CEDARS AT DUNGENESS assistant pro Chad Wagner opened Masters week with a masterful shot of his own Sunday.
Wagner notched a hole-in-one while playing an afternoon round with Cedars member and Sequim High School girls golf coach Gary Kettel.
But Wagner’s shot wasn’t your normal, everyday ace.
Instead, Wagner used his Ping G driver and a Titleist Pro V1 ball to hole out on the 302-yard par-4 13th hole at Cedars at Dungeness.
With the ace, Wagner recorded the rarest of rare birds, a subset of the albatross or double eagle, by finishing the hole three strokes under par.
All part of the plan, according to Wagner.
“Oh yes, I’ve driven it probably more than any other hole on the course,” Wagner said. “One time I was about 4 or 5 feet away from the cup.”
The 13th hole was the second straight hole Wagner had reached on a drive.
“I drove 12 just before and the ball was only about 12 feet past the pin,” Wagner said.
“Gary and I were joking about doing it on 13.”
The key to the tree-lined 13th hole is a straight tee shot.
As the Cedars at Dungeness website states, “A great risk and reward hole for the long hitters.”
With Wagner’s length off the tee, the hole’s fairway bunker is no trouble.
“It was kind of a front-left pin location, and I could see the hole from the tee,” Wagner said.
“The shot hit the left side of green and kind of disappeared.
“I got shivers down my spine when I told Gary I couldn’t see it anymore.”
The duo raced up the cart path and looked for Wagner’s ball short of the green.
“Walking up there to the green we could see it pinned against the flag stick,” Wagner said.
“Gary tackled me and we started screaming and celebrating.
“There was a group on the next tee that had no idea what was going on.”
The pair waited for Kettle’s wife, Dennise, to arrive for pictures.
Wagner and Kettel delayed heading back to the clubhouse for the customary celebratory cocktails.
There was a good reason for the delay.
“We kept going because I was 7-under through 13 holes and my career low is 66,” Wagner said.
“I had to give it a shot.
“I did bogey a hole after that and shot 66, but it didn’t matter. Every shot after the hole-in-one there was a big smile on my face.”
Wagner said he had some friends out on the course and they joined he and the Kettels for the celebration back upstairs at the clubhouse.
“The nice part about that is Gary and I had a little money game going, so I didn’t end up losing too much cash,” Wagner said.
Odds for a normal double eagle/albatross on a par-4 or par-5 have been estimated for a recreational golfer from anywhere from 1 million-to-one to 6 million-to-one.
“It was something else, though. Even Gary, he texted me the next day that an albatross or a double eagle is rare, but an ace on a par-4 is just something that never happens,” Wagner said.
The feat has only occurred once on the PGA Tour — and even that was by accident.
Andrew Magee aced the par-4 17th at the TPC at Scottsdale in January of 2001.
Magee’s shot caromed off the putter of fellow pro Tom Byrum and into the cup.
“It was the first putt Tom made all day,” said Rusty Uresti, the caddie for Gary Nicklaus, who was standing behind Byrum when the ball hit his putter.
There’s no video footage of Magee’s shot, but an interview about the ace begins at 1:13 of the video at tinyurl.com/PDN-Par4Ace.
More impressive is that Sunday’s shot was Wagner’s third ace in a year.
“The second one was on Father’s Day with my dad [Craig] there,” Wagner said.
“He probably plays twice a year, once on Mother’s Day because Mom wants him out of the house, and on Father’s Day for fun.
“So that one will always be near and dear to me. But this one is a close second.”
Madsen holes out
Conditions must have been prime in the Dungeness Valley last Sunday.
Bob Madsen carded an ace on the 126-yard eighth hole at SkyRidge Golf Course.
Madsen used his 8-iron and a Titleist Pro V1 on the shot, which came during members play.
The shot was witnessed by Robb Reese, Bobby Kelly and Steve Lee.
They described it as a beautiful shot that landed just short of the pin, bounced two times and dropped in the hole.
No April Fools’ prank
Longtime Peninsula Golf Club member Rena Peabody notched the first hole-in-one of her life while playing the Port Angeles course last Friday, April 1.
Peabody used her rescue club to hole out on the 131-yard 14th hole.
Her single was witnessed by Dolly Burnett, Sheri Henderson and Sue Barber.
SkyRidge tournament
SkyRidge Golf Course in Sequim will host a two-person scramble with a 9:30 a.m. shotgun start Saturday.
Players will play from the green tees.
Two divisions, complete with net and gross winners, are planned.
A minimum of three drives from each player must be used on each nine.
The cost is $70 per team, and includes range balls, KPs and lunch.
A honey pot is available for $15 per player.
Carts are available for $15 per seat.
To register, phone SkyRidge at 360-683-3673.
Merchant League
Peninsula Golf Club head pro Jacob Lippold wrote in with an update on activities at the Port Angeles course.
Merchant League begins play Wednesday, April 20, with preseason rounds set today and Wednesday, April 13.
Tee times for teams will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
The sponsor entry is $40 and there will be individual and team competitions each week.
Players can establish a handicap through their league scores and handicaps will adjust week to week based on updating players’ scores.
Teams may have up to eight players on their roster.
The four lowest net scores for the team are used in determining weekly point totals per team.
The league wraps Wednesday, Sept. 7, with the annual field day.
As a bonus this year, teams will play the course’s back nine on the second Wednesday of each month.
For more information, phone 360-457-6501 or email jlippold@pga.com.
Spring Shotgun
Peninsula will host the 55th annual Port Angeles Spring Shotgun over Memorial Day Weekend.
This two-day, stroke-play event features the biggest prize percentage payout on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Practice rounds are included in the $120 per player entry fee.
A shotgun start will open play at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, May 28-29.
PC golf class
Peninsula College is offering a golf class during spring quarter at Peninsula Golf Club.
The class meets at the course at 4:30 p.m. each Monday.
For more information, email Peninsula College’s Jon Ing at JIng@pencol.edu.
Afternoon membership
Peninsula Golf Club is offering a new afternoon membership program.
The membership requires a six-month commitment and includes play six days a week.
These memberships are $130 per month — a solid value to play a ton of golf and still keep your day job.
For more information, phone the golf shop at 360-457-6501 or email jlippold@pga.com.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-452-2345, ext. 57050 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
