THE COURSES

Records and Holes in One: 2006

The first congratulations of the new golfing year are extended to Mr S Mitchell of Ceres in Fife who holed out at the 17th on the Jubilee on 19 February. Mr Mitchell, a member of the New Golf Club in St Andrews, used a five wood from the tee.

The second hole to be completed in a single stroke this year was High Hole, the 11th on the Old Course, which was conquered by 5 wood-wielding Neil McEniff of Dublin on 23 February. Citywest member Mr McEniff, who plays off 19, was playing with fellow Dubliner Brian Weber and Chicagoan Patrick Murray.

Another 19-handicapper had reason to celebrate at the Links when Ross MacCallum aced the 5th hole of the New Course during a medal round on 11 March. New Club member Mr MacCallum, who lives in Edinburgh, pitched in with a seven iron.

Three days later, fellow New Club golfer Peter Halley of St Andrews was delighted to see his 4 iron shot at the 13th of the New Course find the bottom of the cup.

Andrew Unwin of Rotherham GC may well have created a bit of history on 31 March when he holed out on the 1st of the Eden and then birdied the 2nd, thus standing on 4 under par after only two holes. Mr Unwin has been to St Andrews 17 times, first on annual trips with Rotherham Schools and now as an adult with other former pupils and staff.

Liam McGowan, a member of St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association, showed the benefit of instruction from the Home of Golf when he struck a pitching wedge shot straight into the hole at the 5th on the Jubilee Course. Three-handicapper Liam achieved his hole in one on 3 May. A pitching wedge was also in the hands of Lee Martinez from Henderson, Nevada, when he conquered the 8th hole of the Old Course on 11 May. Two days later, Judy Earley of Rampton Lakes, New Jersey, used her rescue club to hit the perfect shot at the 15th hole on the Eden Course. There were two holes in one on Friday, 19 May. New Club golfer John Devereux used his 17 degree utility club to ace the 17th hole of the Jubilee Course from the bronze tee plaque. Over at the Eden Course, Tom McInnes of the St Andrews club took a single 6 iron shot at the 15th. His stroke was made all the more remarkable by the fact that when his ball went in to the hole a rainbow came out.

Two holes in one were reported in June. The first fell to Humphrey Creed of Haddenham in Buckinghamshire, who aced the fearsome eleventh on the Old Course with a five iron on 12 June. Two days later, the fifth hole of the Jubilee Course was mastered by Fraser Philips of Northallerton. A further triumph at the same hole was recorded by Steve Lastinger of Duluth, Georgia, who used his six iron to find the bottom of the cup on 12 July.

The long journey to St Andrews from Brighton, Australia, must have seemed all the more worthwhile for Peter Sutherland after his hole in one on the New Course on 18 July. The Royal Melbourne member used his lucky number seven iron to conquer the thirteenth. Two days later the dream of an ace on the Old Course was realised by James Wheeler of Lenawee Country Club in Michigan who hit the perfect shot at the at the par three eighth hole using a six iron.

A three wood was the weapon of choice for Mission Viejo CC member Jay Norton, whose tee shot on the ninth of the New Course ran into the hole of one of the most difficult par threes on the Links on 3 August. Amazingly, Josh Jamieson, who is 12-years-old and a member of St Andrews Links Junior Golf Association (SALJGA), used his driver to ace the very same hole on the same day. Five days later, the next hole in one on the Links fell to 9-year-old Rebecca Todd, also a SALJGA member, who watched her ball dive into the hole at the eighth on the Balgove. Rebecca used a driver. Corrie Hamilton, who is 12, made the perfect shot on the ninth hole of the Balgove Course on 8 August. Miss Hamilton, also a member of SALJGA, used her six iron. Also on 8 August, closer to the coast, Clay Riding of Issaquah in Washington used his first day in Scotland to bag his first ever hole in one at the thirteenth of the Jubilee. Mr Riding knocked in a seven iron shot. William E Bindley of Old Collier GC was the toast of his Naples fourball on 22 August when his six iron shot at the 11th on the Old Course dropped below ground. Floridian Mr Bindley came home in 39 shots. The month of August ended with two further aces on the Links. High Hole, the 11th on the Old Course, was conquered by Gunnar Mar Sigurfinnsson of Rejkjavik GC. Mr Sigurfinnsson, a 20-handicapper, used his No4 rescue club to hit the shot of his life. A few hundred yards away, on the 8th of the Eden, John Diggle of the New Club in St Andrews struck his 6 iron shot straight into the hole, also on 31 August.

St Andrews GC member James Clark struck a perfect shot for his first ever hole in one on the 5th of the Jubilee on 8 September. Mr Clark used a seven iron. John Thompson of Cooden Beach GC, Bexhill, East Sussex, visited the Links on 18 September and left with an ace to show for it. The 10th hole of the Eden Course was the scene of his triumphant 4 iron shot. Sweden's Nillo Pentillä of Sölveborgs GC used his three wood to find the hole on the 17th of the New Course on 24 September.

A five iron was the means by which John Ball of Edinburgh aced the 13th of the Jubilee on 14 October. Ten-handicapper Mr Ball is a member of the New Club in St Andrews, whose patrons gave him a warm welcome in the clubhouse bar afterwards.

Charlie Ferguson of the St Andrews club ventured on to the Links in a stiff north-easterly wind on 21 November and his decision to brave the Strathtyrum Course paid off handsomely when he drove straight into the back of the hole at the 3rd. Roy Verner demonstrated the benefit of being member of the Links Management Committee when he aced High Hole, the 11th of the Old Course on 16 November. Mr Verner, who is also a member of St Andrews GC, wielded his six iron in claiming his first ever hole in one.

The year ended gloriously for two local golfers who achieved holes in one at the Links. Cynthia Waterhouse of the St Regulus club conquered the 16th hole of the Strathtyrum Course on 17 December. Mrs Waterhouse used a six iron. Four days later Charlie Ferguson aced the 5th hole of the New Course. St Andrews GC member Mr Ferguson struck his perfect shot with a three wood during a medal round on 21 December. It is the second month in a row that he has claimed a hole in one. Amazingly, he also needed a single shot on the 3rd of the Strathtyrum on 21 November.