Gus Andreone, a 103-year-old golf pro, recently made a hole in one, which simultaneously made history.
Andreone is the oldest member of the Professional Golfers’ Association of America and is believed to be the oldest person ever to nail a hole in one, which happened at the 14th hole of the Palm Aire Country Club in Sarasota, Florida.
If validated, which seems likely, Andreone’s ace will be registered in the Guinness Book of Records and in other record books. The previous record holder was a woman, age 102, who sunk a hole in one in 2007.
“We would see Mr. Andreone’s ace as the oldest for male or female golfers if Palm Aire’s Lakes Course is indeed a regulation layout. It looks that way to me on their website,” Gold Digest official Cliff Schrock told PGA.com in an email.
This latest hole in one, which he made from about 125 yards from the tee and earned him $80, is not an anomaly for World War II veteran Andreone; he’s recorded eight of them in his golf career since he started playing in the 1920s, the first one in 1939.
America’s oldest still-active golf pro “is redefining a ‘senior moment,’” the New York Post quipped .
In an interview yesterday, Gus attributed his longevity to keeping both the mind and body active, and noted that golf provides many life lessons off the course.
Former NHL star Bobby Clarke, who happened to be playing in Andreone’s foursome that day, observed that “To see a man his age playing golf and playing good golf and getting a hole-in-one on top of that, it’s probably the most unique individual sports achievement that I’ve seen. Gus raised his hands over his head. He didn’t leave the ground but the rest of us did. We were jumping. Like kids jumping around,” the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported.
Good luck seems to follow Andreone, who deemed the latest hole in one a lucky shot; he’s also a three-time lottery winner, once in Pennsylvania and twice after he retired to Florida.
His wife Betty also has three holes in one on her lifetime golf scorecard.
Despite having some issues with mobility, Andreone plays three times a week and plans to continue as long as his health permits. “I am going to play golf as long as I can. As long as I can swing a club, even if I have to play three or four holes, I’m going to play golf,” he told the Fox News Tampa affiliate.
“If I shoot my age sometimes, I’m having a bad day. But I don’t care what score I have. Good or bad, I’m just happy to be out playing golf and enjoying fellowship, to be able to look around and thank the Lord above that I’m physically able to hit a golf ball,” Andreone added.
Gus Andreone, who turned 103 on September 30, and Betty were scheduled to go dancing last night to commemorate New Year’s Eve .
[image via YouTube]
