The ultimate prize for any golfer is to score a hole-in-one. Some have been playing for 50 years and not been able to achieve nirvana. Then there are others who have only just started their golfing journey and they get lucky. Such is the case with Phil Purdy.
The scene for this miracle event was the 3rd hole at the Altona Lakes course last Friday - Phil obviously wasn't very busy or he left it all to Barb. He hit the ball off the tee hoping for it to go in the general direction of the green 123 metres away. He looked up. Not only did the ball land on the green but it bounced a couple of times and then, low and behold, it rolled straight in the hole. Phil went wild with excitement. He raised his hand ready for a high-5 but then realised he was playing by himself and there was absolutely no-one else on the course to witness or share in this euphoric moment.
We can only assume that Phil did actually score the ace because he practices the 4-way test in everything he says and does. But he also occasionally admits to practising the 5th test - "Will I get caught?".
Unfortunately, the excitement was short lived. With tears of joy still in his eyes, he teed up on the next hole and proceeded to hit the same ball into the lake! Talk about going from chocolates to boiled lollies. Don't worry Phil. Your fellow golfers are all envious of your once-in-a-lifetime achievement.