Agostini: Modestan aces two holes in one round at Muni

MODESTO -- David Christiansen planned a casual nine-hole round of golf, nothing more, with his nephew Richard Webb visiting from Lincoln, Neb.

They chose 9-hole Modesto Municipal, the area's oldest course, for their day. It would be a good getaway, they thought, for some fun and recreation before Christmas.

And, of course, these seemingly harmless excursions are when all the crazy stuff happens.

Christiansen, a lifetime Modestan, scored two holes-in-one in a single round. The odds of that occurrence, according to Golf Digest magazine, are 67 million to 1.

Only one mistake was made that day: Christiansen did not hustle off to a casino afterward.

"They were nice and crisp shots," downplayed Christiansen, 68, a 22-handicapper at Del Rio Country Club. "I hit both pretty good."

Christiansen grew up on a Modesto farm and was a good baseball player at Modesto Junior College and Cal Poly, Pomona. He remembered the last game of his freshman season at MJC (1963) vividly. Coach Ralph Johnson put Christiansen in the starting lineup for the second game of a doubleheader, and it was a timely move. Christiansen hit a grand slam, two-run homer and a triple.

"The next year I was Ralph's pet. I made all-league," he recalled. "The Bee asked Ralph where that player has been all year. Really, that was a lucky game. It was the breaks."

Or was it?

Christiansen, a Downey High graduate, enjoyed a long teaching career at Modesto, Downey and Johansen until he retired in 2006. A friendly man, he believes he's been luckier than most.

"Being in the right spot at the right time has always helped me," he said.

Two years ago while his foursome's wives were watching near the green at the short downhill par-3 fourth at The Presidio in San Francisco, Christiansen holed a 7-iron shot for his first career hole-in-one. A week later, he swung the same 7-iron and another tee shot disappeared at Del Rio's 127-yard second (River nine).

"Then I had a dry spell," he quipped.

Well, the dry spell ended last month at Muni's 185-yard third. Christiansen pulled a 19-degree hybrid out of the bag and watched history repeat itself for hole-in-one No. 3. About an hour later at the 135-yard eighth, his story mushroomed from longshot to you-must-be-kidding.

"I said, 'Rich, That might have gone in again,' " Christiansen said. Sure enough, the ball was found at the bottom of the cup. For the record, he shot 41, and who cares about the score?

Christiansen plays about twice a week at Del Rio, where he served last year as senior men's group president. When he's asked about his good fortune, he just smiles and shrugs.

"Just lucky."

THE SHAG BAG — Bill Murray will return to defend his pro-am title at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am to be held Feb. 9-12. Murray won last year with individual champion D.A. Points. Call (800) 541-9091 or visit www.attpbgolf.com. ...

Sacramento native Scott McCarron will be inducted to the Hall of Fame at the 53rd California Golf Writers and Broadcasters Association Banquet on Tuesday night, Feb. 7, at The Inn at Spanish Bay. The golf writers have continued the event in conjunction with the Northern California Golf Association. Call (831) 375-1747.

HOLES-IN-ONE — Emmet Wilkins, Modesto, 182-yard fifth at Creekside, 7-wood. ... Mickey Schilber, Modesto, 165-yard 12th at Oakdale CC, 7-iron. ... Soren Knudsen, Oakdale, 100-yard sixth at Oakdale, 8-iron. ... John Lorenz, Oakdale, sixth at Oakdale, gap wedge. ... Marj Stuhlman, Modesto, 130-yard 12th at Spring Creek CC, Ripon, 7-wood. ... Brandon Murphy, Modesto, 139-yard second at Del Rio CC (Bluff), 8-iron. ... Gil Wymond, Modesto, 227-yard eighth at Del Rio (Bluff), 7-wood. ... Frank Gigilotta, Manteca, 90-yard 17th at Jack Tone Golf, Ripon, 9-iron.

Bee staff writer Ron Agostini can be reached at ragostini@modbee.com or (209) 578-2302.