Ninety two year old golfer Boydie Collyer has a new spring in step after miraculously hitting his first hole-in-one at Casino Golf Course.
Boydie has only been playing golf for 8 years but felt very confident when approaching the 117 metre par-3 on the NSW north coast course.
“I said to one of the blokes, ‘Oh you got on the green, I’m going to get closer than you,'” he boastfully said before teeing up.
“It just felt good when I hit it, it just felt good,” Boydie said.
He and his golfing buddies watched the ball hit the green then weren’t sure what happened.
“I didn’t even know it went in the hole, I thought it went off the green,” he said.
“But then they said, ‘No, it’s in the hole.'”
Boydie Collyer stands on the green where he achieved his dream. (Photo: ABC News: Cath Adams)
Boydie could not believe the result when his ace was confirmed.
“I did say ‘bullshit’,” he admitted.
He was still shaking his head as he approached the green.
“When I got up to the green I said, ‘Do I need me putter?” he said.
“They said, ‘Only if you want to get the ball out of the hole.'”
Word of the feat traveled quickly on the country golf course.
“I think everyone on the course knew before we got back to the club,” Boydie said.
Casino Golf Club pro Matt Adam was certainly impressed.
“Everyone is thrilled, to have your first hole-in-one at 92, it’s got a bit of atmosphere about it,” Adam said.
“He probably took it in his stride, but I looked on the internet and [an average amateur] is a 12,500-to-1 chance of hitting a hole-in-one, but when you’re 92, you’re not going to hit as far as normal people.”
Adam said there were not many veteran players as keen as “young Boydie Collyer”.
“He gets in early, he’s one of the first guys here, he comes up from Coraki, driving his car at 92,” he said.
Boydie’s name will join the local legends on the club’s official Hole-In-One board.
Boydie only celebrated his 92nd birthday last week and said he had stuck to his regular routine.
“I had me weetbix, it was the same as every other day, just getting out to enjoy myself,” he said.
He encouraged aspiring older golfers to have a go, just as he decided to do eight years ago.
“Get out there and do it because it takes your mind off everything else,” he said.
“It’s a good game.”
Original Story Source: ABC North Coast