Saffron Walden Golf Club celebrated its fifth hole-in-one in just over a week recently.

Clive Clark, Paul Bell, Simon Hawkins and Jamie Price all carded aces in the space of four days after the course reopened on May 13.

And Patrick Lavelle joined the honours board during the Bank Holiday weekend, two days before his 61st birthday!

The 18-handicapper has been a member at the club for three years, having previously been a member at Villarceuax near Paris.

And the Great Dunmow resident, who also happens to be Deputy Mayor and a District Councillor on Uttlesford District Council as a member of the Residents for Uttlesford party, used a Callaway 4 rescue wood on the seventh hole to claim his moment of glory.

He said: “I had a previous hole-in-one at St Andrews Golf Club in Overland Park, Kansas, not Scotland, in 2002, as we lived in Kansas for two years from 2001-03.

“On the tee I knew I had hit a great shot, high and straight, and I saw the ball land on the front of the green but didn’t see the ball go in the hole.

“As I walked to the green I started to feel very disappointed because I couldn’t see the ball near the hole – so I thought it must have rolled off the back of the green.

“Having checked around the back of the green I went to check the hole and was delighted to see the ball nestling in the bottom of the cup – I couldn’t stop smiling!

“I called my wife over to witness the ball in the hole, but she wasn’t quite as pleased as I was – we were playing a competitive matchplay and I had just won the sixth hole and now clearly also won the seventh.

“Although she had a shot from me on the seventh, so if she had a birdie we would have halved the hole. She had a par.”

The five points earned for his ace helped Lavelle play to his handicap and finish with 36 overall, while he also won the matchplay element against his wife, 4&3.

“After the hole in one my focus was not so good, I just couldn’t stop smiling!” he added.

“For me this was a wonderful, slightly early, birthday present and the memory of the hole-in-one kept me smiling all week.”