One of the oldest golf clubs in England is celebrating its first ever women's hole-in-one, Patrick Cullen writes.
Wimbledon Common Golf Club voted to allow women to join in 2005 after over 100 years of being a men-only preserve, and it has taken almost four years for their first hole-in-one.
Yolande Chandler, an amateur golfer who joined the club in 2006, played the shot on Wednesday, September 30. The distance was 125 yards on the 16th hole of the course known as Caesar's Well.
Club secretary Brian James said: “We're absolutely pleased for her. We've sent her score card off to the Hole-in-One Club, and she'll be wearing her hole-in-one scarf with pride I should think.”
The hole-in-one was scored while Mrs Chandler, who has a handicap of 32, was playing with her regular partners, Madeline Cannon and Lindy Ratner.
Mrs Chandler said of her first ever hole-in-one: “I'm very pleased. I wasn't playing very well, so it caused great excitement.”
The shot had at first been assumed to have gone wide, with the three women searching for some time, until the ball was found in the hole.
Mr James said: “They were completely mystified until one thought of looking by the flag, and there it was.”
Mrs Chandler celebrated her success at the golf club in Camp Road on Monday, delaying the festivities by a several days due to a lack of champagne at the clubhouse on the day.
The club has seen only one other hole-in-one this year.
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