Two golfers at the Hillcrest Golf Course pulled off one of the rarest sights in golf this fall — a pair of aces in the same round.

On Sept. 19, 13-year-old Krosby Jackman and fellow Hillcrest member Ryan Gottselig both carded holes-in-one while playing a round together. Jackman struck first on Hole 5 from the blue tees, while Gottselig followed with one of his own on Hole 12.

“I was playing with a couple of my stepdad’s buddies and some teachers, and I was waiting for my third hole-in-one when I got it,” Jackman recalled. “Actually, that game, one of the other guys got one too.”

For most golfers, a hole-in-one is the pinnacle of a lifetime on the course. The odds of recording one are estimated at 12,000 to one for the average player. Since picking up a club almost as soon as he could walk, Jackman has made aces look like routine highlights in a breakout season.

As remarkable as the Sept. 19 feat was, it came on the heels of two earlier aces that Jackman had already tallied this season.

“It’s pretty exciting,” he said about joining golf’s most exclusive club not once, but three times in a year. Jackman said he isn’t ruling out the chance of adding a fourth ace before the season ends, though he admits it won’t be easy.

Jackman spends nearly every day on the links and said his biggest secret to success is simply putting in the work.

“I work hard and I play every day, so it definitely takes a lot of work,” he said.

Alongside his growing tally of aces, Jackman captured both the Hillcrest Junior Club Championship and the Lynbrook Junior Championship this season. Jackman’s passion for the game runs in the family — his grandmother, Hillcrest standout Lorie Boyle, was inducted into the Saskatchewan Golf Hall of Fame in 2017 after a decorated competitive career that continues to see her winning provincial senior titles today.

Hillcrest Golf Course owner and general manager Jasmine Cameron, who is also Jackman’s mother, said it has been a thrill to watch her son’s game evolve.

“My son called me right when he and his group arrived at the hole to see that his ball had gone in for an ace. I am incredibly proud and, to be honest, floored that Krosby has had three holes-in-one in one season,” Cameron said.

“Kroz is at the course every chance he gets and has truly put work, time, and effort into becoming a better golfer every day,” she noted. “It’s pretty cool, as general manager of a golf course, to watch your son improve, love the game of golf, and become a respected player at the course.”

She added that Gottselig is a valued member who brings his own energy to every round.

“Ryan is also a member of the Hillcrest Golf Club and is a pleasure to have at the course. His enthusiasm and positive energy when he joins us for a round is not only great for those playing with him in a group, but welcoming for juniors like Krosby to enjoy a round with,” Cameron said.

As the season winds down, Hillcrest golfers will remember this round for its rare double aces, and for a 13-year-old who showed that hard work and passion can make the impossible possible.

Hillcrest Golf Course is located at 1599 Main Street North and can be reached at 306-693-1921.

Aaron Walker

Reporter

Moose Jaw Express