“It was pure luck. I’m just an average golfer.”
Suffice to say, Janet Gaspar’s modesty was in full effect this week, despite pulling off just about every golfer’s dream – twice in the one round.
Yes, 65-year-old Gaspar, who’s only been playing golf for a decade or so, bagged two incredible aces on Monday, four holes apart on Richmond’s Country Meadows executive course.
Most golfers can only dream of getting one in their lifetime, with the odds at around 5,000-1.
Getting a pair of them in the same round of golf is an astronomical 67 million to one.
But, much to the astonishment of her playing partners and the group ahead, that’s exactly what Gaspar achieved at the course’s 8th and 12th holes off the white tees.
“It started out just being a normal golf day,” said Gaspar, who normally plays at nearby Mylora, but that course was closed for the day for annual maintenance.
“We had a few good first few holes but quite an average score. The eighth is kind of on a little island. I didn’t use a good ball as I was expecting it to go in the water.”
However, she cleared the water with her five hybrid, before it “bounced over the hill and just rolled straight in.
“We all looked at each other and put our hands on our heads. We couldn’t believe it. There were hugs and cheers and the foursome ahead saw it all and they were very excited and were cheering.”
With her score now at one over par on the par-58 track, Gaspar regained her composure and continued with the round, blissfully unaware of more magic to come at the 154-yard 12th hole.
“I got the three wood out and hit a nice straight one and thought, ‘this could be close,’” she recalled.
“It rolled in again. People were dropping to their knees, hands on their heads, it was unbelievable.
“We called the guys ahead to check. They confirmed it and went crazy. They were bowing at me. It was quite funny.
“When I teed up for the last six holes, everyone was saying, ‘Here she goes, this hole will be a slam dunk.’”
As is the custom with a golfer getting a hole-in-one, they’re obliged to buy a drink in the clubhouse for every single player on the course.
Alas, said Gaspar, the Country Meadows clubhouse was closed that day, so she regrettably swerved a sizable bar tab.
“I wanted to at least get a drink for the guys ahead of us, but they were gone. We just went to a place nearby and celebrated there,” added Gaspar, acknowledging that the next few rounds could be a bit of an anti-climax.
