On Sunday morning, May 16th 2021, I invited my son for an early morning round of golf at St. Charles Country Club in Winnipeg, Manitoba. St. Charles is a unique course with 3 distinct nines that have each been designed by a different architect; Donald Ross; Norman Woods, and Dr. Alistair McKenzie.
We started our round on the McKenzie nine. After 5 holes I was down 1. We were playing the white tees and came to the 6th hole and our first par 3.
I typically only use my range finder on the Par 3's and as I started reaching for my range finder I asked my son if he wanted to know the distance. He said that he didn't care, he hated this hole. It is the shortest hole on the course and protected by 2 deep high lipped bunkers in front. The green has a steep slope that runs from the back to the front. The pin was clearly visible at the front of the green but we could not cup as the top lip of the counter was hiding it.
I scoped the pin at 98.7 yards, to which son said, I don't have that club. He hit a 3/4 gap which he complained about since he said the off speed swing caused him to pull it into the bunker
I hit a full Gap wedge and ball went right at the pin but we lost it at behind the top lip of the bunker. I walked up the right side of the fairway and he walked up the left. From my perspective the bunker lip remained an obstruction and I could not see the cup or ball until I got to the green. My son however, walking up the left side of the fairway started calling it out. He was yelling, I think it is in the cup; I think you got a hole in one; if thats not a hole in hole it is sitting on the lip; it's in. I kept telling him to shut up and was accusing him of trying to mess with my game. As soon as I created the ridge and saw the cup I could see it was in the hole. My some started taking pictures as I reached in to grab the ball. Then he asked what ball I was using, Titleist Pro VIX, and then told me to put it somewhere safe.
Then he went to bump elbows and congratulation me and said to heck with that and gave him a great big bear hug. We are still under covid restrictions but fortunately we have both had our vaccine shots. I couldn't stop smiling and the next 2 holes were my worst of the round because I was so excited and couldn't focus.