole with a crisp thud, before rolling at an angle down a small hill and disappearing from sight.
Rod said there was a moment of disbelief, then the excitement set in.
“We were all jumping around and shaking hands, it was great,” he said.
“Angie Peluso (a fellow member and new club president) didn’t believe it had gone in, but he was soon convinced.”
A few holes later, Rod walked back to the second hole to relive his moment of glory and to his disbelief, watched another player sink an ace.
It was 70yearold Ron, who took to the tee with an 8iron.
Ron said the news of Rod’s holeinone had spread around the course like wildfire, so he was aware of the precedent that had been set.
“A hole in one is very uncommon, but to hit another one on the same hole a few minutes later is unheard of,” he said.
Despite the similarities, the two holes in one were strangely different.
Ron said his shot went past the flag, hit the hill and bounced back down toward the hole.
“Rod’s rolled parallel toward the flag,” he said.
“And I play righthanded, Rod is lefthander.”
It was only the second time Ron had recorded a ‘one’ on his scorecard.
“The only other time I’ve holed out was in Penrith and it’s been a long time since then,” he laughed.
Pakenham Golf Club manager Pat Keane said it was the first time in club history such a phenomenon had occurred.
“We’ve had two aces before on the same day, but they have been on different holes,” he said. “This was the first time it has been same day and same hole – there was quite a buzz around the place, both of the members are very well known.”
