A 91-year-old World War II veteran from Arkansas got his Memorial Day weekend off to an exciting start Thursday with a hole-in-one at Camden Country Club.
Using a driver, John Gaughan Jr. found the bottom of the cup on the par-3, 159-yard No. 2. According to a Camden Country Club Facebook post, Gaughan is the oldest player to hit a hole-in-one on the course.
Thursday's eagle actually marked his third hole-in-one at Camden, the other two coming years ago at No. 11. When he couldn't find his ball, he thought he had driven past the hole. Then one of his partners suggested otherwise.
"I looked in the hole, and I said, 'Well, there it is,'" Gaughan said Friday by phone.
Gaughan has lived in Camden all his life — "born and raised in the house I'm living in now" — except for when he served as an Air Force fighter pilot during WWII. He graduated from Air Force flying school in February 1944 as a second lieutenant and was sent to Italy where he flew more than 50 missions in the P-38 Lightning.
The missions mostly entailed escorting bombers, but Gaughan and his fellow pilots would also dive-bomb and strafe enemy airports and trains. He recalled a flight in which he helped destroy 12 enemy aircraft on the ground. It earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross, a medal awarded for heroism and valor while flying.
He returned to Camden after the war, serving as a reserve pilot based there, which allowed him to play lots of golf at Camden Country Club. He's played at the club for 80 years, far enough back to when he putted on the course's sand greens as a boy. Even in his ninth decade, Gaughan still plays three days a week. Most weeks, he'll play four or five rounds.
"He loves it," said his daughter, Ann West. "He does his own yard. He drives. I guess 90 is the new 80s."
Gaughan has long maintained an active lifestyle, also playing tennis in his earlier years. He said it's a good way to keep busy.
"I think just the fact that he can get out there and do what he's doing, that makes a world of difference," West said. "He likes to have fun."
The start of his round Thursday, however, wasn't quite as memorable as the hole-in-one. Gaughan recorded a 7 on the first hole. And he recorded another 7 on the third hole.
"It wasn't too consistent," he said.
Gaughan said he has no specific plans for Memorial Day, except for showing respect for servicemen who died in the war. Dozens of friends and family have congratulated him on his hole-in-one, but he said he's ready for the brouhaha to quiet.
"I hope this thing dies out," he said. "I'm not interested in all this [attention]. ... It's getting out of hand."