It was a once in a lifetime shot but it was the perfect time to make it.
A Trail man made a hole-in-one to win a cool $30,000 – but what’s even more incredible - he agreed to share it with two golf partners.
At the third annual Garret Horbul Fathers’ Day Golf Tournament at the Champion Lakes golf course on Sunday, the big prize went to anyone who could card an ace on the 160-yard second hole, sponsored by Canadian Tire Trail and Hall Printing.
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Retired Teck employee, Marc Cross, was golfing with a group of two foursomes, who discussed sharing the prize should anyone of them make it - three including Cross agreed.
The 65-year-old Cross took out a seven-iron and nailed the shot.
Coincidentally, Cross’ granddaughter was a volunteer at the tournament and was tending the flag and measuring KPs, when Cross went through his routine.
“They were all talking, so I turned and looked at them all, like ‘shut-up’,” said Cross. “So anyway, everybody was right silent and I hit the ball just perfect. It landed neatly on the green, rolled sideways and plopped right in the hole.”
Tournament organizer Ben Postmus said he could hear the roar all the way over on the seventh hole.
“There was a little bit of jumping around,” said Cross. “My granddaughter said, ‘She didn’t think grandpa could jump that high.’”
The men continued playing, thinking they had won $10,000, it wasn’t until the ninth hole that Postmus explained it was actually $30,000.
“It was like holy man, then there was some more screaming going on.”
And it didn’t end there. Following the round, the golfers were informed that Intac Insurance Group would also donate 20 per cent of the winnings to a charity of Cross’s choice.
The Birchbank Golf Club member decided to donate the $6,000 to the Garret Horbul Scholarship Fund.
In all the years he has been golfing, he never landed a hole in one.
“That’s the first one I’ve ever got in my life. I’ve landed the ball a foot away, tons of times but never had a hole in one like that, it was awesome.”
Cross plans to enjoy the extra money when he and his wife travel south next winter.