Number 13 not so unlucky for hole-in-one-king Diaper

Golfers dream of filling out their scorecard and marking a single next to a hole just once in their career.

Many professionals even retire on a luckless barren spell they can only discontentedly accept.

But Bert Diaper has now registered his 13th hole-in-one during a career spanning 50 years.

His first came at Stokes Bay in 1975. But the 78-year-old knows Lee-on-the-Solent’s greens better than most – especially the ninth hole.

He has carded a hole-in-one at every single par three on the course.

And it was the sixth time he scored an ace at the final hole of the front nine.

Despite entering the twilight years of his career, Diaper still plays to a superb standard and has a handicap of 11.

Competing in the club’s Coronation Cup competition on April 29, he defied odds of 12,500/1 for a jaw-dropping 13th time and celebrated in style.

Diaper said: ‘On the hole, there’s a slope on the green.

‘After I struck my ball, it hit the slope and it came back down to where the pin was.

‘The people I was playing with all went mental saying “it’s in the hole, it’s in the hole” giving me high fives.

‘I had to hold back a little bit. I thought it might have been hiding behind the stick.

‘When I got up there, it was in the hole.

‘I pulled the ball out and jumped up in delight for my 13th hole-in-one.

‘My friends say I am so lucky and so is the club.’

As a reward for the fantastic achievement, Lee-on-the-Solent provided Diaper with an £80 bar tab, where he got drinks for himself and his fellow golfers.

Although this could be the last of his career, Diaper has not given up hoping of scoring another hole-in-one.

He added: ‘You just never know when they’re going to come.’

– RYAN DAVIDSON