Las Vegas, Nevada (December 16, 2012)–Sometimes you find the story. Sometimes the story finds you. Recently this writer was involved in two of some interesting moments at the historic Las Vegas Country Club. The Club has been the hub of social and business activity in Las Vegas since 1967, and is a previous host to events on the PGA Tour and LPGA Tour. And in a recent stretch there holes in one on four-straight days–including one by yours truly–another a few days later, and that streak was culminated by a double eagle a few days following that. –By Brian Hurlburt
The streak was so impressive that Las Vegas Review-Journal Celebrity Columnist Norm Clarke–who lives in the Regency Towers that shadows the course–picked up the story for a Saturday edition. Click here to read his entire account.
From Norm: "Fore! Business has been all aces lately for bartenders at the Las Vegas Country Club. Four holes-in-one were recorded on four consecutive days between Nov. 29 and Dec. 2, starting with Peggy Pettis. Then came aces by Bill Clark, Oakland A's play-by-play man Ken Korach and, most appropriately, Brian Hurlburt, the author of "The Las Vegas Country Club: Chronicle of an Icon." A couple of days later, Tammy Gephardt added another ace. The club traditionally foots the bill for the first round of drinks after an ace."
Then the big double occurred in a group of this writer, and "Chronicle" book committee and LVCC members Dan Albregts and Click Buckley. The three watched as Las Vegas resident Darin Koehler knocked in a five wood from 228 yards out on the par 5, 10th hole of the course. The odds for a hole-in-one 13,000 – 1. The odds for an albatross? In the millions.
As a note, this writer's ace came on the par 3, 7th hole with a pitching wedge from 139 yards. It was the first official round played with the new TaylorMade RocketBladez irons.
About The Las Vegas Country Club: The art of the deal was perfected at the Las Vegas Country Club. For fifty years, the movers and shakers—among them bankers, attorneys, entertainers, business leaders, and, yes, mobsters—have been drawn to “the Beverly Hills of Las Vegas” to play golf, eat lunch, and chart the future of this world-renowned city. From Dean Martin to Kirk Kerkorian, Hank Greenspun to Parry Thomas, the club’s members have been key players in the building of Las Vegas into the major international force that it is today.