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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

A Hole-In-One’s Lucky? Try Twice

Lightning isn’t supposed to strike twice in the same spot. But there’s a place in Spokane that defies the laws of chance - the 16th hole at Liberty Lake Golf Course.

On Friday, Spokane’s Michael Regan hit a hole-in-one on the 144-yard hole using an 8-iron.

Less than two weeks before, on June 29, he hit one at the same hole using the same club.

“That’s our most common hole for a hole-in-one,” said John Twining, Liberty Lake’s pro shop assistant.

The day after Regan clubbed his second one, Steve Poldervart hit one at the 16th, and on Tuesday, Doc Tucker got one as well. But Regan seems to have a special edge at that hole. The odds of hitting a hole-in-one are roughly 1 in 300,000.

“To do it twice at one hole - that’s incredible,” Twining said. “No - that’s lucky.”

Said Regan: “It’s a bizarre feeling to actually watch the ball bounce in the cup. It’s unreal.”

All the more unreal considering that Regan, 38, has been playing golf just four years. In the last year, he has four holes-in-one to his credit.

On Valentine’s Day at Liberty’s temporary greens, Regan got his first one of the year on the third hole.

And last year, Regan got his first-ever hole-in-one at the fourth hole on the Indian Canyon Golf Course.

As for the last two weeks, Regan’s handicap has plummeted from an eight to a four.

Regan hasn’t been to the race track or bought a lottery ticket. With luck like his, he might want to reconsider.

“Nah, it’s just been a good year of golf,” he said. “And there’s a lot more to go yet.”

, DataTimes