Everything’s coming up aces for Regina golfer

When it comes to golf, Wilf Schmidt is something of an ace.

The 72-year-old Regina man recorded the 10th hole-in-one of his golf career Monday at the Deer Valley Golf Club.

“I’ve just been fairly lucky, I guess,” Schmidt said during a conversation on the Greg Morgan Morning Show.

You might say.

Schmidt carded his first 1 nearly 50 years ago on the seventh hole at the Murray Golf Course. He also recalled five at Deer Valley – two on the fourth hole, two on No. 16 and Monday’s on No. 2 – as well as a couple at the Royal Regina Golf Club and one at a course in California.

Asked if he can remember every one, Schmidt chuckled and replied: “No, I can’t, honestly.”

“I’ve been trying to write them down and I can’t remember them,” he said.

That seems to fit with Schmidt’s attitude toward the aces.

“The first one, I was pretty excited,” he said. “(But) I don’t jump up and down or anything.”

On Monday, Schmidt used an 8-iron to drain his tee shot on Deer Valley’s par-3 second hole, which isn’t exactly the easiest hole on the course.

“It usually isn’t,” he admitted. “The pin was back left and the wind was coming from the west and I just happened to hit it in the right spot.”

Schmidt, who estimated he plays three to four times a week, is an 11 handicap.

With nine aces to his name before Monday’s round, it wouldn’t seem likely that he needed any help recording another ace. And yet he was watching a golf telecast when he heard analyst Paul Azinger offer some advice.

“He says that most seniors stand too far away from the ball,” Schmidt said. “So I went out early on Monday just to practise standing closer and it really does make a difference. You can hit the ball higher, straighter and farther.”

And, at least on No. 2 on Monday, you can hit it right into the hole.