Elizabeth Madden lights a celebration with her hole-in-one on No. 2
During the weekly round of golf for the Catalina Women’s Golf Club, the usual competition took a back seat to the celebration for one of its members, when Elizabeth Madden scored a hole-in-one on the second hole.
The entire group burst out in cheer when the ball dropped into the hole. From the tee box, the green was about 90 yards away, according to Madden’s estimate. Her tee shot landed about a foot past the hole, which was on a downslope from the landing point. The ball rolled back and found the cup.
“We went crazy, everybody was jumping up and down,” Madden said.
The odds of an amateur golfer getting a hole in one are estimated to be about 12,500 to 1, according to holeinoneinsurance.com. And while a lot of regular golfers are still seeking their first one, Madden now has two to her credit.
Afterwards the group celebrated with champagne at the Sand Trap and 19th hole was buzzing with excitement. Word got around quickly and the party ramped up.
Madden said she got her first hole-in-one more than 20 years ago. On that shot, however, she said the hole was not visible from the tee, so she wasn’t aware of the feat until she got to the green and found the ball in the hole.
Madden jokingly said that she was “dragged” into golfing 33 years ago, by her since deceased husband. But she has since come to love the game. Moreover, she said getting out with friends and a beautiful view makes each round a wonderful experience, whether one plays well or poorly. She still works in Human Resources at the Catalina Island Conservancy, but only three days a week, leaving plenty of time to golf, especially on Thursday’s with the regular Women’s Club outings. And she has no plans to slow down any time soon.
“If I couldn’t golf, I wouldn’t be breathing – I love it,” Madden said.
