1 week Ago By Josh Callinan
RAY Walker has been playing golf at Shortland Waters for half a century. Login or signup to continue reading After countless rounds he knows just about every blade of grass, every green and every fairway. Now, with the sport's attention turned squarely towards Rory McIlroy's breakthrough Masters title at Augusta on Monday (AEST) , Walker notched up an achievement of his own.
The 90-year-old landed a hole-in-one, however, celebrations were put on hold slightly. "It was on the 17th hole, which is 167-metre par three slightly uphill," Walker told the Newcastle Herald . "I hit it nice and straight, but couldn't see where it was because of the slope of the fairway.
"When we walked up there they [playing group] said you've gone through the green because there was a ball over the back. "I walked over to it and then all of a sudden I hear 'hey, it's in the hole'. Pure luck.
" It was the fourth time Walker, who turns 91 next month, has ticked off the golfing feat and all at the same course. His first was "20 years ago, maybe even more than that" while the previous "would have been about four or five years ago possibly". One of those instances mirrored the most recent from earlier in April, 2025.
"That's what happened before on the third, well what used to be the old third now the 14 th , hit it and walked over but couldn't find the ball because it was in the hole," he said. Walker plays Shortland Waters three times a week - Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. But too much golf is never enough.
"I have a golf simulator downstairs which you can play every day," he said. "When it rains we all come to Royal Redhead, where I live. We all play here on a Saturday as well.
" Walker admits his playing group is consistent, unlike the handicaps. "I play with four people - Jeff is on five, Brian on 14, I'm on 18 and Alan on 39," he said. "It's a great game.
That's the beauty of golf. "You play tennis and you beat me 40-0 every time because I can't play it. No matter what your handciap in golf, you're always equal.
" Walker, who has a Welsh background, played his first game of golf at a "little, nine hole, par three at the old racecourse" in Newcastle during the early 1970s. He joined Shortland Waters soon after and has no intention of stopping any time soon. "I enjoy the game, I enjoy the company and I've been at the club a terribly long time," Walker said.
"A lot of things have changed we don't like, but it's still a great club. "I look forward to my game and I'll be there on Wednesday. Could he claim another hole-in-one somewhere on the horizon? "You never know, on your lucky day anything can happen," Walker said.
My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald. I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. My name is Josh Callinan and I'm a sports journalist at the Newcastle Herald.
I started with the newspaper in 2016 after a decade at the Maitland Mercury. Daily Today's top stories curated by our news team. Also includes evening update.
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