This article originally appeared in the July issue of NCGA Golf Magazine
By Erin Blaettler
Some rounds produce a great score. Others become family stories.
Jim and Leo Fiorentino arrived at Santa Teresa Golf Club’s Short Course expecting nothing more than an evening round with friends. Instead, they walked away with a story few golfers will ever be able to tell. Within minutes of one another, father and son each made a hole-in-one on the same 79-yard hole while playing identical Titleist Pro V1 golf balls marked with the number one.
The achievement alone was extraordinary. But for the Fiorentinos, what made the moment unforgettable wasn't just the rarity of two aces—it was sharing them together.
Extraordinary moments rarely announce themselves. This one didn't either. Jim entered with modest expectations after spending the previous few months battling a back injury that had limited both his practice and his time on the course. Joined by Leo and two friends, the group settled into one of Jim's longtime traditions: a friendly skins game they had been playing on Santa Teresa's Short Course for more than 25 years.
When they arrived at the eighth tee, a 79-yard par-3, Jim noticed something that still makes him laugh.
Whenever he found a pink tee lying on a tee box, he would usually toss it aside, convinced it brought bad luck. This time, for reasons he still can't explain, he decided to use it.
His wedge landed beyond the flag, took a couple of quick hops, checked, and slowly rolled into the cup.
The group erupted with high-fives and cheers, but before the celebration could settle, one of their playing partners smiled and joked, "It's not over yet."
Everyone laughed.
Then Leo stepped onto the tee.
"I just had this weird gut feeling," Leo said. "I had a surge of confidence standing over the ball. I felt like I could get one close."
His shot never left the flag. It landed softly, checked, and released toward the hole before disappearing into the cup.
"I didn't even realize it had gone in until I saw everyone's reaction," Leo said. "That's when it really hit me."
For Jim, the image that has stayed with him isn't the golf shot itself.
"I remember Leo's face," he said. "He came over and gave me a huge hug. Sharing that moment with my son made it even more special."
Only after retrieving their golf balls did they notice another remarkable coincidence. Both had been playing Titleist Pro V1s marked with the number one.
For the Fiorentinos, however, the matching golf balls and matching aces are only part of the story. Santa Teresa has been woven into their family's lives for decades. Jim met his wife while they both worked at the course. Leo learned the game there before eventually joining the staff himself, and today his sister works there as well.
The odds of what happened on the eighth hole may never be repeated. But for Jim and Leo, the lasting memory won't be the statistics. It will be sharing one unforgettable moment on a golf course that has helped shape their family's story for generations.