Whanganui golfer Bob Bristol's ace achievement 49 years in the making

Bob Bristol relaxes after getting another hole-in-one on the 4th hole at the Castlecliff Golf Club. Photo / Bevan Conley

A Whanganui golfer has achieved his 49-year long goal.

On Wednesday, April 13, Bob Bristol scored a hole-in-one on hole four of the Castlecliff golf course.

It means Bristol has scored a hole-in-one on all four of the Castlecliff course's par three holes.

He is the second person in the club's history to do so with the first, Lewis Ibell, achieving it last year.

The fourth par-three hole-in-one came 49 years after Bristol sank his first at the club in 1973, with the second soon after in 1974.

However, it was then a long time between drinks and took until 2006 for Bristol to get the third, followed by the fourth this week.

"It was on the flag and had a couple of bounces and then went in the hole," Bristol said.

A lifetime member of the Castlecliff Golf Club, Bristol started playing golf in 1964 during his senior years at Whanganui Technical College (now Whanganui City College).

He said he took up golf as it was a popular activity for students at the time.

Over the years, Bristol refined his skills on the course and has held a single-digit handicap for many years.

Bristol is not planning on slowing down any time soon.

His next challenge is to "shoot his age", a term used by golfers for a score in an 18-hole round that is the same or lower than their current age.

"About a month ago I was five days short," Bristol said.