It was a cold January evening in Texas, and my best friend and I were out on the course, bundled up but ready to play. We’d always had a friendly wager: the first one of us to hit a hole in one would earn a bottle of fine whiskey, courtesy of the other. It was one of those bets you make, never really expecting it to happen.

We got to hole 8, a short but tricky 96-yard par 3. I grabbed my trusty Vokey 56-degree, took a deep breath, and let it rip. The ball landed just short of the pin on a spine then rolled down right into the cup.

For a moment, we were silent, processing what had just happened. Then the cheers erupted—pure joy, disbelief, and excitement all at once. It was a moment I’ll never forget, shared with someone who made it even more special. Cheers to that!