By Hamish Stuart
A Welsh golfer is trying to find out if he has achieved the longest hole-in-one in Wales, after sinking his tee shot on a 366 yard par 4.
Radyr Golf Club operations manager Matt Underwood managed the feat on the seventh hole at Tredegar Park, where it is thought one of the previous records had also been achieved.
In 2001 Ray Willmott had a hole-in-one albatross at that hole, three under par, when the distance was 348 yards – an achievement marked by a plaque on the course, before a new tee extended the hole to the current distance.
“I took a three wood because it is a downhill par four and a driver can be too much for me, it was a good shot with a bit of luck at the end,” said 45-year-old Underwood.
“It was a team match against Newport last summer and I went first, we saw it bouncing towards the green, I picked up my tee thinking it might get on, looked up and saw it going towards the flag, hit it quite firmly and then just disappeared.
“The two of us saw it go in, my opponent shook my hand and said he had to hole his tee shot for a half!
“Word got round as we finished the match so by the time I got back to the clubhouse there were quite a few people there. It was quite expensive, but worth it. I have eight holes-in-one now, but never on a par four before.”
In 2013 18-year-old John Roberts-Jones holed his tee shot on the 355 yard fourth hole at Denbigh Golf Club, thought to be the previous Welsh best.
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The world record is 517 yards, achieved at altitude in Denver in the USA, while the UK record was achieved in England on a 496 yard hole at Teign Valley near Exeter, but that involved cutting off a dogleg so the distance covered is less certain.
Perhaps the longest direct hole-in-one in the UK was achieved in Hampshire at 394 yards. The longest by a woman is believed to be 393 yards in Massachusetts, USA.
So the shot by plus one handicapper Underwood was certainly considerable, now he wants to find out if it is the longest ever hit in Wales.
“Sadly Ray passed away this year, his wife is planning to spread his ashes on that hole and we are looking to update the plaque which says his effort was the longest hole-in-one in Wales,” explained Underwood.
“I am involved on the committee at Tredegar Park, which is why we are trying to find out if it is right that was the Welsh record and whether my shot is now the Welsh record.”
Wales Golf Operations and Handicapping Manager Sandy Veale added, “We are keen to help Matt find out if this is indeed the longest hole-in-one ever recorded in Wales.
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“Thanks to the World Handicap System and centralised scoring databases, we now know of every recent hole-in-one scored in Wales along with the information about which hole it was scored on.
“However that information only goes back as far as the WHS in the last few years, so we are appealing to golf clubs and golf club members if they have anyone who has hit a longer hole-in-one in Wales. It will be fascinating to find out.”