John Guild, 65, had been golfing for more than 50 years before he nailed his first hole-in-one on June 12. He was playing the Pine Beach East course at Madden's on Gull Lake when an 8-iron from 142 yards out found the bottom of the cup on the final hole. For most of us, that would have been the golf memory of a lifetime. For Guild, it was only the beginning.
Exactly one week later -- on an early-morning Father's Day round with his son, Steve -- Guild was playing a different course at Madden's, The Classic. It was a heavy-aired, misty morning when he walked up to the second hole. His distance finder said 142 yards -- same as his first hole-in-one -- but this time he drew a 7-iron to account for the weather.
"It was an omen. I knew it was exactly the same length," Guild said. "I was still rusty, so I decided to take an extra club. My eyes aren't as good as they used to be, but I said, 'Did that just go in the hole?'"
Indeed, it did. Two holes-in-one, one week apart, for a golfer who says his handicap is around 17. Just as remarkable: Guild's wife, Jane, scored an ace four years to the day from his first hole-in-one. That one came on the other course at Madden's, Pine Beach West.
"I suspect we are the only couple in America to have holes-in-one on all three," Guild said with a laugh.
Indeed, the folks at Madden's confirmed that is the case.
Guild, who lives in Scottsdale, Ariz., during the winter, said he and Jane met at Madden's during a summer off from college. He was a starter at one of the golf courses and a bartender. She was a waitress. So a place that always has been special is even more so now.
As for an encore, Guild isn't sure what to do. He hasn't played since his Father's Day round, though that will end soon.
