The 8th hole at Mohegan Sun Golf Club will always be special to Dave Cormier and his son.

Back on May 24, Cormier, 68, recorded his second career hole-in-one. Three days later, Tyler, 29, accomplished the feat on the same hole, ringing up his first ace.

And Dave was there to witness it.

“That made it all the more special,” said Tyler, a 2012 Norwich Free Academy graduate.

Both father and son are very familiar with the course, which is located in Sprague.

Dave, who lives in Canterbury, is a longtime member, almost 40 years, going back to the days when the course was called Pautipaug Country Club.

Tyler played there regularly as a member of the NFA golf team and attended youth clinics. He now lives in Reston, Va.

It was during Tyler’s visit home in May when Dave started the hole-in-one parade.

Playing with friends, Dave hit a seven iron from white tees on the 8th hole. The distance was 140 yards.

“There’s like a three-tiered green,” said Dave, describing the hole. “There’s a lower level and then there’s an upper level to the left and an upper level to the right. The pin was down in the front, so if you hit it to the middle of the green it will funnel back toward the hole.

“There’s a bunker on each side of the hole and it cleared the bunker on the right side. All you could see was the ball heading toward the hole and then it disappeared. I knew it went in.”

Dave wasted no time in reaching out to Tyler, who was working remotely that day.

“I sent him a picture the minute that I got the hole-in-one,” Dave said. “He was at my house.”

Three days later, Dave and Tyler decided to play a round together before the latter returned to Virginia.

Arriving at 8th hole, they teed off from the blue tees (165 yards), never thinking that it would be possible for either one of them to record an ace.

Tyler, the last to hit in the group, noticed a favorable pin placement.

“At the time, I completely forgot that he just got a hole-in-one there,” Tyler said. “I just thought (the pin) was in a good spot where I had a general chance of making it.”

Like his father, Tyler hit a seven iron. His shot appeared to sail too far to the right but it took a “lucky bounce,” kicked left and rolled into the cup.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Tyler said. “I dropped the club. We were all high-fiving. It was really cool and definitely awesome that my dad was there to see it.”

Dave got just as much enjoyment, if not more, watching his son pull it off.

“It was awesome to see that,” Dave said. “I’m glad I was there to see it. I thought it was remarkable. He had played there for years when he was on the golf team at NFA. He took a picture of the ball and the hole and sent it to everybody that he knows. They were all happy for him.”

Tyler took his prized ball out of play and took it home to Virginia. His father sent him a case to keep it in.

Dave, on the other hand, kept playing with his hole-in-one ball, which ended up at the bottom of the pond on the 13th hole later that day.

The ball from Dave’s first ace 23 years ago at Pautipaug is hanging in his house.

Dave, who’s retired, has bragging rights over his son in the hole-in-one competition.

It may be difficult for Tyler to catch up since he plays just once a week compared to four times for father.

“He’s trying to top me,” Dave said. “I’m sure it’s in the back of his mind. You always want to one-up your dad.”

Aces runs in the Cormier family.

Tyler’s mom, Diane, is in the club as is his cousin.

“Most of the people in my family that play golf, they all have a hole-in-one,” Tyler said. “Sure enough, my day finally came.”

Short putts

• The summer golf season is off to a busy start at Elmridge Golf Course in Pawcatuck.

“We’ve been crazy busy,” director of golf Chris Jurgasik said. “I thought we were going to slow down but it’s not even close. People who took it up during the pandemic, they’re still playing. It’s good for golf and good for the owners.”

Over a recent nine-day span, the club hosted eight tournaments. A large group of Coast Guard retirees made their annual visit with 70 golfers playing each of the three days.

“They’ve been coming here for about 30 days,” Jurgasik. “They come from all over the country. A great group of guys.”

A senior club championship winner will be crowned on Saturday, June 24. Anthony Kargul, the defending champion, is in the field.

• Pequot Golf Club in Stonington was the site of a special Memorial Day weekend event. An honor guard ceremony was held for Bruce Rebello, a member of the Pequot golf family who passed away in November.

Over 50 people were on hand, according to Pequot pro Bob Hill.

“His son (Bruce Jr.) wanted to have it here,” Hill said. “It was a really nice ceremony. We had a memorial for our Pequot family and a special honor guard ceremony after that.”

Also at Pequot, Tim Friar of Groton, who plays in the senior league, had an eagle on No. 2 a week after accomplishing the feat on No. 1.

And congrats to Westerly’s Don Dias who recently shot his age (69).

• At Norwich Golf Course, Terry Hanrahan won the Men’s President’s Cup and Jenn Miller captured the Ladies’ President’s Cup earlier this spring.

• Old Lyme women’s golf association held its Nancy Lehr Cup Golf Tournament on May 27. The annual event raises money for the Connecticut Women’s Golf Association fund for junior golf. This season, $715 was collected. The winning team was the foursome of Carol Gordon, Esther Boyle, Libby Cathcart and Sharon Craig. Second place went to Helene Nichols, Jodie Godbout, Patty Kurlanski and Sally Crawford while Beebe Miller, Linder Tucker, Hollis Barry and Kate Bollo placed third.

In another women’s event, Ann Jose and Carolyn Daddona won the member-member tournament earlier this week, beating the duo of Lynn Edwards and Jodie Godbout. Jose helped clinch the match with a chip-in on the 16th hole.

• Matt Fuller of Great Neck Country Club in Waterford advanced to match play at the 121st Connecticut Amateur Championship at the Country Club of Darien. He made the cut by firing a two-round total of 156 (83-73) on Tuesday. He lost to two-time champion Christopher Fosdick of Wallingford, 7 & 6, in the round of 32.

• East Lyme native Lynn Valentine placed 18th with a two-round total of 161 (80-81) at the 24th Connecticut Women’s Open on June 6 at Rolling Hills Country Club. She is a teaching pro at Old Palm Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens in Florida.

Samatha Morrell of Warwick Country Club won the event with an even par 146 (71-75). In the amateur division, Caroline Petchark of Great Neck Country Club shot a 176 (93-83) to finish 15th.

Petchark also competed in the New England Women’s Amateur that started Monday and ended Wednesday at Manchester Country Club. She tied for 19th with a three-round total of 238 (82-79-77). Zorah Williams of Stonington Country Club also tied for 19th with rounds of 77, 82 and 79. In the women’s amateur junior championship division, Williams tied for 12th.

Upcoming events

• Some of the top golfers in the world will compete in the Travelers Championship next week at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell. Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy will be in the field.

• Looking for a fun way to spend a day on the golf course and raise money for a good cause at the same time? Then sign up for the Ledyard High School Athletics Golf Tournament set for July 3 at Lake of Isles in North Stonington. Cost is $160 per person, $640 per foursome. For more information, contact Jim Buonocore at jbuonocore@ledyard.net

• Black Hall Club in Old Lyme will host the CSGA’s 17th Senior Match Play Championship from June 26 to June 29.

• Qualifying for the Elmridge men’s club championship will be held on July 8 and July 9.

• The Connecticut Senior Open returns to Shennecossett Golf Course in Groton, running July 10 and July 11.

• Registration is open for the 97th Norwich Invitational, which will run July 14-16 at Norwich Golf Course.

g.keefe@theday.com