Matt Vigurs, a 32-year-old amateur golfer from Droitwich, Worcestershire, hit a hole-in-one measuring 411 yards (376 metres) during a league match at Great Barr Golf Club in Sandwell, near Birmingham. The shot is believed to be Britain's longest, though it fell 36 yards short of the all-time world record.
Shot stuns player and playing partners
Vigurs, playing off a handicap of +1, used his driver off the tee but could not locate his ball when reaching the green. After searching bushes and the fairway, he checked the hole on a whim and found his ball nestled at the bottom. He said: "It was really surreal. I just froze to start with. The lads ran over and we all belly slammed and high fived. It was a moment I will never forget for sure. It was brilliant. I think we were all shocked. Typically, the ball wouldn't go that far. It is just unheard of to get a hole-in-one really let alone on a par-four."
His average drive is around 300 yards, but wind and hard ground helped extend the shot. The hole, named Twin Oaks, is a par-four, making the score an albatross, or three-under-par.
Potential national record
England Golf, the governing body for amateur golf, believes Vigurs may have set a national record, though it has not been confirmed. The previous national best was 408 yards, achieved by Peter Vickerman at Littlestone Golf Club in Kent in 2014. The all-time world record stands at 447 yards, set by Robert Mitera in Nebraska, USA.
The odds of an albatross are estimated at six million-to-one, according to England Golf. Vigurs, who works as a product and training manager at McLaren, said: "We think it might be the longest which is quite cool actually. I think it might even be the longest in Europe. I have absolutely no chance of ever doing it again. It truly was a once in six-million shot."
Match victory and club promotion
Vigurs went on to win his scratch match, and Droitwich Golf Club sealed promotion by winning the league that day. He returned to regular golf in February after eight years abroad and started playing at age 11. He kept the ball and hopes his club will help commemorate the achievement.
James Crampton, championships director at England Golf, said: "We hear of holes-in-one all the time, but a 411-yard one - it's the stuff of golfers' dreams! It sounds like Matt is in the purple patch of his golfing life - and you have to enjoy these moments."
