Having recently retired, I found myself with more time to enjoy one of my favorite pastimes—golf. That Monday, I was playing in the Men's Golf Association League at the Fripp Island Ocean Point Golf Course. The match format was match play, and to shake things up, everyone was teeing off from the forward (Silver) tees.

Then came Hole #2—a tricky par three. The green is slightly sloped, divided into a lower and upper tier, with a lagoon standing between the tee box and green. No fairway, no bailout—just a clean strike or a wet golf ball. That day, the pin was positioned just before the slope leading to the upper tier. To make thins more interesting this hole normally has some sort of ocean breeze, adding to the challenge.

Playing from the silver tees shortened the hole, but it didn’t make it easy. I was caught between clubs and decided to choke down slightly on my 60-degree wedge. I took the shot, watching as the ball landed just past the flagstick—about six feet beyond—landing on the slope and trickled back down… and disappeared into the hole.

After 40 years of playing golf, I had finally sunk my first hole-in-one. It felt surreal—one of those moments you dream about but never quite believe will happen. And yet, there it was.