Youngest Knox one-ups brothers

When most golfers tee it up, a voice in the back of their head whispers: "Maybe this will be the day I make my first hole-in-one."

Austin Knox, a 9-year-old Augustan, has a different thought. He's already looking for ace No. 2.

Knox, a fourth-grader at Episcopal Day School, made a hole-in-one in late October on the fourth hole at Augusta Country Club.

He hit a 5-iron shot into the hole, which was playing at 108 yards from the red tees. His mother, Catherine, was the witness.

The closest he'd come to making an ace before that, Austin said, was 15 feet.

"I was in shock," said Austin, who thought the shot went over the green.

Austin comes from a golfing family. His father, Jeff Knox, is one of the top amateurs in the state and the current club champion at Augusta Country Club.

Jeff played collegiate golf at Georgia, which is where his oldest son, Jefferson, is going on a golf scholarship in the fall.

Jefferson carries a low single digit handicap, as does the family's middle son, 15-year-old Lee.

Austin has been playing golf since he was 5 years old. His best nine-hole score is 43.

He often plays golf with his mother, who is just taking up the game.

"It's a good time for us; he's not good enough to play with his brothers or dad. I step in to be his buddy," Catherine Knox said.

Yes, but Austin has something his two older brothers don't: A hole-in-one. He's not rubbing it in though, yet.

"He still looks up to his older brothers a good bit; he's too embarrassed to give them a little peck," Jeff Knox said. "But the other guys are feeling it, that's for sure.

"I think it's pretty neat that his two brothers are scratch golfers and he's the first one to get it (a hole-in-one)," Jeff Knox said.

Said Catherine Knox: "He doesn't rub it in their face or anything, but he's definitely proud of the fact his brothers, who can beat their dad, have not made a hole-in-one. It's fun seeing that he has one little something on his brothers."

Austin isn't so reserved with his fellow junior golfers.

"Believe me, he lets them know it," Catherine Knox said.

Austin Knox has even one-upped his father. Jeff has five aces, but he didn't make his first one until he was 17. Appropriately, it came on No. 17 at Belle Meade Country Club in Thomson.

The first person Austin called after making the ace was his father.

"He told me where he was at, that he's just finished No. 4," Jeff Knox said. "I believe I asked him if he'd made a hole-in-one. He was really excited and said, 'Yes sir, I did.'"

Austin Knox takes lessons at Augusta Country Club. His father helps him with his swing, if needed, between lessons.

"He's a good athlete, and he enjoys practicing," Jeff Knox said. "He's involved in other things as well, being a 9-year-old. He's got the potential to be good if he works at it."

GEORGIA COURSES

Pointe South

- Mitch Moon, No. 14, 151 yards, 8-iron. Witnesses: Joe Arcuri, Jason Fish and Don Boltz.

- Paul Hearn, No. 6, 9-iron. Witnesses: Tom Collins, Tommy Holleran and Pauline Holleran.

- D.J. Daly, No. 4, 9-iron. Witnesses: Chris Brown, Charles Mays and Christian Brown.

- Kirk Driggers, No. 4, 108 yards, pitching wedge. Witnesses: John Shipp and Keith Carlson.

- Pointe South member Alex Bailey, No. 12 at Edisto Island Golf Club, 137-yards, 8-iron. Witnesses: Steve Ellerbee and Wayne Hardy.

Bartram Trail

- Bill Fishburne, No. 16. Witness: Wayne Braddy.

- Todd Williams, No. 8. Witnesses: Jeff Sandlin, Bart Cathey and Steve Brooks.

- Mike Alexander, No. 12. Witness: Donald Finley.

- John Carney, No. 4. Witness: Ken Meyer.

- Bruce Williamson, No. 12. Witnesses: Don Williamson, Doug Williamson and Carol Williamson.

Forest Hills GC

- Carter Loftis, No. 13, pitching wedge. Witnesses: Bill Patterson, Hugh Bennett and Perry Aaronson.

- Lowell Barnhart, No. 13, 115 yards, 9-iron. Witnesses: Dave Gardiner, Charlie Gibson and Dick Westbrook.

- Edward Valenzuel, No. 7, 6-iron, 153 yards. Witnesses: Dick Hartney, Jim Wicker and John Clements.

- Terry Goodin, No. 4, 150 yards, 5-wood. Witnesses: Eddie Huff, Charles Aldridge and Dan DePalma.

Applewood

- Randy Williams, No. 9, 171 yards.

- Cason Marshall, No. 5, 155 yards,

- Don Wilson, No. 13, 154 yards.

- Andy Collins, No. 13, 154 yards.

- Marcus Lewis, No. 17, 156 yards.

Goshen Plantation Golf Club

- Steve Choi, No. 4, 180 yards, 5-iron. Witnesses: Bruce Choi, Yong Choi and Young Kim.

- Mark Dalzell, No. 4, 185 yards, 5-iron. Witnesses: Robert Omar, Fred Ogden and Dan Cooper.

- Drew Braithwaite, No. 17, 160 yards, 4-iron. Witness: Tim Swords.

- Myung Cho, No. 7, 185 yards, 5-iron. Witnesses: Yong Choi, OK Kim.

Jones Creek

- Tim Rzasa, No. 2, 148 yards, 7-iron. Witness: David Miller.

- Jerry Wilcher, No. 12, 7-iron. Witnesses: Julius McAnally and Tom Bonner.

- Travis Smith, No. 12. Witnesses: Mike Gardner and Frank Caughman.

Augusta Municipal Golf Course

- Andre Ware, No. 10. Witnesses: Bennett Bowers and Ronnie Grant.

- Rick Howard, No. 10, 9-iron. Witness: Benny Cheek.

- Ron Martin, No. 14, 7-iron. Witnesses: R.C. Martin and Marion Gibson.

Rocky Branch

- Larry Hyman, No. 8, 125 yards. Witnesses: Bill Bannister and Randall Edmunds.

- Joe Banks, No. 17, 135 yards, 7-iron. Witnesses: Bill Bannister and Aubrey Crawford.

West Lake

- Rick Pugh, No. 13, 177 yards, 6-iron. Witness: Chris Plummer.

- Tom Crampton, No. 4. Witness: Earl Turner.

The First Tee of Augusta

- Anthony Stewart, No. 6, 160 yards, 9-iron. Witnesses: Bryce Moon, Brandon Moon and Mitchell Moon.

- Tim Ouzts, No. 6, 173 yards. Witness: Carl Ouzts.

- Rich Flake, No. 1, 119 yards, pitching wedge. Witness: Robert White.

Augusta CC

- Jimmy Garren, No. 14, 7-iron. Witnesses: Les Perry, Chris Smith and Jeff Hadden.

Champions Retreat

- John Phelan, No. 8, pitching wedge.

Eagles on par-4s

Augusta Municipal Golf Course

- Stan Frazier, No. 11, driver, 4-iron.

Double eagle

White Columns (Alpharetta, Ga)

- Doug Weiss, No. 6, 505 yards. Weiss holed out a 235-yard, 3-wood shot. Witnesses: Alex Frick, Mark Cassanda and Jim Parker.

Note: A listing of holes-in-one at area South Carolina courses will run next Wednesday.

Reach David Westin at (706) 724-0851 or david.westin@augustachronicle.com.