Pre-teen golf wiz notches hole-in-one during last round of season

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This article was published 26/10/2023 (717 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A hole-in-one can take years or even decades for some golfers to achieve, while others never get to experience such joy.

Maisy Shewchuk’s patience wasn’t tested long.

The 10-year-old Winnipegger recorded an ace on the par-3 12th at Larters at St. Andrews on Saturday, her last round of the year.

A well-struck six-iron from 101 yards away landed three feet in front of the cup before taking a small hop and disappearing. What a way to cap the season, indeed.

“I knew there would be a chance,” said Shewchuk, who’s had a few near-aces during some competitive rounds in the U.S. “I knew it went in. (I felt) great. I always wanted to get one.”

Shewchuk was playing with her dad Dave, who immediately scooped her up to celebrate together. The lucky ball went into the bag for the rest of the round and is now on display in her bedroom.

Golf Manitoba could not confirm if Maisy is the youngest player to sink and ace in the province. She is the youngest to jar a tee shot at Larters, though.

“We have records of our members’ (hole-in-ones). That’s for sure the youngest I know of,” said Geoff Kehler, head professional at Larters.

“It’s very cool. I know she plays a lot of golf, but for anyone to get a hole-in-one, especially a 10-year-old, is unreal.”

The 12th hole isn’t the most favourable option to record an ace either, Kehler added. A water hazard lurks to the right while a wayward shot left will land out of bounds. The green is also 50 yards long, making Saturday’s middle pin location a tough target to hit.

“Any hole-in-one is great but if it’s a red (front of the green) flag it might be a little easier, but a white (middle) or blue (back) flag is a really good shot,” Kehler said.

Maisy’s mom, Connie, who was along for the walk with Maisy and Dave on this day, couldn’t believe her eyes when she saw it from the tee box.

“I knew she had a very good strike (and that it would be) pretty close to the pin, so we just waited for that moment. It dropped and it just kind of trickled in, right? I looked and I thought, ‘Oh my God, it can’t be real,’ and then it wasn’t there so obviously it was in,” Connie said.

Maisy is the first in her family to record a hole-in-one. Dave has golfed for more than 40 years and is still searching for his ace.

“That’s golf,” Connie said. “(Dave said), ‘It was such a great strike, it wasn’t just luck… I knew from that moment it was in the air and it was like I think this is going to happen.’”

An eagle and the equally rare albatross are next on Maisy’s checklist, both of which will grow in odds as she gets stronger.

For the time being, she’ll continue to represent Golf Manitoba as the youngest member of the junior girl’s team.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

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