Mike Wyatt had an Easter Weekend he will never forget after landing two aces in a single round of golf – at the staggering odds of 67 million to one.
The 57-year-old, who had enjoyed four aces in his golfing career until he rocked up at his home club Royal Winchester on Easter Monday, was actually feeling a bit worse for wear after enjoying some Easter Sunday celebrations with his family.
But he soon perked up after his tee shots on the 3rd and 11th holes.
Mike has been playing golf for almost 40 years, having been a member at the Royal Winchester for 25 of them, where all six of his holes-in-one have occurred.
The 2.7-handicapper said: “The first ace came on the 11th hole in March 2002 in a Saturday roll-up before my second in June 2005 on the 7th. My third was in June 2008 on the 3rd and my previous ace before Monday was actually in April 2011 on the 17th, funnily enough in the same competition as the one I achieved my pair of aces on Monday!
“I was lucky enough to have aced all four of our par-3s at Royal Winchester, but then making two in a round is just unbelievable.”
13 years and hundreds of rounds of golf had passed without an ace, until Monday 1 April on the 3rd hole at Royal Winchester. Slightly downwind, Wyatt struck his six-iron on the 185-yard par-3.
He explained: “You could see the green but couldn’t see the bottom of the pin. We were 95 per cent sure it had gone in but we weren’t certain, as it could’ve gone past the green and out the back. It was only when we got there that we realised for sure.
“The celebration was quite understated. I think it was more for the others than me! I was playing with my partner Beverley which was really nice to have her there witnessing it. She was very pleased and gave me a big hug.”
While 13 years had passed between the fourth and fifth aces, it was less than two hours before he got to enjoy his next, on the 11th hole!
The former Telecomms contact centre consultant recalled: “The ladies were having a bit of a natter while we were on the tee and I actually made the point of saying: “Have you girls finished?!”
“They were under umbrellas because the weather wasn’t great and they peered from underneath to say: “Yes we’re done now!”. The other lady said to my partner: “He better hit a good shot now!”
“It was playing 175 yards, so I hit my seven iron, slightly downwind and downhill. It bounced before we all saw it roll in. There was a bit of a stunned silence at first and then lots of cheers. It was surreal.
“Since the one in 2011, I’d never really got that close, so to get two in one day was mad.”
But, did Mike and his team win the Easter Monday Mixed Yellow-Ball Bowmaker event?
He revealed: “In the competition, you take it in turns to hit the yellow ball which scores double points. Unfortunately I didn’t have the yellow ball for either of the aces! We didn’t make best use of the yellow ball so we actually finished 4th overall!”
Asked about the celebrations, Mike, who retired from work in 2023, admitted: “There were lots of congratulations in the clubhouse which was nice. There were 40 players in the competition so I provided wine for all those guys on their tables and bought drinks for the others in the clubhouse, so it cost about £150!
“I wasn’t too keen on celebrating too hard as I was actually recovering from a slightly excessive night the night before!”
His achievement has picked up national media interest with articles in the Daily Telegraph and on page three of the Daily Express.
And asked what he’d done with his ace balls, he added: “I lost the first one later in the round with a bad drive! The other ball is still in the bag somewhere. I haven’t got any plans to frame it but I’ll probably frame the Daily Express article.
“I didn’t realise it was so rare. One of my friends has never had an ace and he said it’s just rude that I got two in a round, when he hasn’t ever landed one in his lifetime!”