Peter Sherba had a seven iron in his hand when one of his playing partners, Bob Cooper, asked what he was using to tee off with on the fifth hole at the Prince George Golf and Curling Club on Sept. 6.
"If I find myself in doubt, I take one club longer and I tee off right on the line, in between the blocks," said Sherba.
Sherba then grabbed a longer six iron from his bag, stepped up between the white tees and took aim at the pin that was 155 yards away on the par-3 hole.
With ideal golf conditions - no wind or rain - Sherba struck the ball perfectly. So perfect that it landed on the green and rolled right into the cup.
It was a hole-in-one.
"I didn't even see it go in," said Sherba, who turns 81 on Oct. 18. "People who watched it go in were more excited than I was."
Sherba and Cooper, along with two other members of the foursome - Ken Wood and Rod McLeod - were competing in the two-ball Farr Wick tournament that Labour Day weekend.
Sherba pocketed $10,000 on the hole, with $2,000 of it already earmarked as a donation to the Prince George Community Foundation. Sherba matched that with his own $2,000, as well as a round of drinks for everyone back at the clubhouse.
The day before, on Sept. 5, Sherba's shot on No. 14, another par-3, hit the pin and rolled by.
It's not the first time Sherba, a longtime PGGCC member who hasn't missed Wednesday men's night in 40 years, has aced a hole.
He's aced every par-3 on the course at least once. Including his feat on Sept. 6, he's holed No. 5 the most - three times.
He used a driver on the 196-yard third hole, knocked the ball in twice on No. 10 from 155 yards and aced the 130-yard No. 14 twice. From 155 yards away, he also holed No. 12 once.
That's nine holes-in-one on the course.
In total, Sherba, who holds a 16-handicap, has recorded 17 holes-in-one.
He said there's really no secret to his success, except if he doubts himself, he takes one club length longer.
"You've just got to be lucky. If I can get it on the green, I'm happy. You always try to get close to the pin. Anything can go wrong in a golf shot. It can go left or right, anywhere but on the green.
"I just play for fun and just want to get it on the green or close to it for an easy chip to go up and down. It doesn't guarantee any pars.
"I don't play for a hole-in-one, I'm just lucky. A lot of pros don't get a lot of holes-in-one."
Sherba's first ace occurred at PGGGC in 1968. Prior to Sept. 6, his last hole-in-one happened two years ago on a course in Mesa, Ariz., where he spends every winter with his wife and golfs three to four times every week.
"In 1968, I won a trophy for my first one," he said. "And I bought a round for everybody. In the old days it was quite a big deal. This (on Sept. 6) is the biggest prize I've ever won."
He's always enjoyed the game. It's fun and good exercise.
"It's a pastime and I don't take it too seriously any more."
He never thought when he aced his first hole in 1968 that he'd ever get another one.
