Headline: Become a Part of the Massachusetts Golf Association Hole-In-One Club; All MGA Member Golfers Are Encouraged to Record Their Special Feat

For Immediate Release: September 11, 2017

Dave Houghton (above) is one of more than 200 MGA Member Golfers who registered a hole in one thus far in 2017.

Norton, MA — When East Dennis native Dave Houghton (Captains GC) used his six-iron to tally a hole in one on Wyantenuck Country Club’s second hole during the 2017 Massachusetts Super Senior Amateur Championship, little did he know that the lucky strike would prove anything more than that.

Nearly six hours later however, when the last groups handed in their scorecards, it was Houghton’s hole in one that proved to be the difference, as his tally provided him with a one-stroke margin of victory on the leaderboard and his first title in the Championship Proper that began in 2014.  

While most will remember this Super Senior Championship by the image of Houghton holding the trophy at the completion of play, which will accompany his 2014 Massachusetts Senior Amateur Championship trophy and his 2015 New England Senior Amateur Championship trophy, his hole in one will also live on in history – thanks to a special program available to all persons who hold their handicap indexes with the MGA.

The Massachusetts Golf Association’s Hole in One Recognition Program allows for all individuals – more than 87,000 men and women who hold their handicap index at one of the 360+ MGA member clubs – to report their top achievement and receive proper acknowledgment for accomplishing a feat that many golfers – both professional and amateur – can only dream of.

With this program, each individual who reports a hole in one will receive an official MGA bag tag and certificate that marks the special moment in one’s playing career. Additionally, each competitor who records a hole in one will have their name entered into the Massachusetts Golf Association’s Hole in One Recognition program online registry, which allows the general public to see all past recipients who have recorded a hole in one in a given year. The competitors name, date, yardage and type of club used are all recognized, in addition to the location of the golf course where the feat was achieved.

Click here to report your hole in one via a simple online form!

“The MGA’s Hole In One Recognition program is one of the top ways to appropriately honor our talented competitors who tally an ace, whether in a competitive or recreational type event,” said Jesse Menachem, the MGA's Executive Director . “This program is just one of the many benefits that comes with holding your handicap index through an MGA member club and it allows us to join in the joy that comes with scoring a hole in one."

In 2017 alone, nearly 200 MGA members have reported a hole in one at courses across the United States. In addition to courses here in the Bay State, hole in one’s have been reported by MGA members in Vermont, Connecticut, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, New Jersey and Maine.

The current odds of amateur competitors recording a hole in one on a par-3 – according to Golf Digest - are 12,500 to 1 while the odd differential only increases on par-4’s and par-5’s.

In addition to the MGA Hole In One Recognition program, other benefits to holding one GHIN Handicap Index through the MGA includes the opportunity to participate in Championship Propers and qualifiers, the popular Member Day program, subscription to MassGolfer magazine and special services offered through MGA patrons.

For a complete list of competitors who have reported a hole in one through the program, visit: http://www.mgalinks.org/player-services/hole-in-one.html