More than 40 years later, local golfer drops second ace

by Eric PLUMMER<br
| June 29, 2009 9:00 PM

SANDPOINT — Back in the spring of 1967, Craig Harris, a sophomore on the Sandpoint High School golf team, aced the No. 9 hole at Elks during a tournament for his first-ever hole-in-one — an admittedly lucky shot at that.

More than 40 years later, Harris was up to his old tricks again, acing the No. 2 hole at Stoneridge Golf Course last Tuesday, smoking an eight iron on the 164-yard Par 3. Unlike his first hole-in-one, which bounced straight right off the base of a tree and rolled about 30 feet into the hole, this one was sweet and pure.

“I was going to hit a seven (iron), then said ‘it’s hot’ and hit an eight iron,” said Harris, 57, who was born and raised in Sandpoint. “I hit it really well; it drew right into the hole, bounced twice, and disappeared.”

Harris was playing with local golfing buddies Dean Raynor and Jack Parkins, each of whom play on the Four Seasons Realty golf team in the Elks Thursday Night Men’s League. Harris and Parkins have been friends for life, growing up together and graduating from SHS as part of the class of 1969.

Upon being contacted for an interview and told that Parkins had alerted the local paper about the hole-in-one, Harris joked “that rotten bum, did he really tell you that?” Harris’s golf coach at SHS was long-time principal Dick Sodorff, and he remembers taking guff from his friends for playing the leisure sport.

“He (Parkins) used to make fun of me. They were all in track,” said Harris, a five handicapper, adding what he loves most about golf. “Just the challenge; it’s never the same and it keeps you going back.”

No doubt used to the good-natured ribbing that’s often found amongst golfing buddies, especially between old friends, Parkins joked that Harris finally got his first real legitimate hole-in-one. Harris, Parkins and Raynor golf together about three times a week, so they know a great golf shot when they see one.

“It was on the flag when it left the tee,” described Parkins. “We said ‘gee, that looks close,’ and watched it disappear.”