Nassau Teen, Who Recently Took Up Golfing, Shoots Hole-In-One

LEVITTOWN, NY — A teenager from Levittown, who started golfing earlier this year, made his first hole-in-one during a recent family outing.

Owen Hand, 13, was golfing at Robert Moses State Park when he had the milestone moment.

The tee-to-cup shot came at the Par 3-15th hole. Making the achievement even more amazing, Hand only took to golfing three months ago.

"I didn't know it went in until I looked in the hole," Hand told Patch.

Owen, of few words, described the feeling of notching his first hole-in-one succinctly as "good."

"He was a bit shocked at first, I would say," his mother Keri Hand said.

Owen wants to grow his golfing skills. He plans to go take up golf in high school, making sure that they have a team.

"He's already looked up camps that he could do next summer," she said.

Much of the Hand family was there to witness Owen's prowess, except his father who couldn't make it.

As soon as Owen's ball rolled in the cup, his mother said he immediately wanted to call his dad.

"It was pretty cool," Kari Hand said. "It was definitely unexpected."

Owen, making up for lost time, hits the links each weekend.

"He tries to go every Saturday with whoever will take him," she said.

Plus, he practices his swing "with anyone who'll go with him" at the driving range in Eisenhower Park, "so he is into it," she said.

Beyond that, Owen is working on his short game, putting in the house or backyard "every chance he gets," his mom said. "He plays a lot with his grandfather in our backyard. He's kind of become his coach."

Owen said golf has become a passion for him. It got kicked into high gear this summer on a family trip to Cape Cod.

"He wanted to be able to go with all his older cousins and uncles and his dad," she said.

Although initially he was more excited about wanting to drive the golf cart.

Owen's younger brother, who doesn't golf, is there to provide sibling support and "comedic relief," she said.

If you're wondering how Owen's hole-in-one round went, keep wondering.

"I didn't keep score," he said.

As Owen got the family's first hole-in-one, a rivalry ensues.

"His dad is not so happy that he never got a hole in one, and his 13-year-old has," Keri Hand laughed. "So, he's a little bit jealous to say the least."