Ed Bobigian Scores Ace During PCMGA Tourney
Ed Bobigian celebrates his hole-in-one!
Howie Tiger
On Nov. 30, 2023, Ed Bobigian made a hole-in-one on hole number 13 of the Tuscany Falls East course. Since it happened during a regular PCMGA tourney, he qualified to share in the 2023 PCMGA annual hole-in-one prize fund along with Brad Johnston and Dick Helmstetter.
The tourney format was Four Corners (3 net scores on holes 1, 9, 10, and 18, and 2 net scores on all others). The 13th hole played 115 yards from the white tee to a front pin placement. His playing partners were David Pritchyk, Bob Stacklie, and Tom Dingman. With a slight breeze in his face, Ed hit his 8-iron with a low flight right at the hole. David said, “I think that went in!” Ed responded, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” After arriving at the green, David said to Ed, “I’m not going over there until you check the hole. Still skeptical, Ed brought his putter to the green. Ed looked into the hole and there it was. Knuckle bumps and cheers followed.
Ed has been playing golf for 60 years, being introduced to the game by his parents. He also caddied (double bagging) for several years as a teenager. This was his second hole-in-one. His first one came in 1992 at the Santa Teresa CC in Santa Teresa, N.M.
Ed grew up in Stoughton, Mass., and attended Stoughton High School. After graduating he enlisted in the U.S. Army serving from 1971 until 1974. He was stationed at an air base in Da Nang, Vietnam. He was a “Black Box Changer” (avionics maintenance). Returning safely from Vietnam, he was then stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas. We thank him for his service!
He met Valerie, his wife for 47 years, in El Paso and spent the next 30 years there. Initially working in the fast food restaurant business, Ed was an owner/operator of a Weinerschnitzel Restaurant franchise for 17 years before becoming a Business Analyst for Boeing. He served in that position for 20 years (11 in El Paso and nine in Virginia). He retired in 2013 and moved with Valerie here to PebbleCreek.
Congrats on his terrific shot!
Hole-in-One: Jerry Fox Makes His First Ever Hole-in-One at Tuscany Falls East
Jerry Fox (left) with playing partner Brad Guck
Howie Tiger
On Nov. 8 Jerry Fox made a hole-in-one on hole number 4 of the Tuscany Falls East course. This was his first ever hole-in-one after playing golf for more than 45 years. Nothing like perseverance!
The 4th hole was playing 148 yards from the white tee to a front-left pin position just over the sand trap. Wind was not a factor, so Jerry hit his 28-degree hybrid. Jerry did not see the ball go in, as in typical “Jerry Fox fashion” he was back in his golf cart before the ball landed! However, Dan Unklesbay, one of his playing partners said, “Jerry, I think that went into the hole!” Brad Guck and Chris Vicari were Jerry’s other playing partners that day. Brad was first to arrive at the green and checked the hole. Brad said, “Son-of-a gun (or something to that effect), it’s in the hole.” High fives and congratulations commenced, plus some photos taken.
Jerry was born and raised in South Bend, Ind., and attended Mishawaka High School where he lettered four years in cross country running. He graduated from Indiana University with a business degree in accounting. He secured an accounting position with Ernst & Young, a “Big 8” accounting firm in their Fort Wayne, Ind., office where he worked for 10 years. He then became Chief Financial Officer of the Journal Gazette Newspaper Company also located in Fort Wayne. He served in that position for 33 years until his retirement in 2014. Jerry and his wife, Barbara, moved to PebbleCreek that same year.
Jerry is most proud of his involvement with Lifetime Sports Academy, an entity that he and a colleague, Tom Jehl, had founded and fundraised for. Located at McMillen Park, an inner-city public park in Fort Wayne, the Academy provides free instruction to local youth ages 8 to 18 in golf, tennis, and swimming. It serves 800 to 1,500 kids each summer and has done so for 25 straight years since its founding.
Parks and Recreation Director Steve McDaniel has said, “More than 30,000 youngsters have had the opportunity to participate in athletic activities they may never have had the chance to try, if not for this program. They come to McMillen Park, they have some fun, learn some skills, and some even go on to play these sports in school and in area youth leagues. It’s an exceptional program to our department and to the community.”
Congratulations to Jerry on his first hole-in-one and many thanks to him for his generosity to many Fort Wayne kids!
Hole-in-One: Brad Johnston Does It Again—His 11th Ace!
Brad Johnston makes his 11th hole-in-one!
Howie Tiger
On Nov. 14, Brad Johnston made a hole-in-one on hole number 5 of the Tuscany Falls West course. This was Brad’s eleventh career hole-in-one! He made it while playing in the Wild Bunch golf group. The prize for this one was not as lucrative as the one he made earlier this year in May during a regular PCMGA tourney.
It was opening day for the West course, which had been closed for renovation since May. The 5th hole was playing 148 yards from the white tees with a front pin-position. With a helping wind, Brad hit a fade with his 8-iron just left of the hole. He nor any of his playing partners (John Low, Wade Petersen, and Larry King) saw the ball go in. The foursome approached the green and Brad first looked in the left side sand trap. Then, John said, “Check the hole!” Brad looked in the hole and there it was. Congrats and high fives commenced.
We reported earlier about Brad’s May 11, 2023, hole-in-one being his ninth one. Apparently we did not include another one he made in 1998 at Poppy Hills in Monterrey, Calif. So adding those nine to this one and the one in May, his running total is now 11.
Congrats on this terrific shot and now looking forward to an even dozen!