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 The achievement is mind-boggling, the odds seemingly impossible. Jacqueline Gagne has made 14 holes-in-one since January 23. And she's not just pulling aces out of her sleeves. All have been witnessed and accounted for by playing competitors. The Rancho Mirage resident has even made a few more since that date, but they haven't been during regulation rounds and can't be added to her official total. One was especially memorable, as it happened during a taping for an ABC News affiliate on the eighth hole of the Dinah Shore Tournament Course at Mission Hills Country Club. "I just tend to hit the ball straight, and I've been told I have good alignment," Gagne said. "I'm usually straight down the middle off the tee and accurate into greens." But even for the most accurate professional golfers, a streak like hers has been verified as mathematically ridiculous - with each new ace, the number of trailing zeros increases. After she recorded her 10th hole-in-one in 75 rounds, the odds of achieving such a feat were calculated at 12 septillion to 1 (that's a 12 followed by 24 zeros). Gagne, 46, is not the average amateur. Thanks to a successful computer business in Rhode Island, she was able to retire young and move to the desert. Over the past three years, she has averaged about five or six rounds per week, many at Mission Hills Country Club, where she is a member. "After I sold my business, I pretty much focused on being a better golfer," Gagne said in early June. "I only started taking lessons about five or six months ago." She noticed significant improvement, lowering her handicap to around 8. During her streak she has carded some strong rounds, including a 69 during a tournament at the Pete Dye Challenge Course at Mission Hills. While there is plenty of skill involved, there has also been some luck - one of Gagne's recent aces caromed off a palm tree on the 16th hole at Palms Country Club and managed to trickle into the cup. For Gagne, her magnificent run has brought loads of attention from all over the world. Major print publications such as The Wall Street Journal and USA Today have reported on her. As more people have become aware of her aces, she has also been met with skepticism. "It's kind of sad that people just can't be supportive. You've just got to ignore them," she said. "But after ABC came out and got that one on tape, it was like a golden ticket." Considering she moved to the desert to relax, Gagne has reveled in her ability to play golf consistently and keep improving just as much as seeing the ball disappear into the hole off the tee. "My goal is to become the best golfer I can possibly be," she said. "I think anyone can get a hole-in-one, but you have to stay focused and be relaxed." SG |
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