Ron, left, and Regan at Totaradale Golf course last week.

Golfing dad Ron predicts son’s ace

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Veteran golfer Ron Tasker has never had a hole-in-one but this month he experienced the next best thing, standing on the 18th tee and watching his son Regan ace the 17th just metres away.

Ron was playing in a club day at Totaradale Golf Club on September 3 when he and his foursome of Gordy Thomas, Kevin Tippett and Ken Wilson finished teeing off on 18. Regan was about to hit off the 17th tee so Ron suggested they wait and watch his son’s shot.

And not only did Regan unleash the perfect eight iron on the 122m par three, Ron jokingly predicted what would happen.

“I said to the other guys ‘I’ll wait and watch Regan play his shot in case he gets a hole-in-one’,” Ron recalls.

“It was a joke but then I said ‘seriously fellas, I think he’ll get a hole-in-one so you’d better watch’.”

Regan Tasker's card from his hole-in-one round.
Regan Tasker’s card from his hole-in-one round.

When the ball pitched about two metres from the pin and spun to the right and rolled into the hole, the two foursomes erupted.

“There was all this yelling and screaming – there were eight guys going nuts and  I was the loudest,” Regan says.

Ron was also ecstatic and dumfounded at the same time after watching his unlikely prediction come true.

“I was getting high fives all round. It was unbelievable.”

It was Regan’s second hole-in-one after he aced the same hole in a Wanderers Cricket tournament about six years ago.

However, Regan, who has a 10 handicap, says the latest ace was by far the best because “this time I’m a club member and got to shout my mate sand get my name on that board”.

“I was telling everyone I saw after playing 17 that there’d be free drinks after the round. But my golf deteriorated – my round fell to bits – but I didn’t care.”

Regan joins his uncle Reg as the only members of the Tasker family to have a hole-in-one, leaving Ron still chasing that dream.

“I’ve been playing for 20 years and never got one,” the 17 handicapper says.

“I was inches away at Takaka once but watching Regan’s is the next best thing.”