Another golf outing, another hole-in-one and beer stein for Coldstream’s John Hegler.
Hegler became king of the ace when he recorded his 16th and 17th career holes-in-one in the past three weeks at Vernon’s Hillview Golf Course where, at age 78, Hegler is the longest-serving club member, having joined when the course opened in 1986.
Playing with regular partners Morris Wernicke (who has 16 holes-in-one himself!), Art Block (eight career aces) and Brad Clark (two aces), Hegler took out his 9-iron on the par-3 130-yard eighth hole on Thursday, Oct. 1, and sank career ace No. 17.
Three weeks earlier, with the same buddies, Hegler aced the par-3, 165-yard 13th hole for the fourth time in his career, using his 7-iron, tying Wernicke’s mark.
“You gotta be good to be lucky and lucky to be good,” said Hegler, a retired carpenter. “I try not to make too much noise (on the holes-in-one) but I’m hyped up inside.”
His first ace was on Hole No. 3, a par-3, 155-yard track. Since then, he’s also aced No. 11 twice, and the only holes he hasn’t scored holes-in-one on are four of the five holes over 200 yards: No. 2 (205), No. 9 (215), No. 10 (270) and No. 14 (280, dogleg right).
Hegler said his biggest accomplishment, ace-wise, was the par-3 220-yard 18th hole.
“I usually score better on the back nine,” he said, adding he had four aces in one year. “There are lots of better golfers than me who’ve never had a hole-in-one so I feel fortunate.”
Hegler plays five times a week, Monday to Friday, leaving the weekends to spend time with his wife. What he likes about the par-3 executive course at Hillview is that it doesn’t take up a lot of his time.
“You get in, you get out,” he said. “You’re not there the whole day like you are on the big courses. And the people at Hillview are great.”
READ MORE: Aces aplenty at Vernon Golf Club
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