MARTIN Sweeney had been toiling for 40 years without achieving golf's most valued prize until his tee shot on Griffith Golf Club's 11th hole found the bottom of the cup.
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Sweeney played a three-rescue iron, running it on the green towards the pin in the back corner but that's when his eyes failed him.
The two-handicapper relied on the cheers from the playing group ahead to alert him the ball had followed the slope of the green for an ace.
Sweeney said the shot was the highlight of his golfing career as he was yet to claim any major club championships.
"I've seen people have holes-in-one in their first game but I've been playing for 40 years and I've never had one," Sweeney said.
"The great feeling was picking the ball out of the hole, especially because I didn't see it go in.
"It certainly made my day and it will be nice to get a trophy with the ball in it and go on an honour board in the club."
Sweeney said he'd been receiving gibes from his golfing partners who accused him of poor form with the flat-stick necessitating his once-in-a-lifetime stroke.
Executive manager of Griffith Golf Club Wayne Moat said years go by without an ace being recorded.
"There's been a bit of a buzz around the club because for the blokes who play a lot of golf, a hole-in-one is the ultimate," Moat said.
"Martin's feat will go on the honour board, it will feature on our website, he'll get a trophy with the ball in it and we have notified Golf NSW who will publish it in one of their publications.
"The 11th hole is the second hardest par three for the men and Martin's understandably stoked about it, it's pretty special."