I made my hole-in-one on the West Course at Beaver Creek in Grimes, Iowa, hole #6. It’s a downhill 150+ yard par 3 guarded by a front bunker with the green sloping toward the water behind and to the right of it. I was the first to tee off in our foursome.

I pulled my 8-iron and hit one of the crispest shots I’ve had in a long time. The ball carried the bunker, hit the fringe and rolled onto the green. From our angle, we could see it drifting down the slope, slowly working right and suddenly it vanished.

Did it drop? Was it tucked behind the pin? Or was our perspective such that it it had disappeared behind the green? I chose to not assume anything. Everyone else hit their tee shot and followed golf etiquette until all balls were on the putting surface.

When I checked the cup, sure enough, there was my Titleist, red number 4, sitting in the hole. My first ever ace. We celebrated with high fives and a few photos. A moment to remember!