Making a hole-in-one requires skill and a little bit of luck. Ben Gramling had both on December 7th.

The owner of Village Greens made his seventh hole-in-one, six of them at the course north of Inman.

Gramling, trying to sneak in a quick nine holes at his course, was playing as a single when he made the ace.

“There was a group on the 6th green when I got to the tee,” said Gramling. “They were nice enough to wave me through so I wouldn’t have to wait on them,” he said.

For recreational golfers “playing through” can be a trying experience.

You appreciate the golfers in front of you stepping aside to let you through, but it puts pressure on the golfer playing through.

You don’t want to be embarrassed by hitting a poor shot, you want to hit a good shot and quickly get out of their way.

Gramling took aim on the par-3, 111 yard 6th hole with his pitching wedge.

“I thought I hit a pretty good shot, but I couldn’t see if it was close. All of a sudden the golfers waiting for me to play through started jumping up and down and screaming. So I guessed I might have hit it close,” said Gramling.

When he got to the green the group told him how his ball had rolled into the hole and congratulated him for his ace.

“I was really glad they were there to see it. Some of the guys I usually play with might not have believed me if I told them I made a hole-in-one without anyone seeing it or having witnesses,” he joked.

The ace was the seventh for the course owner. He has recorded at least a hole-in-one on every par-3 at the course and added another one at River Falls, which is also owned by the Gramling family.

“My father had six holes-in-one and I wanted to get one more than he had,” said Gramling.

The Gramling Family built the course in 1969. Besides being a friendly neighborhood course Village Greens has hosted high school and state championships.

In 1973 the course hosted the NAIA National Golf Championship won by the Wofford Terriers.

Gramling only had time to play nine holes and besides the ace didn’t think he played very well.

“I didn’t have a very good day. I ended up shooting 41 for the nine holes I played,” he said.

By the way Gramling forgot to mention that he is 82 years old and if he doubled the 9-hole score he would have shot his age in the same round as his seventh hole-in-one.

Upstate Aces, Holes-In-One in December

If you think an 82 year old making a Hole-In-One is worth a story, how about an 89 year old golfer doing the same thing.

Congratulations to Carl Bross who aced the 11th hole at The Club at Brookstone in Anderson.

Bross used a Rescue Wood to hole his shot from 104 yards.

Gene Snyder and John Dotson witnessed Bross making his third Hole-In-One.

Jim LaRue, Walker Course, Hole #17, 104 yds. PW. Witness – Rick Hamilton

Keith Weaver, Walker Course, #17, 175 yds. 9-iron. Witnesses – Rick Adamek, Trey Adamek, Jimmy Turner

Send us your Hole-In-One information

When you make your next Hole-In-One or your first ace send it to us at golfclubsc@gmail.com

Name, course, hole, distance, club and witnesses as well as any other interesting note about your accomplishment.

We will include it on our Upstate Aces page.