A golfer has just been recorded to break the record for the longest hole-in-one in England after successfully performing a 411 yard shot.
Matt Vigurs, 32, made a shot towards the 3rd hole at the Great Barr Golf Club in a direct scoring match. But when he reached the green area, he encountered a problem. His ball disappeared.
This golfer with a +1 handicap and his friends searched around the green area, the ball path (fairway) and the bushes with the belief that the ball must have gone off course.
Then, by a random reflex, Matt decided to look at the golf hole. And the ball was right there.
I had to look back and forth two or three times. I couldn't believe my eyes," Matt shared, "The players didn't believe it until I pulled the ball out of the hole and we all burst into excitement!".
This excellent shot reached a distance of 411 yards (about 376 meters), breaking the previous record of England by another 3 yards.
The old record belonged to Peter Vickerman, who scored an ace on the 408-yard 7th hole at Littlestone Golf Club in Kent in 2014 (surpassing the record of 393 yards recorded at West Lancashire in 1972).
Usually, Matt has an average kick-off distance of about 300 yards. However, the combination of strong winds and hard ground helped the ball roll straight to the hole.
“It felt very strange and magical. At first I just stood still,” he said, “My friends ran over, we all rushed to hug each other and shake hands to celebrate”.
Notably, this is not just a normal hole-in-one. The shot took place in a par-4 hole, meaning Matt completed the hole with 3 strokes less than the standard – achieving an albatross score.
According to England Golf, the odds of achieving an albatross score are about 1 in 6,000,000 (one in six million).
James Crampton, Director of Games at England Golf, commented that this 411 yard ace is "the dream of every golfer".
Matt, from Droitwich, Worcestershire, has only returned to playing golf regularly since February after 8 years living abroad. However, he is experiencing incredible sublimation.
Previously, he had 3 aces (including 2 times when he was a young golfer) before adding another classy shot just weeks before the feat at Great Barr – which was a 191-yard shot with the 6th iron stick at the Droitwich Club Championships.
He won that 36-hole tournament after a series of play-offs and then went on to win the Worcestershire County Championship at Blackwell.
Matt also won his match on the day of his historic 411-yard shot. He hopes Great Barr will help recognize this achievement with a flag and possibly a commemorative plaque at the fountain.
I certainly don't have the chance to do this again," Matt shared, "That's really a hit that only happens once in 6 million attempts.
