Never made an ace? This might not be the story for you.
An English 7-year-old performed golf’s signature feat just before Christmas — and he did so his very first time on a golf course.
Freddy Sage’s moment of glory, first reported by the Welwyn Hatfield Times, came on the 100-yard 6th hole at Knebworth Golf Club in Hertfordshire. And according to the club’s head pro, Gary Parker, it was struck well.
“It wasn’t just one of those flukey things,” Parker said. “He hit it straight off the tee and it was a proper golfing shot.”
Sage and several friends had been taking part in a golf training academy and had been working on their games for 12 weeks — but this was the first time they were exposed to the main Knebworth golf course.
“I was in shock, really,” said Ian Parker, the pro coaching the group at the time. “I was helping another kid out and I just looked up and saw it happen. It was a beautiful shot. It climbed in the air and bounced once or twice and then just went straight in.
“Everyone was doing aeroplanes down the fairway to celebrate – it was fantastic.”
The youth training program Sage is enrolled in is called the Jack Mudd Academy, named for a promising local golfer who died in a car crash in 2015. Mudd’s family raised funds to set up a short practice course, which is free for youngsters to use.
Freddy Sage had eagerly trained on that short course, on the driving range and in the nets for weeks. And when he got out on the big course, he immediately took advantage.
“It was the perfect shot,” Gary Parker said.
