Greenville C.C. pro walks away with two aces

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It just doesn't seem fair!

Some of golf's finest, including the pros, have been walking the fairways now for over 50 years (or better) and have yet to experience the thrill of scoring a hole-in-one. It's a feat that is bestowed on a very few select players and one that is not that easily obtained. Some of your better golfers believe they will never master the game until that ball falls into the cup from tee to green on one shot.

That's why when one is scored, the lucky person gets his or her name printed in the local paper along with all the spectacular details.

Danny McMillen, Greenville Country Club pro, didn't want his name in the local papers alone, he wanted press coverage in the papers of the world and he probably received it with his recent golf feat in Florida.

He scored two aces and believe it or not, on the same hole and on the same day. The only thing that was different was his attitude and his playing partners, and oh, yes, the irons he selected for the shots that made it into the cup.

On the first ace, he hit a beautiful 9-iron that landed on the green and rolled directly into the cup on the 124-yard No. 11 hole. Playing the same course later in the day, he came once again to that fabled and familiar No. 11, the hole he aced a few hours earlier. You can imagine the thoughts going through his mind at this point in time.

The wind had picked up since his earlier round so he decided to go with an 8-iron this time. Good choice, or rather an excellent choice.

This one sailed true once again and a salvo of jubilation ensued between McMillen and his happy playing partners.

Good course for aces

The course, the King and the Bear Course at the World Golf Village, has been the destination of the Mercer County group for the past 10 years. During that span, the group has totaled four aces. Jeff Shaffer and Bruce Abbott had scored aces in earlier trips.

McMillen had one other hole-in-one in his golfing career, that coming at the Titusville Country Club in his earlier years.

McMillen said it was a lucky day all around for him, especially on the golf course. He belted some wild tee shots that veered into the woods but somehow found their way back onto the fairways, plus the fact that he made some very long putts.

Witnessing McMillen's first ace in Florida were playing partners Ray Slovesko, Jeff Shaffer, and Josh Resnik. Later in the day, for the second ace, witnesses were Joel Pokorney, Resnik and Michael Barr. Two other Mercer Countians on the trip were Abbott and Roger Shaffer.

McMillen has had a number of excellent days on the golf course during his career, but none that could compare with his two holes-in-one day on that Florida course. His playing partners will never forget it either.

McMillen was formerly a Greenville High School and Thiel College golf standout.

Robison lauded

A former Wilmington High School product is making quite a name for himself as a pitcher for the Westminster College baseball team.

Junior Andrew Robison was named recently as the Presidents' Athletic Conference pitcher of the week for his performances in Fort Pierce, Fla. During the team's spring break trip, Robison posted a 2-0 record with a 5-3 win over Elizabethtown and a 3-1 nod over Ursinus.

Robison, a 6-foot-5 right-hander, turned in a pair of sterling performances. Included in his outings was a complete-game seven-hitter with four strikeouts and no walks against Ursinus. Overall, he allowed four earned runs in 131/3 innings for a 2.70 ERA during the week.

Sunday, April 1, 2007