Gillingham golfer Jim Harrison returned from a seven-month injury lay off with back-to-back holes-in-one.

The 42-year-old pipe fitter sunk an ace during his first round back representing Gillingham GC against Bearsted in the Kent League and followed it up with another in a club competition on Sunday.

He said: “I don’t think anyone at our club has ever had a hole-in-one during successive rounds before. I was amazed when I did it, I couldn’t believe it.”

Harrison, sidelined after a torn knee meniscus, sank his first ace on the 179-yard par-3 16th, which ensured his team couldn’t lose the match.

He said: “That put us two-up with two to go. It was one hop and straight in.”
Harrison’s effort was the talk of the club but he wasn’t finished there.

He was back in action at Gillingham during Sunday’s Silver Salver competition and he secured another hole-in-one – this time on the 120-yard 10th.

He said: “I couldn’t see the bottom of the pin and so I didn’t know it had gone in at first. I knew it was close but once we got there, it was there in the hole. The first thing I thought was ‘this is going to be expensive’.

But Harrison’s double success was made all the more sweeter as he even managed to dodge the tradition of buying everyone in the clubhouse a drink – not once but twice.

The Bearsted captain had already bought drinks for many of the players during the League game, with most already in their cars before Harrison returned to the clubhouse.

For big events like the Salver, there is an insurance policy against players having to buy everyone a drink.

“Luckily I managed to duck out of that one,” Harrison said. “I think it only ended up costing
me £20. My knee is also good, I’m pain-free and it’s healing well.”