The Elaborate Premade Ace at WingHaven
Amateur golfer Zach Holland surrendered his membership at WingHaven Country Club in O’Fallon, Missouri, after admitting he staged a hole-in-one during an early August member-member tournament. According to ESPN Radio, Holland secretly placed his golf ball inside the cup on the par-3 fourth hole before claiming an ace to his playing partners and presenting the ball as proof.
The deception unraveled when course officials reviewed security camera footage following questions about the shot’s validity. According to Golfweek, the video revealed Holland driving his cart near the fourth green prior to his scheduled tee time and placing the ball into the hole. Confronted with the recording by club leadership, Holland confessed to fabricating the shot and resigned his membership.
A Convenient Phone Call and a Missing Witness
According to Golfweek, Holland completed the opening three holes alongside his group during the member-member event. He then told his playing partners that he needed to take a personal phone call regarding an ill grandmother while they played the fourth hole. To maintain the pace of play, Holland teed off on No. 4 ahead of the group and met them later near the green.
Holland told his partners that he thinned his tee shot, creating a divot on the green, but lost sight of where the ball came to rest. The group eventually discovered the ball sitting inside the cup, leading them to celebrate the apparent hole-in-one. Because of the phone call, none of his playing partners actually witnessed him strike the ball.
Club Leadership Closes the Book on the Incident
Nathan Charnes, acting PGA of America president and general manager at WingHaven, addressed the situation in a statement provided to GOLF.com. According to Charnes, the club promptly addressed the matter. “WingHaven Country Club is aware of the recent attention surrounding an incident involving a former member during a Club event,” Charnes said. “We care deeply about the integrity of the game and the experience we provide for our members and guests. Because this situation involved the actions of an individual and has been resolved, we consider it closed and have no further comment.”
Public Remorse and Viral Retaliation
Speaking on 101 ESPN St. Louis, Holland expressed remorse for his actions and acknowledged the lack of justification. “There’s no excuse for what I did, and I was completely in the wrong,” Holland said during the interview. “There’s really no motivation. Just complete stupidity, and we were giving two shots back to the field, and that’s not an excuse.”
Holland also noted that the repercussions extended beyond his club membership, stating to ESPN Radio that he and his family have faced intense online backlash and threats from strangers following the viral spread of the incident.
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