Two holes-in-one in two days

It may have been overcast, but some hidden ray of heavenly light must have been shining on Wanganui Golf Club last weekend.

An extraordinary rarity occurred as lightning struck twice on Saturday for veteran player Peter Redpath, who hit a superb four-iron shot to earn a hole-in-one on the 146m, par 3 seventh - 10 years after he had done it on the same hole.

The magic wasn't done though. The next day Michelle Polkinghorne was chatting about Redpath's ace with her husband while on a practice round - just as she found her own perfect swing for her first hole-in-one on the second hole a par 3, 125m (from the ladies' tee).

What the odds would be of two aces on back-to-back days on the same course boggles the mind.

For perspective, American company US Hole In One a leading provider of hole-in-one insurance for golf outings and tournaments - calculates the odds of the average player making the feat at 12,500 to 1, with professionals 2500 to 1.

A 30-year club member, Redpath was playing in a foursome as part of the Bill Phillips Salver, which his hole-in-one helped the team win.

He said unlike a decade ago when he first sank his ball in one shot on the seventh, the hole has been moved to an elevated position. "So you don't actually see the ball go in, although we heard it hit the flag.

"The first cart went up to the hole and they were very circumspect and didn't let anything out of the bag."

Confronted with poker faces, Redpath walked up to the hole to confirm he'd found the magic again.

"This particular shot always looked promising from the time it left the club."

Such events are now recognised in club records - Redpath received a small trophy for his previous success.

The ink was not even dry on that happening when the very next day Polkinghorne, a once-a-week player for the past 10 years, added her name to the collection on the second hole.

"We were talking about Peter's hole-in-one. I hit my ball and my husband said, 'This is a good shot'," she said.

"There it was, my pink ball in the hole. I think it's just purely luck."

Polkinghorne's perfect shot also makes a unique double for the family as husband Tony has also made an ace in recent times.

"There's just one child to go to get one," Polkinghorne said.

"It had got around to everyone on the course by the time we got back, so we just shouted everyone who was there."

Both Redpath and Polkinghorne are in minor title finals this Sunday at the club's senior championships.