An amateur golfer who has waited 44 years to hit a hole in one has defied odds of 67,000,000 to one by getting two in the same round.
But he still didn’t win the tournament he was playing in.
Retired banker Douglas Spencer, 60, was playing the Boat of Garten course in the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland when he achieved his remarkable achievement.
He made his shots on the ninth and then repeated the feat on the 16th hole.
“I’ve never had a hole in one before,” Douglas said. “It had eluded me for 44 years or something. The first was very good and the second hole in one was unlucky but the ball rolled a long way.
Sign up for all the latest stories
Start your day informed with Metro’s News updates newsletter or pick up Latest news signals the moment it happens.
“I’ve been playing golf since I was about 14, so it’s been a long time coming.”
But Douglas’ ace day wasn’t enough to clinch victory in the medal race.
He finished runner-up four shots behind the winner with a seven on the second hole that ruined his scorecard.
Both his holes-in-one in the club’s Roddy MacLeod Trophy at Beag (ninth hole) and Craigowrie (16th hole) on his home course were witnessed by other players out on the fairway.
Douglas, who now plays off nine, said: “My playing partner John Ingles saw the first ace and said it was a bounce and went into the hole and the second was seen by three guys on the 17th who were watching as the ball went in and they went wild with delight.”
John was a little more restrained with his celebrations.
Douglas said: “I got a low-five and a ‘well done’. There was a bit more celebration with the guys who had been on the 17th ball for the second ace.’
He carded a 42 which he admitted was ‘not great’ even with the ace, but the inside nine was a much better par 36 for a round of 78.
His amazing achievement has resulted in his handicap dropping two shots from 11.
But what is club etiquette for two holes in one during the same round? No one was quite sure.
Traditionally a golfer who hits a hole in one ends the day by buying a round drinks in the bar of the club for all present.
Douglas said: ‘That was the big question and I don’t know the answer. I put a bottle of whiskey behind the bar. There was only a spare bottle of whiskey in the back cupboard.
“It was there for everyone to enjoy and it wore off by the middle of the evening after I finished my round at 11:30. Not many wanted to drink whiskey at that time!’
Douglas lives in the village and has been a member of ‘The Boat’, as the club is known locally, for the past 13 years. He is also a member of Lossiemouth Golf Club in Moray.
He has been a playing partner with two golfers who have hit holes in them during his many years on the fairways.
“On one occasion the guy played a terrible 17 holes and then had a hole-in-one. He was happy to sacrifice everything for his ace,” Douglas said.
Of his very special pair of aces, he said: ‘It all feels a bit surreal to be honest. I was thinking after the first ‘great, this is probably my hole for life’ and to have a second one I was completely confused. There were about 70 minutes between them.
It’s 12,500-1 to get a hole-in-one, but the odds are high that the feat will be repeated in the same round.
Internet searches reveal that it is “accomplished by only a handful of amateur and professional players around the globe.”
English player Dale Whitnell achieved success in the second round of the Investec South African Open in Durban in February last year.
People have more chances to win Great Britain lotto jackpot (matching all six numbers) which has 1 in 45,057,474 odds.
Douglas will be hoping to get another no or two when he takes part in a fundraising challenge with partner Iain Gardner to complete 100 holes in a single day on June 19 at the famous North Berwick West Links course in aid of Prostate Scotland.
So far the pair have raised around £12,500 but are keen to bring as much as possible to the fight against prostate cancer.
Find out more about the couple’s fundraising here.
Putting the odds into perspective
The odds of being struck by lightning (with an average lifespan of 80 years) are about 1 in 15,300.
For the average person walking down the street, the odds of standing on an Olympic podium are about 1 in 662,000 while being hit by a meteorite is one in four to 10 trillion.
There is no chance of finding the Loch Ness monster, but the giant eel being the cause of the sightings is 50,000-1.
MORE: The “venomous” layer attacks the hiker walking in a Scottish beauty spot
MORE: UK areas with the most Postcode Lottery winners revealed
MORE: ‘Eurostar of Scotland’ departs today with £29.90 tickets from London to Stirling
