Naperville mom and son both sink holes in one
A Naperville mother and son were dealt a pair of aces at Naperbrook Golf Course, but there was no poker game in sight.
Michelle and Zack Ruvola, who are both relatively new to golf, each made a hole-in-one at the Naperville Park District course in Plainfield within two weeks of each other.
"He doesn't hesitate to remind me his hole was longer so he got a better hole-in-one than I did," Michelle said laughing.
The duo decided the sport would be a good way for the family to spend time together since Michelle's husband, Lenny, is an avid golfer. They both took a few lessons this summer from Naperville's Springbrook Golf Course pro Mike Lyzun to work on their technique.
Zack had played golf a few times two years ago but found it boring, so he hadn't played much since.
When he hit the course July 11, though, it turned out to be anything but humdrum.
He arrived at Naperbrook with his father, grandfather and cousin. The latter two were in town visiting from New York.
It was on the eighth hole, a 142-yard par-3, that Zack pulled out his eight iron and hit what he knew was a clean shot. It started going left of the hole, but then came back, took a bounce, rolled and disappeared into the cup.
"By the time my dad was congratulating me my club was already in the air and I was doing my second hop, yelling, 'I got a hole in one!'" he said.
The rest of the golfers quickly knew it, too, as his grandfather started driving the cart down the fairways shouting the news to everyone within earshot.
The excitement didn't end there.
Like Zack, Michelle had only played a handful of times before this summer.
"It's a new sport (for me) that's fun and challenging and also the most frustrating I've ever participated in," she said.
On July 26, the family was back on the Naperbrook links facing the fourth hole, a 128-yard par-3. After taking a swing with her six iron, Michelle turned away from the ball after happily realizing it wasn't going to land in a sand trap.
That's when Lenny yelled for her to turn back around and the golfers behind them started yelling and clapping as they saw the ball roll into the hole.
"It was very exciting, I couldn't believe it," Michelle said.
Naperbrook will put both golfers' names on a plaque in honor of their feat and also gave them flags as a keepsake. The pair, in return, say Lyzun should get "teacher of the year" honors.
The dual holes-in-one were enough to convince both to keep on golfing.
"Now I'm just working to break 100," Michelle said. "It's back to reality now."
Zack should have plenty of opportunities to work on his game. He hopes to join the golf team at Naperville Central High School where he will be a freshman this fall.