It took only a week for the Links to give up its first ace of the year. Andrew Small from nearby Peat Inn found good luck on the thirteenth hole of the Strathtyrum Course when his seven iron shot dropped below ground. Mr Small is a member at Lundin Links.
Peter Higgins of St Andrews used his rescue club to notch a hole in one on the third hole of the Strathtyrum Course on 22 February. Peter is a member of the New GC.
The star of a Bonnyrigg fourball was Kevin Hastings whose eight iron shot at the eleventh on the Old Course took a single bounce before disappearing underground on 20 March. Kevin is a member at Broomieknowe. On 31 March, Jonathan Hamby of Centreville, Virginia, used a 52 degree wedge to slay the eighth on the Eden. It was a family celebration for the Army Navy Country Club member who was playing with Tack, Brad and Chris Hamby.
April’s aces started with Bob Murray, a resident of St Andrews who saw his ball fly home on the fifth of the Eden. His perfect hit on 7 April was his first hole in one in 75 years of golfing. Mr Murray is a member at Boat of Garten. Another St Andrean, Angus Graham of the New Club, knocked home a pitching wedge at the seventh hole on the Balgove on 12 April. It was another family affair, as he was with Callum, Euan and Scott Graham. There was a further hole in one at the eleventh of the Old Course on 13 April when Arjan Jager of Amsterdam struck his ideal seven iron shot at High Hole. He is now the pride of Purmerend GC. Ashley Ricketts took the Links limelight on 15 April when his five iron shot at the thirteenth of the New Course gave the Enville member his first ace in 35 years of trying.
There were two double celebrations in April. On 20 April St Andrews GC member George MacConnachie took away a one on the thirteenth of The Castle Course using a five iron. Down on the Links, Scotscraig’s Graham Watson of St Andrews had a six iron in his hands when he aced the fifth on the Eden. Two Scandanavian golfers breached The Castle Course’s defences on 25 April. Lage Lindström of Lyckorna GC in Sweden hit home a five iron shot on the tenth, while Donald MacCulloch of Drøbak GC in Norway used a six iron to triumph over the eighth. The seventeenth on The Castle Course fell to Barry Sneddon of Glasgow on 30 April. The Kirkhill member struck a five iron.
Roddy Yarr had a 22 degree utility club to thank for his hole in one at the eighth on the Old Course on 9 May. Roddy is a member of the St Andrews GC.