Staff WriterSome golfers wait a lifetime for just one. But for Lyn Parry, a 74-year-old from Devon, three came along in just 31 astonishing days — a feat so rare the odds stand at a mind-boggling 1.95 trillion to one.
Parry, who only picked up a golf club at the age of 58, has rewritten the local record books with her incredible run of aces — two at her beloved Downes Crediton Golf Club and one more for good measure at Tiverton.
“I didn’t see it go in,” said Lyn Parry, recalling her first ace of the month on the 3rd hole at Downes Crediton. “I knew it was close and when I couldn’t see it, I was thinking, ‘don’t tell me it’s gone off the back!’ But no, it was in the hole! Because it was the AGM, I was very popular as it meant everyone coming in was getting a free drink!”
Two Weeks Later, Lightning Struck Again
Barely 16 days after her first, Parry struck again — this time during the club’s Ladies Day event. “We did see the ball go in, on the 13th,” she said. “We all looked at each other saying, ‘Has that really just gone in the hole?!’ There was a little bit of jumping up and down and a photograph after that one, and so it was drinks all round again!”
For most golfers, two aces in a lifetime would be enough to dine out on forever. But on October 30, Parry made it a hat-trick — her third hole-in-one in a single month, and her fifth overall.
“It was a social round with three friends at Tiverton Golf Club and on their 12th hole, I hit one and thought ‘that felt nice!’” she laughed. “I saw it land just at the bottom of the little bank on the right, and thought it might be close. But I told myself it doesn’t happen in threes, that’s just silly. Then there it was, in the hole!”
She admitted with a grin, “Sadly after the round it was dark and nobody wanted to stay around and the girls asked if we could save the celebrations for another day, so we didn’t go in – which is a bit naughty isn’t it?!”
Age No Barrier for This Ace-Hunter
It’s not just the holes-in-one that make 2025 a banner year for Lyn Parry. Her Handicap Index® has tumbled nearly seven shots since May, now sitting comfortably below 13. “The gratifying thing is that my handicap has come down by nearly seven shots – and I’m old! It shows that you can never be too old!” she said.
When asked about her goals, Parry is as grounded as she is grateful. “Let’s face it, I’m probably not going to get any better. The holes-in-ones have just come along a bit like buses, but it’s just for me about having fun. We have a good club, a good atmosphere, everyone’s very friendly and I just want to enjoy my golf at Crediton for as long as I can.”
Inspiring Golfers Young and Old
Her message to fellow golfers is simple: you’re never too old to improve. “The beauty of golf is that it’s for all ages – I played with a 15-year-old boy on Saturday in a competition, he played really well and had a great temperament – it’s great the people you get to meet and play alongside. My only regret is that I didn’t play when I was younger, as I might have been even better!”
Before heading off on a girls’ golf trip to Trevose, Cornwall, Parry reflected on how the sport changed her life. “Golf’s always appealed to me. My late husband used to play and was a good golfer and I used to get fed up of listening to golf talk all the time! So, I thought I’ve got to get into this and see what it’s like. It’s a great social game and you learn a lot of self-discipline really, as it’s you against the course, and the course usually wins!”
With her trademark modesty, Lyn Parry closed with a message to women and girls everywhere: “I’ve made plenty of friendships through golf and I think my message to women and girls is that it’s not just for the lads. Girls can achieve just as much, so give it a go!”
