Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
THE chances of achieving a hole in one on a par 72, 18-hole golf course has been calculated as around one in 13,000.
Despite this fact, there have been a grand total of 75 holes in ones at Riffa Golf Club since the course was opened in 1999, including 10 so far this year alone.
“The majority of hole in ones are obviously achieved by professional golfers, club members and regular visitors who are very familiar with the course in question,” said Michael Braidwood, Riffa Golf Club’s general manager.
“However, one of the most incredible feats on our course must be that of Shaikh Hassan bin Rashid Al Khalifa who achieved a hole in one during his first ever round of golf!”
“According to our record book, the youngest golfer to get a hole in one at Riffa Golf Club was Sam Hobday, son of former Club Captain Barry Hobday,” explained Phil Jones, the club’s director of golf.
“This was in 2001 and Sam was just seven-years-old at the time! In 2004 Riffa Golf Club hosted the Pan Arab Championships.
“Incredibly enough, two of the competitors, Ali Moaniki from Palestine and Azzan Alrumhy from Oman both managed to achieve a hole in one on the same day, having both only played the course once before, the day previously.
“Also deserving a mention is 17-year-old golfer Daniel Owen who has achieved two hole in ones in the past three months, both times on the 13th hole – we look forward to seeing him on the European Tour soon!”
“Our existing golf course will be closing at the end of August while a new Colin Mongomerie-designed championship course is constructed,” said Mr Braidwood.
“I hope we will see at least a few more hole in ones on this course and look forward to starting a whole new record of amazing statistics on our new course starting from April 2008!”
