Jeff Wallahan – Rare Two Aces
OK, forget the attempt to be cute in the headline. I was hoping for something similar to a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, but that’s another story.
Actually this one is much more interesting. Just ask Jeff Wallahan.
Jeff and his buddies decided to head to Foxtail Golf Course after work last Friday for a relaxing round of golf.
But much to Jeff’s surprise, the round turned out to be anything but relaxing.
Wallahan, 52, made not just one hole-in-one, but finished his round with two aces.
“Yeah, my buddy Don Juillerat called me about 3 p.m. on Friday and told me he was getting off early so let’s play some golf,” Wallahan said. “He works in San Rafael, and we were pretty stressed just trying to get to the course. We were kidding about not expecting too much from our games because of the stress we put on ourselves just trying to get out there. It’s just weird how things worked out.”
Filling out the foursome were Bill and Chris Decker. Wallahan added that he had never even made an eagle before, let alone a hole-in-one.
“Yes, this is my first hole-in-one, said the owner of Jeff’s 4X4 Repair Shop. “I’ve had a few birdies and pars but this is my very first hole-in-one.”
Wallahan’s first ace came on the par-3 sixth hole.
“The first one I used an 8-iron,” he recalled. “It was about 118 yards. I remember I was just sitting there kind of looking at it like any other shot. I just kind of swung the club and it actually seemed like it was going to land where I wanted it too. It took one bounce and it started rolling. It landed on a little downhill slope. The pin was in the right-front corner. It just started rolling and then, I think the golf Gods took over and took it to the hole.”
Wallahan, who’s been playing golf for 14 years, then shared his experience of the North Course’s 13th hole.
“The hole was about 148 yards so I used my Taylor Made No. 5 rescue club,” Jeff said. “I saw it hit the green and I actually thought it rolled off the back. But my buddy Bill said, ‘Oh, you know what, it just went in the hole.’ And I said, no way. So we get up to the green and Bill tells me to just go to the pin. So, I walked over to the hole and sure enough it was sitting right there in the bottom of the cup.”
“Yes, this is pretty amazing. You never get one and then you get back-to-back aces.”
Needless to say, Jeff was pretty excited after the first hole-in-one. Instead of saving the ball he used in making the ace, he continued playing with it, until his buddy reminded him not to use it.
“That’s kind of interesting because I was going to save it, but forgot,” Wallahan said. “I used it and almost hit it into the water. I just totally forgot. So I reached in my bag and got out the box of Titleist Pro V1 balls I was using. It was a No. 2. I only had one left so I used it the rest of the way until the 13th hole. After that hole-in-one I made sure both balls were put away and began looking for the other Pro V1 ball. I’m thinking, oh my God, there’s another Par-3 coming up soon. Where’s that other ball? But I couldn’t find it. I must have lost it somewhere down the line.”
Jeff, who said he has retired both balls, finished with a career-best 84, topping his previous low of 86.
Press Democrat Columnist Chris Smith broke the story in Sunday’s paper, and since then Hallahan said his phone has been ringing off the hook. Even Channel 7 is trying to contact him.
“This has been quite a whirlwind my friend,” Wallahan said.
You can say that again, Jeff—in fact, at least twice will suffice.