Most golfers wait their entire lives hoping to make an elusive hole-in-one that never comes.
At age 90, Ray Riek has enjoyed a lifetime of aces.
The Southmont resident made a hole-in-one on the par-3 No. 5 at Berkley Hills Golf Course this past month. By Riek’s count, that was his 15th career ace. Berkley Hills manager Derek Hayes and assistant manager Tony Mondi each announced the feat as Riek’s 15th.
“Being 90 years old, it feels pretty good,” Riek said after playing a round of golf Friday at the nine-hole, city-owned course. “I’ve probably played more golf up here than anyone.
“My dad used to bring me up here right after the war in 1946.
“I’ve been golfing off and on since.”
A regular at Berkley Hills, Riek is among a group of golfers known as “The Herd.”
Riek used a 7-wood to place a shot near the edge of the green on the 153-yard, fifth hole at Berkley Hills. The ball slowly rolled toward and then into the hole. Witnesses Barry Kohr and Sam Zima, members of “The Herd,” were ecstatic after the Oct. 18 ace.
“It was a beautiful shot,” Kohr said. “It hit just short of the green, rolled up and went in the hole. He’s amazing – 90 years old. I don’t know anyone his age who is able to get a hole-in-one, and then to have 15 on top of that. Besides that, he’s a great guy to play golf with.”
A few months earlier, Zima had a hole-in-one on No. 8 at Berkley Hills. He appreciated being a part of Riek’s latest ace.
“It’s amazing when you’re as old as Ray and you can still hit a hole-in-one,” Zima said.
“He’s a great golfer for a guy that’s up in age like that.
“Sometimes he gets a little mad if I mention his age.
“It was a great shot,” Zima added.
“It came across the green and was rolling, rolling, rolling toward the pin, and then it just disappeared.”
Riek said all but two of his holes-in-one have been at the Berkley Hills Golf Course. He said one was on a course in Donegal, Westmoreland County, and another during a round played in West Virginia.
“I don’t remember when I had my first hole-in-one. It was (at Berkley) though,” Riek said.
Born in 1934, Riek was a caddy at Sunnehanna Country Club at age 11 and began playing the next year.
His late father introduced him to the sport.
“I caddied until I signed up for the military,” said Riek, a veteran who served overseas.
Riek still is in great shape and moves around the course at a steady pace, looking 10 or 15 years younger than his age.
When asked how he keeps his golf game sharp, Riek had a simple answer.
“I do a lot of work around the yard,” he said. “I retired when I was 57. I lost my job as a warehouse manager at Cambria Equipment. I did play golf a lot after retiring.”
Riek and his wife, Debbie, have two children, three grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
So, does Riek see another hole-in-one in his future on the links?
“I keep trying,” Riek said.
“I played 18 holes (Friday) and didn’t play good. The day before, I shot 76 and I was happy about that.”
Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.
