Hacker’s ace clinches £23,000 car

Lucky John McGee chose exactly the right time to score his first hole in one.

John (28 hcp), from Ingleby Barwick, near Middlesbrough, aced the 15th hole on the new Rockliffe Hall course at Hurworth, near Darlington – and picked up a £23,000 Jaguar car at the same time.

John, who had only played three times this year, was playing in a Golf Classic hosted by the Butterwick Hospice based in Stockton-on-Tees.

The car was the prize for a hole in one at the 15th – the second ace at that hole on the newly opened Rockliffe Hall course. Member Tony Weir achieved the first just a few weeks ago.

A joyous John, 37, said: “I played a lot when I was younger, but over the last few years have only managed three or four times a year.

‘I played the ball, and one of my playing partners said “it’s gone in!” I didn’t believe him and had a search round before looking in the hole. And there it was.’

John said he was ‘amazed’. ‘I was almost as pleased at getting a hole in one, as getting the car. My wife thought I was winding her up when I told her.’

John, who is Managing Director of his own company, Resilient Power Solutions of Belasis Park, Billingham, was playing with his business partner Andy Mullen.

The company is a corporate supporter of the hospice, which provides pain and symptom control, end of life, respite, day and home care, complementary therapies, bereavement care and family support free of charge to children and adults with life limiting illnesses.

The Butterwick serves the communities of Teesside, County Durham, North Yorkshire and Wearside, and this was the first golf classic it has held.