Don’t worry if you can’t believe this story. Joseph Maloof’s mother believed he was joking earlier this week when he described his experience at the Thomas F. Koch ’88 alumni golf outing in Cleveland, which benefited Saint Ignatius High School.
The 15-year old sophomore from Avon in Ohio is a two-time state champion boy golfer at Saint Ignatius. He was taking part in the annual charity tournament. Maloof, parked at the 120-yard par-3 sixteenth hole of Lakewood Country Club and groups participating in the outing were able to use his teeshot if they donated $20 to charity. Koch died while attending the school. All proceeds from the event will go to a scholarship created in his memory.
Three of the 24 groups that used his tee-shot scored a 1, as Maloof notched not one, not even two, but three, aces, with his 50 degree wedge, during the course.
“It didn’t seem real after I returned from the trip.” “I came home and took a bath, ate dinner, and went to sleep like nothing had happened,” he said. The next day, it kicked in and I was like “Wow, did I really make three holes-in one?”
Maloof’s first two attempts at the green were unsuccessful, but he finally figured it out on his third attempt. The Avon native spun his ball back into the hole after landing his ball beyond the pin. This was not only his first hole in one of the day but also his first ever.
Maloof, who is a Lakewood member, said that the group went crazy. “It felt strange because I had never seen or experienced a hole in one on TV with my friends or myself,” he added. “It felt strange but it also felt good because it was my very first hole-in one ever.”
The second hole-in one came a few swings following the first and the last ace was at the end of the game.
“The first one, we all screamed and shouted. Only Bradley Chill and I saw the second one fall. “The people in the group did not see it go in,” Maloof stated. Both of us were laughing, and the group didn’t realize what was happening until they learned that it had gone in. They all screamed and hugged me.
Maloof has the first two balls that he used to make aces, but not the third.
“One of them told me to strike one of their balls, and I did.” Maloof explained that he didn’t wish to offend anyone by asking, “Can I keep it?” “I probably shouldn’t have.”
Next Monday, Saint Ignatius will hold its golf tryouts. Maloof feels confident about his chances to make the varsity team and help the Wildcats capture a third state championship in a row. He knows all about the three-peat.
