There was a whole lot of cheering at Hazelmere Golf and Tennis Club Aug. 15 when Tirath Bains drained a hole-in-one on 13.
Spectators around the hole cheered wildly when the ball dropped. But Tirath didn’t just bathe in the accolades from fans and fellow golfers, he also won $10K for his unique feat.
“The sponsor was near the hole,” said Pyara Dadwal, a member of Bains’ foursome. “And it was a $10,000 hole-in-one prize and we all went crazy.”
After the ball rolled into the cup at #13—a 184-yard par 3—Dadwal and his golf partners whisked the sponsor up to the hole so he could see the fantastical feat with his own eyes.
Dadwal and Bains were playing with Jag Hundal and Davinder Dhesi “excellent golfers who added to the experience with their skill and sportsmanship,” Dadwal noted.
Bains said the highlight of the day was also the highlight of his golf career.
“I selected a six iron for the shot, feeling confident in the choice,” Bains wrote in an email. “The ball took off cleanly, flying towards the green with just the right amount of power. It landed just short of the green.”
As the ball hit, it took a “favourable bounce” and rolled along the green, fighting for the cup.
“To everyone’s surprise and delight, the ball tracked straight toward the hole and disappeared,” Bains added. “A hole-in-one!”
Bains said when the ball dropped it was “an exhilarating moment” made all the more special by the support of Dadwal, Hundal, and Dhesi.
“(They) were as thrilled as I was,” Bains noted. “The tournament was more than just a round of golf, it was a celebration of the sport, friendships, and shared successes.”
Because the group were playing as a team, Bains generously said he’d share the prize with the fellows in his foursome.
The men were playing in a golf tournament hosted by the South Asian Business Association of British Columbia. The annual event is open to SABABC members and non-members.
Bains said the tourney brought together “passionate golfers and business professionals for a day of competition and camaraderie.”
Dadwal, a Cloverdale resident, added the foursome has been in good spirits since the hole-in-one. He also said the tournament that day was a great event, all around, with the hole-in-one being a goodwill catalyst.
“There was a good turnout,” he noted. “Linda Annis was there, Mayor Brenda Locke was there.” He also said Hazelmere were excellent hosts.
Dadwal said Bains was, of course, the toast of the SABABC tournament dinner that evening.
“Tirath was on the moon,” Dadwal added.
Bains has been playing golf since 1994 (for 30 years) and this is his first hole-in-one.
During the dinner, Bains was given a $10,000 cheque as prize money and honoured by Mayor Brenda Locke.
