Sunday, 22 May 2011 08:43
Joe Bernhardt's ace
You would be excited, too, if you notched a hole-in-one
I will be the first to admit that I have yet to get a hole-in-one.
Some day? Well, maybe, but today's golf column is about Joe Bernhardt of La Crosse.
Bernhardt not only posted the first ace of his life, but accomplished it on one of the most difficult holes in the Coulee Region.
Bernhardt's hole-in-one came April 24, on the par-3, 185-yard, 16th hole at Forest Hills Golf Course in La Crosse. The hole is quite intimidating. Players hit from an elevated tee through a long, deep valley to an elevated green. It's all carry. Trust me.
'As you can imagine, I was terribly excited about this, said Joe, who has enjoyed telling his family and friends about that life-achieving moment.
Tell us more, Joe.
'After 30 years of golfing, I didn't think this was a possibility, but even a blind squirrel will find a nut sooner or later,' Bernhardt said in an e-mail to boblamboutdoors.com recently."
"I'm in my early 50's and started golfing with my wife, Kris, more than 30 years ago. Both my wife and I found the sport quite enjoyable and as time passed, and more time was put into learning to play the game better, we have now found that we are passionate about the game," Joe said. "So, with that in mind, we are golf crazy and try to get out every chance we get."
Joe and Kris were playing 18 holes at Forest Hillson that eventful late day in April.
"I hit a 5-iron and we both could see it was right at the pin, but when it landed I didn't think it went in," Joe said. "My wife, in the meantime, was yelling that it hit the pin and she thought it went in. I thought I could still see the ball and figured I still had bragging rights for getting so close on that hole."
Kris hit her tee shot and the golfing couple hopped in their cart and drove up the hill to see how close Joe's golf ball came to the hole.
"Kris said to me before we got out of the cart to make sure we both walked to the hole together so if the ball did go in she could be the witness," Joe said. "When we did get over to the green, the top of the ball was still showing. It was wedged between the cup and the pin with only about a quarter of the ball still showing. The hole was cut on a slight side hill, so the pin was leaning forward. I straightened the pin and the ball dropped to the bottom."
That's when the adrenaline kicked in for Joe. Did he or didn't he actually get a hole-in-one?
"Needless to say, the rest of the round went south from there," he said. "I couldn't swing a club after that. I was just too excited and sure wasn't thinking. I finished the round with that ball and darn near lost it the pond on the last hole."
Joe and Kris excitedly left the 18th hole and went directly to the golf shop to check if Joe did indeed get his first hole-in-one.
"We finished up our round and stopped at the pro shop to make sure I was right on the ruling of the shot being that the ball was wedged in between the hole and the cup. And they confirmed it was a legitimate hole in one," Joe said. "When I told my friends at work, they also got out the rule book and checked. They didn't want to take my word for it."
Joe is still reliving his magnificent shot with co-workers.
"I want to make it clear that we are weekend hackers," Joe said. "We are somewhat high handicappers. On a good day, we may shoot in the low 90's, on our best of days in the high 80's and only in my dreams, in the 70's. We are just happy to keep it under 100."
One thing is certain, Joe and Kris enjoy the lifetime sport to the fullest.
"Getting a hole-in-one I'm sure is the holy grail of most golfers," Joe said. "The only thing that could top this for me would be able to play Augusta National or St. Andrews and having the best round of my life."
Joe, you never know...
