HOLES IN ONE
Honolulu golfer gets first two aces in hurry

By Baxter Cepeda
Advertiser Staff Writer

"I told my wife, 'I can die happy now,' " Robert Patrocinio says. Jeff Widener • The Honolulu Advertiser

Patrocinio, 65, made back-to-back aces at the nine-hole municipal Kahuku Golf Course (par 35) on the third and fourth holes in a "practice round" with his wife, Vivian, on June 27.

"I told my wife 'I can die happy now,' " he said.

The odds of making one hole-in-one range from one in 20,000 to one in 33,000, according to the United States Golf Register (the first historical registry of hole-in-ones). The USGR figures are based on estimated rounds played per year and estimated holes-in-ones.

According to information reported to the United States Golf Association, there are two or three official back-to-back aces by an individual per year in the United States. The USGA does not recognize aces made on executive or par-3 golf courses.

Patrocinio used his first set of clubs, Wilson 1200s that Vivian gave him in the early 1960s, despite owning a new set of Nike clubs.

The improbable act began on the bunker-less, 149-yard third hole. Rushing to finish their second nine-hole round of the day to get to lunch, Patrocinio used a 4-wood, hitting through wind and a light rain.

Neither saw the ball go in the hole. They both thought it was in the rough behind the green.

"He couldn't find it, and there it was sitting in the hole," said Vivian, his wife of 41 years.

While Patrocinio looked for his ball, Vivian chipped onto the green. When she looked up, Patrocinio was pointing at her.

"He said, 'hole-in-one,' " Vivian said. "I said 'Oh my god.' "

Vivian went up to her shocked husband and gave him the first of two congratulatory kisses that day.

"I was so excited for him," Vivian said. "(He was) always getting close, but never got the one."

Walking on air after the first hole-in-one, Patrocinio pulled an 8-iron on the 110-yard fourth.

This time they saw the ball go in the hole. The ball bounced on the green a few yards past a front-side bunker and went into the hole.

"That was more of a shock to me, because I saw it go right into the hole," said Patrocinio, a 16 handicap. "My wife came up and started yelling at me, hugging me, and gave me a kiss again."

Vivian said she was ecstatic.

"The first one was something, but then when he hit the second one, that was even more," Vivian said. "That was wonderful. I was so happy for him. I think I was more happy than he was."

After their first round on the nine-hole course, Vivian wanted to call it a day.

"But he was determined (to play another round)," Vivian said. "He (later) said, 'You know, if I didn't go for the second round I wouldn't have gotten my holes-in-one.' I said 'that's true' and told him I was so happy for him.

"Now I have to get mine."

The couple has five children and 10 grandchildren. Even the youngest in the Patrocinio family understood the feat.

"They are happy for me," Patrocinio said. "They say, 'it's about time Papa, we always knew you were going to make one.' "