As Garrett Josten watched his dad Dean celebrate a hole-in-one at Country Shadows Golf Course in Columbus, the 15-year-old wondered if it would ever be his turn.
He didn't have to wait long.
Three weeks later, the Millard West sophomore aced the 159-yard 14th hole at Pacific Springs with a 7-iron.
"I was in shock," Garrett said.
Dean Josten got his ace on the 140-yard fifth hole at Country Shadows during a Sertoma Club outing with Garrett. The ball bounced once about a yard in front of the hole, hit the pin and dropped straight in the cup.
"We could see it all," Dean Josten said. "That was a real treat to have him right there with me. We were jumping around and having a lot of fun."
Josten's ace brought a bonus to the Sertoma Club of Omaha — a 6-foot traveling trophy.
"It's more like a curse to win it," Josten said. "It's such a large trophy, you have to store it somewhere and keep track of it."
Still, it was a wonderful day for the elder Josten, who loves to spend time on the golf course with Garrett and his older son Neal, 25.
"You have them captive for the time out there to be one-on-one," he said. "It's the one place I can get away and enjoy time with them, especially on a nice day. Plus, it's good exercise."
Garrett, on the Wildcat junior varsity last spring, said his ace was a surprise because he didn't see it roll in. He told his buddy Tyler Selinger to check the hole just for fun. Other witnesses were Cameron Kubat and Tyler Marx. All are members of the Millard West golf team.
"We were pretty much jumping up and down," he said.
Garrett said he texted his mom, Daleen Niebaum, and then called his dad when the round was over. He also put in a call to Neal, who didn't believe him at first.
"He thought he'd always get one first," Garrett said.
Garrett and his dad have been giving Neal a bad time ever since.
"He's played his whole life, probably more than both of us. Now he feels the pressure to go out and get one himself," Dean Josten said.
Contact the writer:
402-444-1034, marjie.ducey@owh.com
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