Aces high at County Louth and Edmondstown golf clubs

July may not have treated us to ideal golfing weather this time around, but there seems to have been more than just rain in the air these past few weeks as two of the country's most historic golf clubs recorded feats about as rare as it gets.

County Louth Golf Club in Baltray has twice hosted the Irish Open and it proved the scene for the completion of another double recently when visiting American David Haythe made a spectacular hole in one on the par-three fifth hole.

The thing is, this was Mr Haythe’s second visit to the famous links. His first had come two years earlier – and amazingly, he had aced the very same hole on that occasion too. An achievement unlikely to be matched, surely.

But not so fast. A quick spin back down the M1 and along the M50 brings us to Edmondstown Golf Club in Rathfarnham, south Dublin. It was here where single-figure man Gerry Cash helped himself to his first ever hole in one after over 50 years of trying. Only Gerry, fair play to him, didn’t even have the manners to wait for a par three – he holed out with his drive on the par-four 16th from 350 yards away.

Playing off a handicap of eight, Gerry’s ace has been a hot topic ever since. "Gerry is all the talk of the club now," Gerry’s pal and regular playing partner, William Torregiani told RTÉ Sport with a laugh.

"Everyone who walks by him at the moment is bowing down in deference. Our Captain's Prize is this Sunday coming so they're going to have a special award for him for such a rarity."

Gerry himself is worn out talking about it. Almost. "I’m sick of listening to meself," he joked when we caught up with him this week. "We’ve got great craic out of it."

Although this was Gerry’s first ace, he’s had the distinction of holing out from distance at