Forget swapping old war stories, when Roger Erickson of Reynolds Lake Oconee meets up with his Marine buddies later this month he will be the envy of the reunion with his news about making two holes in one in the same round – a feat that carries 67 million-to-1 odds.
Erickson, 68, a retired sales executive from Minneapolis who now lives along the National Course’s Ridge Nine, recently aced two of the par 3s at The Landing – No. 3, using a pitching wedge from 105 yards, and No. 11, using a 5-wood from 155 yards.
“When we got to the last par 3, everyone expected me to get another one there, too,” Erickson said of his playing partners enjoying the excitement as much as he did. “It was fun, even though I did not shoot that well.” He played the Aug. 29 round with a regular group of friends from Reynolds Lake Oconee – Al Hoyle, Alan Chaney and Tom Roydhouse.
According to the National Hole In One Registry, the odds of making two hole-in-ones in the same round are 67 million to 1. Erickson’s two also made history, being the first time the feat has been accomplished at any of the Reynolds Lake Oconee courses.
Erickson, a 14-handicap golfer who did not begin playing the game until he was in his 30s, was a Marine combat pilot who flew an F4 Phantom during his deployment to Vietnam. He meets up with fellow veterans at an annual gathering, this year in Southern California.
The two aces were the second and third for Erickson, whose first came in November of 2007 on the fourth hole at the National Course Bluff Nine, 137 yards using an 8 iron.
“I can’t hit that club that far anymore,” Erickson said with a laugh. “But I guess it doesn’t matter what club you use, as long as you get there.”
Not to mention get it into the hole
