Golf: Rod Heath, what an ace shot

City golfer Rod Heath scored himself a niche in Horsham Downs Golf Club history last week with a hole-in-one on a par four.

The 13-handicapper smacked his drive 266m on the club's second hole.

He and his playing companions - Andy Bolli, Logan Fisher and club vice-president Paul Ardern - couldn't find Rod's ball.

He knew he had struck the ball well and was mystified. The week before, his drive on the same hole finished just short of the green.

The mystery was solved when Andy strolled over the green to the hole and found Rod's ball nestled in the cup.

In golfing terms, one under par for a hole is a birdie, two under par is an eagle and three under par is an albatross - one of the rarest achievements in the game.

Most holes-in-one are scored on par threes and therefore are eagles.

Not only it is Rod's first 'ace' but it puts him on more than equal footing with father-in-law Bill Bartels and brother-in-law Kevin Bartels, who have previously scored holes-in-one.

Rod, a forklift driver for Waikato Valley Chocolates, reckons it is his turn to give 'the bird' to his competitive relatives.

"Let's get real here," says Rod.

"Those boys got their aces on par threes. Mine was an albatross on a real golf hole - a 266m par four.

"It's about time they started eating humble pie."

Rod plans to have the ball mounted and give it pride of place in his trophy cabinet.