Growing up in a small farming town didn't provide many options as far as sports activities for local resident Steve Kruse when he was a young boy.
Steve Kruse
There weren't enough kids in his town to play baseball, but the small community did have a nine-hole golf course, and when Kruse was 13 he began playing.
Now, almost 60 years later, he has achieved a golfer's dream, a hole-in-one – better yet, three holes-in-one in about one year.
For Kruse, living in a small town had its advantages, especially for those who were athletic. When he grew older he played all the sports that were offered in his school, and his older brother allowed him to play with him and his friends also.
“Playing with better competition gave me the opportunity to be better than average in my age group,” Kruse said. “I didn’t realize it at the time, but it definitely made a difference.”
He continued to play golf throughout high school and during his Navy service, but when his sons were born, he semi-retired his clubs as his life grew busier.
At 42, Kruse decided to run his first marathon, which lead to 102 races in 10 years. He became the 111th person to run in all 50 states and D.C.
His retirement has given him the opportunity to take up golf again and resume one of his favorite games that had been put on hold.
After waiting what he described as 'forever,' Kruse finally made his first hole-in-one on Valentine's Day, 2022, followed by a second one on Nov. 30, 2023 and a third one on a few weeks ago on Dec. 17, 2023.
“The golfers with me were more excited than I was,” Kruse said. “I treat sports like I treat life, I do not get too high with the highs, or too low with the lows. It was just another shot.”
An amateur golfer's chance of a hole-in-one, or an ace, is 12,500 to 1, while for a professional golfer it's about 2,500 to 1.Famous golfer, Tiger Woods made his first ace when was six-years-old, but he has made only three holes-in-one during his PGA tours.
“I have attended several PGA events over the years, and although I have never had a favorite golfer, I admire what they can do,” Kruse said.
Now that he is 71, Kruse said golf in the only safe sport for him. He plays about 30 to 50 holes a day, except on weekends in the summer. He has played 100 holes or more during his birthday week for the last four years.
“Birthday golf is a full day commitment, taking over 10 hours to complete,” Kruse said. “When I do something, I am all in!”
He plays fast golf, which he prefers. “When I was a kid, I played in tournaments, but not much after that because it was just too slow,” Kruse said.
While he is unsure as to whether he will ever get another hole-in-one, he said, “You can bet I’ll keep trying. Golf has kept me young at heart.”
His best advice for young golfers is that it’s one shot at a time, each hole is a new beginning.
“My best advice for golfers of all experience levels is that the pros do not make every shot, so don’t get mad when your shots do not go where you want them to go,” Kruse said. “Also, remember in golf, it’s not ‘how,’ it’s ‘how many.’ Do it your way!”