Lee Dinmore, a six-handicap member at Felixstowe Ferry Golf Club, had an experience he will never forget at the Mercedes-Benz Golf Day at the Centurion Club in Hertfordshire.
He won a top of the range Mercedes X-Class Pickup Truck, valued at £50,000, by holing his tee-shot with his nine-iron at the fifth hole which had been designated for the prize. The truck was parked to the left of the tee-box.
Dinmore said: "It looked like a birdie for the team but by the time I had picked my tee up the ball had dropped into the hole. Then it was mayhem, like a rugby scrum."
The excitement came early. It was only the second hole they had played after a shotgun start for 80 players in teams of four.
Dinmore and his team comprised of Paul Cudworth (Orwell Truck and Van Mercedes-Benz, Martlesham), former Woodbridge professional James Peasey and Craig Mortimer, technical director of Mor-Tech Computing Services in Ipswich. Mortimer is a member at Woodbridge.
They combined to win the team event by one Stableford point.
Dinmore was runner-up overall, Cudworth was third and Mortimer won a nearest the pin prize.
It is the first time in the 25 years of the competition that that anyone has won the hole-in-one prize at this prestigious event.
Rather than buying drinks all round Dinmore donated £1000 to Cancer Research UK, the charity supported by tournament host, Steve Bridge, managing director of Mercedes-Benz Vans.
Cudworth, also a Felixstowe Ferry member, said: "It was a once in a lifetime experience. Lee will be collecting the van in the next fortnight."
The value of the prize does not affect Dinmore's amateur status. The R and A changed the rules only recently to allow winners of hole-in-one prizes to keep any vehicle they won without having to turn professional.
- Suffolk finished third, behind Kent and Surrey, in the South Eastern Group county qualifier at Ashford.
It was an impressive team performance by their six players. Monty Scowsill (Aldeburgh) finished two under par with rounds of 72 and 68 James Biggs (Diss) with two rounds of 71 and
Habebul Islam (Ipswich) 70 and 72 were level par. Sam Debenham (Hintlesham) was one over with 71 and 72. Chris Fleming (Ipswich) was three over with 72 and 73 while Flempton junior Alfie Halil was four over with 76 and 70.
Norfolk were 10th and Essex took the wooden spoon because one of their players did not complete two rounds.
Finishing order: Kent 845, Surrey 849, Suffolk 858, BB&O 859. Hampshire 864. Hertfordshire 868. Sussex 879, Middlesex 887, Bedfordshire 902, Norfolk 908, Essex did not complete all rounds.
Suffolk can still win the Anglian League but they need both Leicestershire and Lincolnshire to beat Cambridgeshire. Sufolk would need to beat Norfolk at Royal Norwich in August and Northants at Hintlesham in September.
Leicestershire's 10-2 defeat at the hands of Lincolnshire at Waltham Windmill GC will be useful to Suffolk if they end level on points.
Current standings: Cambridgeshire 6, Suffolk and Leicestershire 3, Lincolnshire, Northants and Norfolk 2.
- Eight-handicap Sam Newson of Thorpeness won the Silver Frigate, a Suffolk Golf Union order of merit event in the Woodward Markwell Race to Aldeburgh, on his home course.
Newson's round of 75 (net 67) saw him finish three shots ahead of Harry Brinded (82-12-70). Other scores: Chris Vince (Haverhill) 73-1-72, Martin Youngs (Thorpeness) 84-12-72, Chris Ginn (Woodbridge) 77-5-72.
- Cancer Research UK will benefit by more than £2000 thanks to a golf marathon by two Suffolk juniors and their parents.
Fifteen-year-old Chloe Dixon, 13-year old Callum Pearce and parents Trevor and Trina will be play 72 holes at Ufford Park starting a 4.15 and expecting to finish at around 9.30 tomorrow. One of the adults is new to golf.
- Two Suffolk Schools, Northgate and Thomas Mills, played in the English Schools' Team Championship held at Woodhall Spa (Bracken course).
Thomas Mills finished 12th with 71 points two out of three scores to count. Dominic Rudd 25, George Austin 33 and Harry Brinded 38.
Northgate finished 27th with 63 points: Will Garland 28, Charlotte Gregory 24 and Natasha Gregory 35.
There were 34 schools taking part.
The Championship was won by Dyke House Academy, Durham with 79 points.
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