The historic hole-in-one

NEWBERRY — Over the years, Stokes Trainor Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC has sponsored a multitude of golf tournaments, offering a vehicle as the hole-in-one prize for hole 17.

Well folks, it has finally happened, Kelly Jerome is the first (to everyone’s collective knowledge) to get a hole-in-one on hole 17 during a tournament sponsored by Stokes Trainor.

The lucky tournament was the Operation Round Up Tournament at the Country Club of Newberry through the Newberry Electric Cooperative, in its ninth year.

“Congratulations to Kelly Jerome on his hole-in-one at the Newberry Electric Coop’s Operation Round Up Golf Tournament from all of us at Stokes-Trainor.” said Joe Trainor of Stokes Trainor.

Debra Shaw, vice president of member, public and government relations, said Joe Trainor, of Stokes, sponsors hole 17 every year and all proceeds from their tournament are used in Newberry County for community projects and assistance for those in need through Interfaith Community Services.

“We set a record this year, we didn’t know going into this if we would have half of what we normally get. Our grand total was $26,429 and that’s a record for us to clear a tournament,” Shaw said.

Shaw said prior to this year, they had one year where someone came within inches to getting a hole-in-one on hole 17, but nobody has ever made it.

“This will help us draw in players, a lot of players look forward to all the little things we have, we have something on every single hole. Joe Trainor always does hole 17, on hole seven Lee Electrical Construction, Inc. has always done $1,000 cash, because this year we didn’t have a vehicle, he offered up $10,000 cash. Then, the other two holes, three and 13, had $1,000; that was put up by Lee Electric as well,” Shaw said.

The day’s big winner, Jerome, played with the Kiswire team, Shaw said Kiswire has had a team almost every year. However, this was Jerome’s first year playing in the tournament and his fourth with Kiswire. Although this was his first year in this tournament, Jerome said he has been playing competitive golf for 39 years.

“I’ve never gotten a hole-in-one, I’ve been lucky enough to have three land in the hole on the fly, but unlucky enough to have three pop out on the bounce,” he said.

On the day, Jerome said the Kiswire team was playing well, well enough that by the end they won first place.

“I think I was the third of the four guys (to hit his ball). It all became a blur really fast,” he said. “As the ball was flying toward the hole, it looked like a really good shot, it was right on the line. All of a sudden, the ball disappeared. We all kind of looked at each other, did it go in? Did it not go in? The group that pulled up behind us said it is either in the hole or in the green.”

Jerome said he and a spotter drove up to the hole, to look for the ball. He looked over the green, but could not find his ball.

“We proceeded to walk to the hole, there it sat (in the hole) mayhem broke out,” Jerome said.

Shaw explained at each par three they put up a tent and chairs with monitors watching.

“We had four at that tent, we had a lot going on at that tent. Three raffles and hole-in-one test drive,” Shaw said.

In fact, Jerome said everyone around started going crazy.

“I hear yelling from the tee, then that’s when Joey Werts and Carla Willingham, both witnesses, were going crazy,” he said.

“We are excited and glad we can participate in these community golf tournaments, especially for great causes that help out so much in the Newberry County community.”

“Giving away the vehicle on Mr. Jerome’s hole-in-one adds validity to our contests at these tournaments, and hopefully, will encourage more players and teams to participate for the betterment of the community organizations hosting the golf events,” said Trainor.

For getting the hole-in-one for hole 17, Jerome will get $45,000 towards a new vehicle from Stokes Trainor.