Getting the Hole-In-One Grand Slam

February 3, 2021

Rocklin resident and NCGA member Ben Menold has the ultimate score on each of his home course’s par-3s.

Back in November, Menold, 73, aced the par-4th hole at Whitney Oaks GC using a No.4 hybrid.

The hole-in-one was significant, as it marked the completion of a ‘Grand Slam Hole-In-One’ cycle on each of Whitney Oaks’ four par-3s—Nos. 4, 8, 12 and 16. It all started with an ace on No.16 in April 2012. In July 2013, he got his second ace, that coming on the 164-yard par-3 12th. Another year later in 2014 he had his third ace, getting on the 160-yard 8th using a 6-iron.

Al that had been left was an ace on No.4. Menold estimates he played the hole over 400 times in the last six years. He wouldn’t get the final elusive ace until he again struck gold last November.

According to the National-Hole-In-One Registry, two other Grand Slams were achieved at Green Hills CC. Jennifer Stuppi achieved her Grand Slam from 1991-2010, a period of 19 years; while Paul Stuppi achieved his Grand Slam from 2002 to 2014, in 12 years. Just last month, a Phoenix CC golfer, Bernard Banahan, posted his Grand Slam cycle from 2008-2020. Again, a 12-year cycle. It is believed that Menold’s Grand Slam Hole-in-One cycle, achieved and completed in less than nine years from 2012-2020, stands as the new record and sets a new standard to beat.

Making his Grand Slam cycle completion even more special was that Menold’s partners that fateful day included his two sons, Brian and Jeff; and his long-time playing partner & Whitney Oaks NCGA Team Match teammate in the 2000’s, Curt Cole. Cole now lives in Texas, and was visiting his family for Thanksgiving.

“It was truly special to experience this moment, this milestone, completing this once-in-a-lifetime achievement and sharing it with my sons and Curt,” Menold said.

Still too, there remains an unfinished chapter to this record-setting saga. Menold today continues to be an active playing member of the Whitney Oaks 12-man NCGA Team Match squad. Whitney Oaks is the only NCGA team to have claimed three consecutive championships in NCGA Team Match history, going “back-to-back-to-back” in 2012, 2013, and 2014.

See the pattern there? Each year that Menold scored a hole-in-one, Whitney Oaks won the NCGA Team Match Play Championship the following October. Last year, 2020, Whitney Oaks got as far as the NCGA Team Match semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Spring Creek G&CC. No Menold hole-in-one, no NCGA championship.

But it’s a new year. And now Menold has that ace on #4. We’ll see later this year if it means good fortunes for the 2021 Whitney Oaks squad.

–NCGA Staff

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