Thursday, January 3, 2013

Three Magical Days in the Fall...



Most people spend their whole golfing careers, never able to obtain the elusive Hole-In-One. Depending upon where your sources are gathered, the general odds for an amateur to make one are roughly 1 in 12,000. For those fortunate enough to take claim to one, it is something they will remember and cherish for the rest of their lives, even after they succumb to giving up the sport. 


On three fairy-tale like days this past fall, the third hole of the Norman Course at Barefoot Resort & Golf became the magical spot for three individuals who now refer to themselves as “The Three Aces”.

The first ace recorded was on Thursday, November 29. The first individual to record an ace was Sly Nicholson. A member of Barefoot he knocked his tee shot into the hole on the par 3 third with his 11 wood from 150 yards. A mid-level handicapper in his own right, this was not Sly’s first recorded ace. He had his other Hole-In-One on hole #16 on the Fazio Course at Barefoot Resort with in fact the same 11 wood.

The second ace to occur happened just a day later. Bert Cody Piggott Jr. M.D. from Greensboro, NC was playing in the annual Myrtle Beach Winter Invitational Tournament with his fellow golfing buddies.   Prior to teeing off, he jokingly bet the other three golfers in his foursome that he would get a Hole-In-One. Not a betting man, Piggott indicated, “I had a funny feeling about this shot and I have NEVER made such a ridiculous wager in my life. It would be analogous to betting someone that you would win the lottery.”  He swung his Taylor Made 6 iron from 178 yards and it disappeared into the hole. It was Bert’s first recorded Hole-In-One of his golfing career. In addition to the ace he naturally won the closest to the pin event for that day. After Piggott’s Hole-In-One he said “I feel confident that no one will take this one away from me because I got it as close as I could”. 

(Photo taken of Bert Cody Piggott Jr. M.D Hole-In-One)

The last man to accomplish this feat and ascend to the illustrious Hole-In-One club was Charlie Forman. His occurred in succession on Saturday, December 1. Playing as a threesome with two other members he came to the third hole on the Norman Course. The flag was 110 yards from where he stood. With a pitching wedge in hand, he hit his shot that landed about 10 yards from and slightly left of the pin. The ball bounced once and proceeded to curl right and rolled to the pin similar to that of a putt. To his surprise, the ball rolled dead center into the cup. “Hey it went in” he shouted emphatically. It was Charlie Forman’s first ever Hole-In-One, as he has been playing the game of golf for over 40 years. Needless to say, he was both excited and relieved that it finally had happened. 

(Pictured from Left to Right: Sly Nicholson, Bert Cody Piggott Jr. M.D., Charlie Forman)
 Hole # 3, Norman Course

Now I’m sure you’re asking yourself has this ever been done before.  Well, according to Ripley’s Believe it or Not! they have never heard of such a feat. Three men from three different backgrounds and of all different playing abilities were united by a simple chance of fate. Three men on three consecutive days on the same hole each recorded a Hole-In-One. Each individual who was a part of this magical feat can all take claim to something that has never nor may never again be duplicated. For those three days this fall there was something magical and mystifying in the air at Barefoot Resort & Golf. 

(Pictured from Left to Right: Sly Nicholson, Bert Cody Piggott Jr. M.D., Charlie Forman)
“The Three Aces”


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