11/15/07
Golfer’s score matches his age with hole-in-one
By Jerriod Grizzle

Jerriod Grizzle/Manning Times

Jim Goebel with his putter overlooking the golf course at Wyboo. Goebel has lived here for 9 years and is an avid golf enthusiast.

Jim Goebel had one goal this year: to have his age match is golf score.

“That is what I told my wife. This year I would like to shoot my age,” he said. To accomplish this feat, Goebel had not one but two holes-in-one already this year and the golfing year of his lifetime.

“The first one was May 18 at Wyboo on hole number 13 into the wind about 155 yards with a 7-iron. The second was Oct.13, at the Players Golf Course at hole number 16 with no wind using a wedge shooting 112 yards,” he said.

Reflecting upon his two one-hole wonders, Goebel had only a single thought.

“It only took me 50 years … and I shot a 71 on that day Oct. 13,” he said.

Goebel, 71, with a handicap of 10/11, chalks his success up to luck.

“It’s all luck, but with age comes experience” he said smiling. “I should have gone out and bought a lottery ticket.

Goebel was born in Wilmington, Delaware where he worked as a raw material purchasing consultant for duPont.

Goebel moved to Wyboo in 1998.

“I just wanted to live somewhere where I could play golf all year round,” he said happily.

He said that many times he has gotten very close to shooting his age by scoring a 72, but this is the first time he has shot a 71, his age.