Not par for the course....pals both hit hole-in-ones within minutes

Friends Simon Moss and Andrew Booth were left stunned when they recently completed the super-rare feat on the second hole at Normanton Golf Club in Stanley.

The pair had been playing in a teams event when their luck came in.

Simon, 55, who is from Robin Hood, said: “Andy went first and because it’s a par-three hole we could see it drop and we all cheered. It’s an elevated hole so we could see it clearly.

“It was a four-man team event so we won the points but thought we should carry on, so my son Jacob went next.

“Then I went and I put it on the green and it spun back before dropping. We couldn’t believe it.

“We cheered Andy’s but we thought just ‘never’ when mine went in. That doesn’t happen.

“We were all just in shock.”

After talking with a bookmaker friend, they calculated that the chances of it happening are around 17 million-to-one.

“You’ve got more chance of winning the lottery,” added Simon.

Andrew has hit the ultimate shot once before, but for Simon, it’s a first, despite enjoying the game for decades and both having single-figure handicaps.

“We keep trying, Andy has got one but for me it’s the first one in playing for 30 years.

“I’ve had some a few inches away, and one resting on the edge of the pin, but never a hole-in-one.

“You keep on trying, Normanton is a great course, but there’s always an element of luck.

“We’ve never heard of anyone doing this before.”

And like all players who land a hole-in-one, it’s their round at the clubhouse afterwards for anyone enjoying a drink.

Simon said: “We’ve put two bottles of whisky across the bar, so if anyone wants a nip, they can!”