Tedesco Country Club opens new $11M clubhouse

 

Tedesco Country Club President Jim McCathern, center, hands over the keys of the new clubhouse to Cliff Boggis as Tom Iarrobino looks on Wednesday at the golf course. (Photo / Paula Muller)

 

By Cyrus Moulton / The Daily Item
 
MARBLEHEAD - Members of Tedesco Country Club endured nearly a season-and-a-half with clubhouse amenities relocated to trailers in the parking lot. Neighbors endured a season-and-a-half of construction. But the groups joined Wednesday night to admire the country club’s new $11 million clubhouse.

“We made a lot of noise, a lot of dust, for a while” said Club Administration Manager Ginny Burke at a neighbor’s Open House on Wednesday evening. “We wanted to give a thank you for bearing with us.”

Tedesco Country Club has straddled the Marblehead and Swampscott border — with its clubhouse in the former and part of its 18-hole golf course in the latter — since its incorporation in 1903, according to Clubhouse Manager Gregg Lindsay. The private club currently has 504 primary members, in addition to their spouses and children, said Burke. It is very exclusive: New members must be nominated by five current members and a membership with full golfing privileges — the most expensive of several levels of membership — currently costs $30,000 for an entry fee and annual dues of $5,500, Burke said.

Members and club officials have discussed a new clubhouse for a long time, several club officials said Wednesday night, and the new building reflects how members’ needs have changed since the previous clubhouse was constructed in the 1930s.

A function room with an outdoor patio is capable of hosting more than 200 people for weddings and events, said Burke. Expanded kitchen facilities enable the club to host functions and still serve members in the dining room at the same time, Lindsay said. There is a new fitness center. A soon-to-open room with “indoor hitting bays” that Chairman of the Grounds and member Tom Landry described as like a virtual-reality driving range, will offer feedback on members’ swings when the room is ready this fall. Landry and several other members noted that every member now has their own full-size locker. Meanwhile, the old formal dining room and Grill Room have been combined into a single, large dining area that can be dressed up or down as the situation requires, said Landry.

Not that the old clubhouse wasn’t loved.

“When you have a private membership, (a new building) takes a long time,” joked Burke.

“Everybody had a lot of good memories — it was a good old building,” said Tedesco Country Club President Jim McCathern. “It was a passionate debate but (the new building construction) did pass and the membership has united behind it and got excited about having the new clubhouse.”

And the most important aspect of the country club — the golf course — remains mostly the same. The new clubhouse and a new putting green required slight changes to the First and Third tee, but the course otherwise remains the same, said Grounds Manager Pete Hasak.

And both neighbors and members at the open house said they were impressed with the new building — even despite construction that relegated the Grill Room to a trailer and brought heavy machinery to the site and required blasting a bit of ledge.

“It was actually really fun to watch it come together,” said neighbor Joy Purdin.

“I think everybody feels like it was worth the wait,” said McCathern.

VW Unveils its Electric Car: Test Driving the Golf Blue E-Motion

by Brian Merchant

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Photos: Brian Merchant

You probably haven't heard much about Volkswagen's forays into the electric car realm -- frankly, until recently, there hasn't been much to talk about. But that's finally changing, as the world's second largest carmaker just unveiled its Golf Blue E-motion electric car. Slated for a 2014 release, the e-motion will essentially be an electrified version of the popular Golf ("the most successful car Europe has ever seen"). VW invited TreeHugger out to its HQ in Wolfsburg, Germany to take an early model of the Golf E-motion for a spin:

Until earlier this year, Volkswagen's electric strategy was vague, always seeming far off on the horizon. But earlier this year, it announced that it planned to roll out a hybrid Jetta in 2012, an electric version of its Up in Europe in 2013, and the electric Golf in the US by 2014. By 2018, VW is aiming to have electric cars comprise 3-5% of its fleet.

The electric Golf will appear generally similar to the standard model that crowds European roadways everywhere (According to my unofficial calculations, about 83% of all cars in Europe are Golfs). The car we drove, in fact, was built with a standard Golf body. Essentially, the aim is to create an electric Golf that looks and feels like the version that the (non-US) world knows and welcomes. And I throw in that caveat because the Golf isn't terribly popular in the United States; it's far less present in the states than cousin Jetta.

As with just about all electric cars, the e-Golf is loaded with torque. It's full of pep, and quick off the line. It handled reasonably well, and was genuinely fun to drive, though it was prone to seize up a bit with too much acceleration. Braking is also a work in progress, as the current brakes displayed too much of that all-too-familiar stickiness that often plagues regenerative systems.

However, that stickiness comes with an upside in this case -- by shifting between D and D3 (and in between) the driver can choose how active the regenerative brakes are, and decide how much kinetic energy will be recovered. In D3, the brakes are extremely sensitive, but you'll send the maximum amount of energy back to the battery. It's a cool innovation (and a technology that's hopefully explored further in the future), and the most revolutionary feature of the electric Golf.

Driving the electric Golf looked and felt something like this:

The Golf gets around 150 kilometers (93 miles) on a charge, and uses a battery consisting of 180 lithium ion cells (holding a charge of 26.5 kWh). As for the rest of the stats, they look something like this:

An interface on the dash intuitively relays how much charge is left, and in the test drive model, all other features remained intact. A VW engineer explained how the instruments work, and outlined how to drive the electric Golf:

The no-frills experience of driving the e-Golf likely stemmed from the early version of the concept, yes, but also certainly from VW's approach to the electric car. Driving the Golf felt a lot like driving a comfortable, utilitarian sedan that you'd driven a million times before. VW isn't trying to create the most exciting, eyeball-grabbing EV on the market -- it's simply providing consumers with a solid, reliable option for its customers demanding electrification.

Complaints aside, it was already a pleasure to drive the Golf, though it was certainly less polished than, say, the Volt, which provided a thoroughly smooth ride. Which makes sense -- the e-Golf has 3 or 4 years to go before its scheduled for production, and the VW engineer said they're still ironing out many of the kinks, the braking among them. But it's a very promising start, and come 2014, folks interested in electric cars can expect another highly practical (and likely reasonably priced) option to be on the market.

300 yard shot... with a putter. Jamie Sadlowsk

A 175-yard wedge? A 260-yard six-iron? A 300-yard ... putter? Watch Jamie Sadlowski, the longest hitter in the history of the game, unleash his power.

Bra that can be used as a golf putting mat

Lingerie makers Triumph have unveiled the 'Nice Cup in Bra', which can be removed, rolled out and used as a putting mat for the keen golfing lady.

By Harriet Alexander

Triumph have designed the new bra to appeal to Japan's busy golfing women.

The green corset-style garment can be removed and unrolled to create a 1.5m-long putting mat.

When the user sinks a putt into one of the cups, a built-in speaker pumps out a congratulatory "Nice shot!".

The bra also features pockets for extra golf balls and tees, and a detachable flag pin that serves as a score pencil.

The bra set comes with a skirt with the words "Be Quiet" printed on the rear, which doubles up as a flag for use on the course.

Quite how the user is supposed to do cover herself when she removes the underwear is unclear.

Twice a year, Triumph unveils a new novelty bra in Japan to highlight social trends.

The novelty bras are generally designed to raise awareness of an issue, rather than be worn regularly.

Triumph claim that the Nice Cup in Bra is a response to the growing popularity of golf among Japanese women.

In previous years the company have invented the postal bra – with pockets for letters – and a chopstick bra made from miso soup and rice bowls, with a special holder for chopsticks.

In May they unveiled the novelty husband hunter bra, which features a countdown clock that stops once an engagement ring is inserted into the mechanism, and plays Mendelssohn's "The Wedding March".

Michael Jordan Shares NBC Air Time With Inflatable Penis

Total Pro Sports - While watching sports, we often become fixated on what is happening in the field of play, but sometimes a simple gaze beyond the athletes and into the crowd will uncover great things. In some instances you may catch a woman flashing the players, or maybe a horny husband grabbing at his wife's breasts. And then there are those crazy guys behind home plate at Blue Jay games.

Well this weekend we were confronted with another great spectator moment at the American Century Celebrity Championship in Tahoe.

Michael Jordan is one of the most popular sports figures of the century, and with that being the case, you would expect him to attract a rather large gallery. Among those in attendance at the par 3 17th was everyone's favorite...The inflatable penis!

Is it me or does the woman hoisting the large male member seem to know how to handle it quite well. Let the search begin for the lovely lady with the large inflatable penis.

Update: Thanks to our friends over at Busted Coverage who interviewed Elizabeth The Giant Penis Holder.

Im christian and go to church pretty regularly.. I love Jesus…you know, so this is VERY unlike me, to the point that people do not believe that I would be caught hold a giant wee wee! Plus Im going to be a teacher.judgers.

It was funny though.

I was chased on the beach by a woman sherriff who told me to hand over the "inflatable penis", this was AFTER the bachelorette, Sam, rushed MJ on the green with the inflatable penis.

MJ was hysterically laughing.

We ran back to where we were standing and a male cop was coming over to talk to us so the bachelorette handed it over to me and everyone started yelling "RUN" so I ran over to where MJ was putting and started to jump up and down.

That was the shot that you got and was on tv.

I guess the network called the sheriff to get that inflatable penis!!.

I went back over to where the bachelorette was and they told me to run away again because I was really being pursued and out of no where a woman cop starts chasing me, so I run down to the water to throw it in the water,and at this moment everyone on the beach is watching and yelling at me to throw it in the water!

So I do!!

I am soooo not a rebel but I was under pressure and the cop was like" I could arrest you for that" and I said oh please dont!

so she tells me to grab it out of the water and deflate it…which I start to do, but I am taking my time..and just as I was about to open the hole to let the air out a friend runs up to us and takes it from me and jumps in the water and swims back to the boat. !!

That was HILARIOUS.. SO the cop and I and another girl are just standing there and I apologize to her and tell her how good she looks with a gun and we walk back to heckle tony romo. I am married and it was my future sister in law's bachelorette party.

Meanwhile back at the boat, where the rest of 24 girl bachelorette party was, harbor police comes up the to 5 boat barge and tells the girls that "they might as well have a sign that says stupid bachelorette party " and that we are all " stupid dumb girls" all becuz of the inflatable penis" and that people have been calling in and complaining.

HE THREATEND to breathalize the people on the boat if we didnt deflate it. SO the girls ont he boat had to deflate it and by that time we had to return the boats to the rental place. We were the talk of the town.!

Elizabeth Holding The Inflatable Penis

Hat Tip Video Via - [BustedCoverage] and Hat Tip Photo Via - [DeadSpin]

Happy Gilmore Was on to Something

By BILL PENNINGTON

Published: May 10, 2009

Classic golf movies: “Caddyshack,” “Tin Cup,” “Happy Gilmore.” O.K., that’s a short list and you may quibble about “Happy Gilmore,” but have you ever wondered whether Happy’s ice hockey-inspired swing technique would work? Admit it, you’ve tried it once or twice with your buddies. But face it, your swing is no way to judge if it can be done.

Now, what if Happy’s running start golf swing method, which is not against golf’s rules, was tried by one of the world’s best players? The folks on FSN’s “Sport Science” show, which airs Sunday nights, recently got Padraig Harrington to give it a try.

Harrington has attempted the Happy Gilmore swing before, using it as a way to break the monotony on the practice tee. So for “Sport Science,” Harrington had no qualms about taking some hearty whacks at the ball. It was funny, impressive and informative at the same time. It turned out that Harrington generated about 7 miles per hour more club head speed with his driver doing it Happy’s way, and he increased his usual drive of 296 yards by about 30 yards.

So it does work. Although it took some clearly superior swing dynamics and athleticism by Harrington to run a few steps and still get his arms and torso into the same coiled and balanced backswing position as his normal swing. And he said his experience playing hurling in his native Ireland, a sport that requires hitting a ball with a stick on the run, helped him. In the end, Harrington said he would not be remaking his swing. He also didn’t think it would be worth it for the accuracy he might lose.

But, hey, if he was down two strokes late on a Sunday and really had to bust one on a long par 5 to make eagle, why not, right?

You can watch Harrington’s “Sport Science” segment on YouTube.

Miracle Hole-In-One (Off The Water) - Nothing But Cup

Video was shot on Tuesday April 07, 2009 at Augusta National Golf Course during Tuesday's practice round on hole 16 (170 yard Par 3 Redbu...

Insane 1410-Ft Par 3 Must Be Seen to be Believed

Golf isn’t the type of sport that suffers exaggerators lightly; its near-clinical obsession with rules and precision leaves little to the whimsical machinations of a wandering mind. There is but one “longest par 4 everrr,” and it’s not that uphill 466-yarder at your local open course. So when DEVIL BALL GOLF declares a hole “quite simply the most amazing golf hole on the planet” (in the article’s headline, no less), well, we pay attention.

(Bonus awesomesauce: the greenery making Madagascar)

That’s the green of the “19th hole” at the Legends Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa. Sure, a green in the shape of a continent is pretty cool, but it’s hardly amazing. Oh, but did we mention it’s over 1/4 of a mile (1,410 feet) below the tee? And that you need a helicopter to get to the tee and back? Because that’s a pretty important detail.

DBG found footage at ONE EYED GOLFER of Padraig Harrington and Raphael Jacquelin playing the hole (and it’s dated February 23, so there’s no April Foolery going on here), which is below the jump. We’ll just say this: Padraig, you are the man.

Now, you’re probably wondering what hell that would wreak on the green; what would they use for divots, you might wonder, a backhoe? Turns out that as golf balls go, 1,410 feet isn’t very significant.

(By the way, a math/physics lesson follows. If that makes your head hurt, we understand; here’s that Cowgirl with the half-milly PLAYBOY offer again).

Despite the fact that the golf ball drops over a quarter of a mile, it doesn’t continue to accelerate the entire way. Like with anything of mass on Earth, a golf ball has a terminal velocity, or maximum speed at which it can fall toward the ground. Moreover, since it’s essentially spherical and subject to rigorously precise measurements, its terminal velocity can be (relatively) easily measured. All the heavy lifting is here, but the answer is that the t.v. is met at about 31.25 meters per second, which comes about 23 seconds into the ball’s descent; the ball takes about 29 seconds to fall at the 19th Hole, by way of comparison. So yes, the ball is falling as fast as it possibly can when it hits the green.

But there’s two things worth mentioning here. One, the ball is well past 99% of the way to t.v. by the 10th second of descent (pops to spreadsheet); any further acceleration is minimal (by the way, keep that graph open, because we’re using it later). But getting back to the point, the ball gets moving in a hurry. Second, the ball falls a long way on this hole, but it already falls a long way on all but the shortest approach shots to the green.

So let’s compare it to a regular shot from a 9-iron. If you’re interested in finding out how high a shot from 9-iron usually goes, we do not really recommend WIKIANSWERS.COM, who “answered” the question thusly:

2 feet

penis enlargement pump

Okay then. A slightly more precise answer to that question is that if a 9 iron goes 120 yards, it’s likely to go up almost 150 feet into the air (heavy lifting here, pops to .doc). And while that mark pales in comparison to 1410 feet, obviously, it’s enough to get the ball most of the way to t.v.

In fact, according to the graph above (did you keep it open? DID YOU?!), at 3.27 seconds, which is approximately how long it takes a golf ball to fall 148.5 feet, the velocity is -24.155 meters per second. Considering t.v. is -31.25 m/s, a golf ball from atop the (sigh) Xtreme 19th Hole–or even, for that matter, from a mile or two higher–is only travelling less than 30% faster than if it was just lofted from a 9-iron.

Now, a 30% change in velocity is no small matter; it’s the difference between being plunked in the ribs by a fastball from Jamie Moyer and from Kenny Powers, for example. But we’re not talking about speeds that high. 24.155 m/s is a hair over 54 mph, while 31.25 m/s is just under 70 mph. Taking a golf ball at those speeds would hurt. A lot. But 16 miles per hour here or there… ehh.

So no, the green doesn’t resemble a bombed out airport runway in Baghdad, nor must the area be legally classified as a war zone with incoming ordnance signaled by klaxon. Sure, your divots might be a bit bigger, but only just a bit.

Tiger thrills at Bay Hill with winning putt on 18

By DOUG FERGUSON, AP Golf Writer

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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP)—Tiger Woods drove away from Bay Hill wearing the navy blue blazer traditionally awarded to the winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He is more interested in a jacket of a different color, but this was a good start.

Next stop, Augusta National.

Woods couldn’t have written a better script Sunday, even if he’s guilty of plagiarism. For the second straight year at Bay Hill, he made pivotal putts along the back nine and came to the 18th hole needing a birdie to win. From the middle of the fairway, he had 164 yards to the hole—eerily, the same distance as last year.

Sean O’Hair was in the final group, same as last year.

The putt was far easier this time—only about 12 feet up the hill with a slight left-to-right break—but the outcome was predictable to just about everyone except for the lone voice from the bleachers that blurted out, “Playoff.”

Not a chance.

Woods holed the putt, and broke into a routine that also was similar to a year ago. He crouched and backpedaled as the ball rolled to the hole, but instead of slamming his cap to the ground, he punched the air with a roundhouse and hugged his caddie, Steve Williams, who lifted him slightly into the air.

“It feels good to be back in contention, to feel the rush,” Woods said. “It’s been a while, but God, it felt good.”

The final birdie in fading sunlight gave Woods a 3-under 67 and a one-shot victory over O’Hair, who had a five-shot lead going into the final round. It matched Woods’ largest comeback on the PGA Tour, and while it wasn’t quite as stunning as his rally at Pebble Beach nine years ago, it was no less special.

Woods won for the first time since he returned from reconstructive knee surgery a week after his U.S. Open victory, which kept him out for eight months.

He had two indifferent performances at World Golf Championships—one match play, one stroke play—and there were questions whether he would be ready for the Masters.

Might the blue jacket help him win a green one?

“It does, a lot,” Woods said. “This win definitely validates all the things I’ve been trying to do.”

He hit the ball beautifully two weeks ago at Doral and couldn’t make a putt. He scraped it around for the better part of three days at Bay Hill and was saved by his short game. Everything fell together in a final round Sunday that was delayed for two hours by rain.

The victory was helpful, but it was the manner in which he won that excited Woods.

For the first time since Torrey Pines, he felt his heart race and his adrenaline rush. After spending four hours trying to catch up to O’Hair, he spent the final hour trying to hang on.

It wasn’t without some drama.

O’Hair, who made only one birdie in his round of 73, was clinging to a one-shot lead on the par-3 14th when Woods caught a plugged lie under the lip of the bunker. He blasted out to just over 12 feet, while O’Hair had a 15-footer for birdie.

“Sean looked like he made his putt, and if he makes and I miss, all of a sudden there’s three shots,” Woods said.

Brandt Snedeker hits a shot fr…
AP - Mar 29, 9:29 pm EDT

O’Hair missed. Woods made his par putt.

And on the next hole, Woods drained a 25-foot birdie putt to tie for the lead.

The sun began to dip behind the trees, lowering the temperatures, and O’Hair believes that might have cost him. He had a 7-iron from the 16th fairway that was going right of the flag when it fell short and tumbled into the water. Woods hacked out of the rough and hit a splendid wedge to 3 feet to save par, giving him a one-shot lead.

“I think what happened is when the sun was going down a little bit, I guess that kind of proved to me that the ball wasn’t quite going as far,” O’Hair said.

Woods could relate. He posed over a 4-iron that was headed right for the flag when it came down short and into another plugged lie under the lip of a bunker. This time, Woods made bogey and they were tied again.

It came down to the final hole, which is Woods’ domain—especially at Bay Hill.

He won with a birdie on the 72nd hole for the third time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. There was a 15-foot bending birdie to beat Phil Mickelson in 2001, and the 25-footer to beat Bart Bryant last year.

Sean O'Hair reacts after h…
AP - Mar 29, 9:28 pm EDT

Woods, who finished at 5-under 275, won for the 66th time in his career. And while the finish was so similar to his Bay Hill victory last year, this was different.

“Last year … there wasn’t any big comeback or anything. I was out there just competing as usual,” Woods said. “This time, it was a little bit different. I hadn’t been in the mix since the U.S. Open, so it was neat to feel the heat on the back nine again.”

And did that heat feel any different?

“No it didn’t,” he said. “It’s like Stevie was saying out there, this feels like we hadn’t left. You can understand sometimes when some of the older players haven’t been in contention in a while and they come back, and then all of a sudden they put themselves in contention and then they win. You just remember how to do it.

“It hasn’t been that long for me, but you just have that feel of what to do and it’s a matter of getting it done.”

Woods got it done, as always.

It was his sixth victory at Bay Hill, the fourth tournament he has won that often. And it kept Mickelson from having a chance to overtake him at No. 1 in the world rankings this week.

But that’s of small importance to Woods. He is more interested in silver trophies and green jackets.

For now, navy blue will have to suffice.

One In A Million Shot

First time on the course and golfer hits a hole-in-one

By Rodney Page, Times Staff Writer

[EDMUND D. FOUNTAIN | Times]

Unni Haskell, 62, said she didn’t know a hole-in-one “was that big of a deal. I thought all golfers do this.

---

If you are a golfer who has played for any length of time, this story may make you want to quit the game. Or throw your morning coffee in disgust.

Unni Haskell, a 62-year-old native of Norway who moved to St. Petersburg last year from Stamford, Conn., took two months of golf lessons and decided she was ready to hit the course.

She stuck her tee in the ground, teed up a Top Flite range ball and took aim on the 100-yard first hole at Cypress Links, a nine-hole, par-3 course in St. Petersburg. Haskell swung as hard as she could with her purple Wilson ProStaff 12 degree driver. The shot went about 75 yards, avoided the bunker on the left, bounced onto the green and rolled in the hole.

First hole of her life. First swing on a course. Hole-in-one.

"I didn't know it was that big of a deal,'' she said. "I thought all golfers do this.''

Ugh.

It is not unprecedented. A golfer in England did it in October 2008 on a 140-yard hole. And in 2006, a junior golfer from Rockford, Ill., aced the first hole she played. Still, the odds of an amateur acing any par-3 hole are roughly 12,500 to one.

A late bloomer

Haskell has always been active. She has played tennis most of her life, but tried golf when she relocated with her husband, John. Mangrove Bay Golf Course, an 18-hole, par-72 facility, is down the street from her Venetian Isles home. She had a lesson with PGA teaching professional Rick Sopka and enjoyed it enough to sign up for eight half-hour sessions.

They took place mostly on the driving range. Sopka worked with her on iron shots, and every now and then they would tee up a driver.

Sopka had a different lesson planned for Haskell when she showed up on Feb. 25. She, however, talked Sopka into driving a golf cart to Cypress Links — the two city-owned courses are next to each other.

"We were going to do a putting lesson that day,'' Sopka said. "She said, no, she wanted to play. She didn't even hit a range ball. No warmup at all.''

Downhill from here

There is sand on the left of the first hole at Cypress Links, but the green is large. Haskell was hitting from the middle tee box, with the hole straight ahead in the center of the green.

"(Sopka) said you should find something to line the shot up,'' she said. "I saw a little leaf over there and I asked Rick if that was a good thing to line up with. He thought it looked good. Then I swung the club and Rick said it looked really good. He said it might go in the hole. Then he goes nuts. I couldn't believe it. I had to get Rick to take me up to the hole to prove it.''

The group on the second tee applauded. The golfers waiting behind Sopka and Haskell started shouting. The youngsters taking lessons on the putting green whooped it up.

"It's so crazy, it's one of those crazy things,'' Haskell said.

Sopka, a PGA member since 1998, has seen a lot as a teaching pro, but he has never seen this and probably never will again.

"She stood there and I could tell she was thinking about her grip and posture and everything,'' he said. "Then she makes her swing and hits it about 75 yards in the air. It kind of trundled up to the green and I'm like, 'Go in! Go in!' And then I go crazy, screaming and yelling. I give her a big hug. She didn't believe me.

"Then I said, 'Unni, here's the problem. There's nowhere to go from here but down.' ''

What's next?

Haskell followed her ace with 4 on the second hole and 6 on the third hole. She played six of the par-3 holes with Sopka by her side.

"I haven't played since, but I want to,'' Haskell said.

She received her hole-in-one certificate on Wednesday and plans to display it prominently in the house. And when people ask her about it, she can launch into the story about how it was her first swing ever on a golf course.

"I still can't believe it,'' she said.

Rodney Page can be reached at page@sptimes.com, golf@sptimes.com or (727) 893-8810.

What a slice! Stray golf ball discovered buried inside felled tree

By Daily Mail Reporter

Of all the flukes seen on a golf course, greenkeeper Richard Mitchell can claim one of the strangest.

As he took his chainsaw to a leylandii tree, he hit the exact spot where a ball was embedded in the wood and sliced through it.

The ball apparently lodged in a fork of the tree many years ago when a golfer hooked a drive on the first tee. The conifer grew around the ball and it remained hidden in the screen of 15 trees.

A golf ball was found embedded inside this preserved tree trunk

Trimmed, sanded and varnished, it is to become a rather unusual trophy board at Eaton Golf Club in Norwich.

Mr Mitchell discovered the ball last month after he felled the 40ft trees, planted 37 years ago, and began cutting the timber into 4ft lengths for firewood.

The piece of wood with the half ball visible is being preserved and varnished by former club captain Jim Cook who is a skilled woodworker.

It will then be kept behind the bar and used to record the names of everyone who gets a hole-in-one on the 198-yard ninth hole.

Eaton member Jim Cook is pictured on the ninth hole close to where the unique tree was felled

Peter Johns, the manager of the £675-a-year club, said: 'It is just an incredible find.

'We think it came off the first tee. It must have lodged in a fork or embedded itself in the trunk and the tree grew round it.

'If Richard had cut the trunk an inch or two either way we'd never have known it was there.'

The Secret of Golf Balls Revealed: Dimple Dynamics

Why do dimpled golf balls fly farther and straighter? Supercomputer simulation shows the fine details. Sporting goods companies have been relying upon trial and error to create effective dimple patterns. Now they may have a much better tool.

Credit: Arizona State University / University of Maryland / IMAGINOVA STUDIOS

Click here for the VIDEO

Man credited with 5 holes-in-one in week

EL PASO, Ill., Nov. 6 (UPI) -- A 22-year-old man from El Paso, Ill., made five holes-in-one at an area golf course in a six-day period, witnesses say.

Unidentified witnesses said Curt Hocker was able to place his first golf shot directly in the hole at the El Paso Golf Club on five occasions in less than a week's time, the Peoria (Ill.) Journal Star said Thursday.

Hocker said he is still in shock from his successful six-day golfing span, which began on Oct. 29 and ended Tuesday.

"If somebody told me they made five holes-in-one in a week, even on a par-3 course, I'd say 'No way,'" the former Illinois State University student said. "It's unbelievable. I'm just stunned."

Francis Scheid, a retired Boston University math department chairman, said the chance a golfer with a low handicap would make a hole-in-one on a routine par-3 hole is 5,000-to-1.

Scheid said those odds increase dramatically when considering holes with a higher par count and greater length such as those Hocker apparently conquered, the newspaper reported.