NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — Tom Peek, 82, has been golfing for more than 50 years.
He’d never hit a hole-in-one before. He now has two.
Peek hit an ace on the 91-yard No. 5 on Wednesday at Royal Palm Golf Club, then added another three holes later on the 112-yard No. 8. For both, he used a 7-iron.
“I’ve been playing for 50 years and have gotten some inside a foot or two,” Peek remarked. “Nothing came in till then” (Wednesday). They all seemed to want to tumble in. It was enjoyable.”
“Don’t ask me about the rest of the game,” Peek said, “because I’m not sure I remember very much.”
Peek took a step up on No. 5, a watery par 3, and hit his “handy” 7-iron.
He explained, “I just made a clean stroke on it.” “We couldn’t really see the cup since the green has a slight undulation around three-quarters of the way.” I saw the ball hit the ground and move toward the flagstick, but not in the hole. “I think that hit the flagstick,” one of the other guys said.
“When we arrived, it was indeed in the hole. That got everyone’s attention.”
Peek was in a two-best-ball-net game with friends Bob Fitch and Bob Furey, as well as Jon Parrillo, who he had never played with before. Peek gained a shot on the hole due to his handicap. One of the others made a birdie, bringing their handicap total for the hole to 2.
With a giggle, he continued, “I had a hole-in-one for a net zero on our scorecard.” “It was a good time.”
That trend continued on No. 8, which Peek estimated to be roughly 120 yards long.
“I just made another fantastic swing,” he remarked, “and we could all see it in the air and when it touched the green.” “I’m estimating it came down about 5 feet from the hole, made a short hop, and rolled right in.”
“I believe there were a few people playing up behind us who had come up to the tee box at this point.” They couldn’t believe what they’d heard.”
It was also incredible. Peek had just accomplished something that had a 67 million to one chance of happening, according to Golf Digest.
“I’m sure you can guess what kind of advise I was getting,” he stated. “On the way home, buy a lotto ticket.” “I didn’t do it.”
Peek didn’t start playing until he was in his late twenties, when he was a second lieutenant in the Air Force stationed in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and was asked by others to try it.
“A city golf course was about a mile distant,” Peek added.
Peek and his wife Nora, who was also an engineering student at the University of Tennessee, met in college and followed her father, a retired career military officer, to Naples in 1968.
Before retirement, Peek was a partner in the engineering firm Wilson, Miller, Barton & Peek. Among the many projects he worked on were Pelican Bay and Bonita Bay. In 2002, he joined Royal Palm.
“I never had time to play a lot of golf when I was working,” he stated.
Following his achievement on Thursday, word immediately spread, as did the number of individuals who came to the clubhouse for the customary free drink. Peek was glad he had contributed to the club’s “hole-in-one” insurance.
“Everyone was having happy hour about noon or maybe later,” he explained.
Peek has already received numerous letters of congratulations, including one from a close friend and former neighbor.
“Wow, what an accomplishment!” read the message “I wish I could have been there to witness it.” “‘I know that person,’ I’ll just say.”
Peek has undoubtedly made a lot of new pals along the road.
