IT’S a feat straight out of the classic golf movie Happy Gilmore – a hole in one on a par four.

Strong-armed Gavin McAuley aced the 319-yard 15th hole at Forest of Galtres Golf Club during the Skelton-based course’s recent Texas Scramble.

McAuley, set to become Galtres’ captain next year, hit a fade on the hole, which doglegs to the left, and watched as his ball sailed in the air, bounced on the green and then disappeared.

“I hit it and saw it was going quite well,” he said.

“There were three guys with me and we thought it was going to be close.

“It ran up towards the hole and disappeared. We didn’t know whether it had run over the hole or whether it had gone in.

“I got out a rangefinder and had a look. I couldn’t see anything with that so I was a little giddy walking up the fairway.”

McAuley’s albatross may have cost him a bottle of whisky at the Forest of Galtres bar, but it did help his four-man team finish third in the competition.

“It’s my first ever hole in one – and on a par four too,” he added.

“I’ve always been a bit of a big hitter and I can reach a few of the par fours but I never imagined one of those shots would go in the hole. It never crossed my mind.

“I woke up the next morning thinking it was all a bit of a dream.”

And McAuley wasn’t the only one celebrating an ace over the festive period.

Malton & Norton Golf Club’s Christmas Shotgun competition saw not one but two holes in one.

Robin Kellock shot his ace at the par-three second hole at the Ryedale course, with Julian James performing the golfer’s dream at the 13th.

• York Golf Club came out on top in a close match with Army golfers raising money for the Army Benevolent Fund.

The soldiers, representing 2 Signal Regimental and Yorkeli Golfers, were at the Strensall club supported by the Northern Gurkha Golf Society from Catterick Barracks.

The local commander presented the club with a silver crested khurkuri, which will be used as the trophy for what it is hoped will now be an annual match.

More than £650 was raised.