The Solon golfing partners beat astronomical odds recently at the Signature of Solon.
Kevin Krenn, left, and Scott McRill are somehow able to stay poised while celebrating their duel holes-in-one at Signature of Solon's eighth hole. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scott McRill and Kevin Krenn beat the odds.
Check that. These weren't little odds, like 2-1 or 5-2. The Solon neighbors and golfing partners beat astronomical odds recently at the Signature of Solon Country Club.
How big? How about 17 million to one?
That's what Golf Digest estimated the odds of two players in the same group scoring a hole in one on the same hole during the same round.
That's what the Signature members did to the astonishment of themselves and their playing partners when they aced the eighth hole from different tees.
Unfortunately, the hole's layout prevented both men from seeing their aces. The hole is protected by an environmental area that fronts the green. Late in the summer, reeds in the marshy area can grow to eight to 10 feet, obscuring the hole when the pin is located near the front of the green.
"We never saw them actually go in," said McRill, 46. "It felt like a good shot and it was tracking toward the hole but I never saw it bounce. Kevin's ball was on the same line so we knew they could be close. Actually, when we got to the green we both got out of the cart with a wedge and a putter because we weren't sure what had happened."
No one was sure until playing partner Vince Nardy looked into the hole.
"Pretty exciting stuff," said Krenn, 48. "We figured they might be close but we couldn't see the hole, just the top of the flag. I saw mine bounce but never saw it after that."
Both men are single-digit handicappers. McRill, a CPA with SS&G firm in Solon, used a 4-iron from about 198 yards to score the third ace of his career. Krenn, a construction supervisor with Aero/Mark, Inc., used a 6-iron from about 167 yards to get his second hole-in-one of the summer. Earlier this year, he aced the 141-yard third hole with a 9-iron.
McRill, a native of Chicago, had one regret over his luck.
"I should have bought a lottery ticket," he said.
Alice in the Metroparks: Manakiki welcomed a celebrity recently when rock star Vince Furnier (better known as Alice Cooper) and two of his band mates, in town for a concert at Classic Park in Eastlake, played 18 holes.
His tee time, arranged by the hotel where he stayed, was made under a false name, but the shock-rocker was recognized right away by a course employee. Head professional Tom Kochensparger said the man whose anthem once was "No More Mr. Nice Guy" truly was a nice guy.
"He was very down-to-earth, very friendly," said Kochensparger. Cooper, who has played in many high-level celebrity events over the years, birdied the final hole for a 1-under 71.
Good start: Fall golf is the second season as far as colleges go, but Kent State and John Hahn got their fall seasons off to a great start last weekend. Hudson's Hahn, a two-time All-American, won the fourth tournament of his career in leading the Golden Flashes to a second-place finish in the Gopher Invitational at Minnesota.
Hahn, who reached the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur earlier this month, shot rounds of 68-67-71 for a 10-under 206. With a total of 880, KSU was second to LSU (869) and in front of Arkansas (889). KSU's other finishers were Corey Conners (223), Brett Cairns (227), Mackenzie Hughes (228) and Kevin Miller (232).
Off to Orlando: Aurora's James Harless and Akron's William Downing, both prominent players in area senior events, emerged from a field of 69 to earn two of just four spots for the U.S. Senior Amateur tournament during qualifying play Monday at Congress Lake with rounds of 3-over 74.
Downing, a member at Fairlawn Country Club, and Harless, a member at Barrington, tied for third place. Logan Jackson, of Winston Salem, N.C., was medalist with a 1-under 70 and Lynn Martin, of Findlay, was second at 71.
All four advance to the national championship, to be played at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club, in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 3-7.