Hole-in-one

Par three, 165 metres to the pin and good conditions. George Koletsas, playing in an Audi quattro Cup tournament hosted by Audi Centre Melbourne, selected a four iron and gave it his best shot.

That shot, quite literally turned out to be the best shot of the day – the ball sailing through the air before dropping on the green and disappearing into the cup for George’s first ever hole-in-one.

Mr Koletsas who is a social golfer has only played occasionally since the birth of his two-year-old, was stunned when he and his playing partners realised what he’d done.

“I couldn’t believe it,” he said of the dream drive. “It came off the club nicely, dropped onto the green and then ran out of sight.”

“I’ve played maybe six or seven times in the last two years,” he said. “So just getting to play on a course like Kingston Heath was a great experience,” George said of the day “but to hit a hole-in-one was just unbelievable.”

“We asked the official observer if it had gone in the hole, but he wasn’t sure.” It was only after the official club observer jumped in the cart and drove down to the hole for a closer look that he could confirm with a thumbs up.

Although a hole-in-one is always cause for celebration, this particular ace was even more special given that it was shot during a sanctioned Audi quattro Cup event and as such, carries with it $40,000 to put towards a new Audi.

Although George and his playing partner were not contesting the quattro cup as handicapped players, but rather on a social level, the hole-in-one was still the shot of the day and the $40,000 voucher the prize.

Mr Koletsas, who is already an Audi owner said that the timing was perfect and that the bounty from his shot would most likely go towards a new Audi A4, which had caught his eye on display at Kingston Heath.

“I like the styling of the new A4,” he said, “ and it’s a good size to fit the pram in as well.” There is also plenty of room for golf clubs, but we’re sure that thought probably didn’t even cross his mind.

This is only the second time a hole-in-one has been achieved in Australia during a quattro Cup tournament, the prize being won late in the season last year. George Koletsas’ hole-in-one comes in just the third round of this year’s Audi quattro Cup which celebrates 26 years as the largest amateur golf tournament in the world.

Played on the best courses in the country, the Audi quattro Cup sees pairs play off both throughout the year for the chance to represent Australia in the world final which will this year be played in Spain at the Real Club de Golf El Prat in Barcelona.

Asked if his hole-in-one had inspired him to play more, Mr Koletsas said that he was certainly keen to go out and get an official handicap and perhaps come back next year to play in the quattro Cup. In the meantime though, George is happy to sit back and come to terms with ‘that’ shot – the ultimate dream of golfers all over the world.