This Golfer Made 2 Aces in 5 Holes — and He'd Never Even Birdied

It's the kind of story you might not believe: A golfer who had never made a birdie recorded not just one hole-in-one, but two aces — and within a five-hole stretch of golf. But it's true. And both aces were even witnessed by a famous golf instructor.

What are the odds of an average golfer making two holes-in-one in the same round of golf? An estimated 67 million-to-one. What are the odds for a beginning golfer who has never birdied before? Even higher. And a golfer who has never birdied making two aces within five holes? Astronomical.

But that's exactly what Sanjay Kuttemperoor, of Naples, Fla., did during a round of golf played at the Treetops Resort in Michigan in the Summer of 2006. One of the holes-in-one even bounced into the hole after hitting a tree! It is one of the wildest hole-in-one stories around.

Witnessed by Golf Instructor Rick Smith

Even better: We know the story is completely true. Kuttemperoor's crazy day happened during the pro-am for the ING Par-3 Shootout, a silly season tournament that was played at Treetops from 1999-2006. (Maybe after Kuttemperoor's aces they decided to call off the tournament — what could ever top that, after all?) And the witnesses included Kuttemperoor's playing partner, famous golf instructor Rick Smith. Smith's clients over the years have included Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh, David Duval and Paul Azinger.

"I've never seen anything like it in my whole life," Smith said at the time. "It was amazing."

(Related: Who is the oldest golfer to make a hole-in-one?)

The pro-am took place on Treetops Resort's par-3 course. Kuttemperoor's first ace happened at the 5th hole, using an 8-iron. He didn't even see that one go in the hole.

"I hit a solid shot and didn't see it go in the hole because the pin was right over a ridge," Kuttemperoor said in an interview with ESPN's Charlie Rymer.

"Rick (Smith) looked at me and said, 'I think that went in the hole!' I ran down the hill and my ball was in the hole. I couldn't believe it."

Kuttemperoor's second ace happened on the 9th hole. This time, his tee shot hit a tree near the green. Kuttemperoor was looking for his ball in the rough when Smith said he saw the ball carom off the tree and toward the hole.

"Sure enough, when I finally strolled to the green and looked in the hole, there it was," Kuttemperoor said.

Kuttemperoor was not an avid golfer. He was only an occasional golfer, so occasional that he had never made a birdie. After all the excitement of his two holes-in-one, guess what: Kuttemperoor had still never made a birdie. His two aces were eagles.