Desert Aire golfer hits rarest of aces

DESERT AIRE - Desert Aire golfer Don Dahl accomplished a hole-in-one on Friday, July 12, and it was one his playing partner and the group ahead will likely never forget.

Using a driver, Dahl nailed his ace on the par-4, 291-yard No. 5 hole. He was using a Taylormade R11-S.

“It was a beauty,” said pro shop attendant Caroline Holmes on Saturday. “I think he's still in a daze.”

“It's only been a week,” Dahl said. “Of course I'm still excited.”

Dahl had driven the No. 5 green before but had never finished on the green. He couldn't believe it when he learned that this shot had gone in.

The shot flew low, as is customary for Dahl's tee shots. He learned to play golf at Desert Aire and keeps the ball low to fight the normal windy conditions.

This time Dahl's tee shot cleared the bunker in front of the green, landing between the bunker and the green and rolling into the hole.

“The ball went out of sight,” Dahl said. “I thought it had gone through and over the green.”

Dahl had no idea he had made that shot even when a foursome of women nearby started whooping and hollering. They went to give him a congratulatory hug as he arrived at the green, but he pushed them aside, not willing to claim what they were asserting.

“I just couldn't believe it,” he said. “No way I make that shot.”

In addition to hole-in-one, the shot goes down as a double-eagle. Double-eagle, also known as albatross, is very rare.

Between 1983-2003, there were 631 aces on the PGA tour but just 56 double-eagles. And there were never more than six albatrosses in one year. From 1971-2003, there were 24 double-eagles on the LPGA tour.

Approximately 40,000 aces a year are made in the United States. That compares to just a couple hundred double-eagles.

Dahl has another ace to his credit. He accomplished that on a 120-yard par-3 at the Bellevue Municipal Course.

Dahl is a local realtor. His playing partner in a twosome on July 12 was Glenn Lampman. But there were four other witnesses.

A women's foursome, made up of Susie Jepson and friends, stepped aside to let Dahl and Lampman play through. Near the geen, they unintentionally became an audience for Dahl's incredible feat.

Holmes, herself, had a golf moment three days earlier. She scored an eagle on hole No. 17 on Tuesday, July 9.

No. 17 is 273 yards long. Holmes covered the first 202 yards with her driver. She sank the eagle with her pitching wedge.

“My drive was the sweetest thing I've ever done in golf,” Holmes said.

Holmes's drive went straight down the middle. It landed in the area she was hoping for, leaving her an uphill swing to the green. Her wedge shot hit the spot she planned, just six feet in front of the hole, and the ball rolled in with a slight curve.

“It was exciting,” she said, “but the double eagle, now that is really something.”