For most golfers, a hole-in-one is a once-in-a-lifetime story. For Rayce Schultz, it happened indoors on a Wednesday night — and he’s still a little surprised it was him.
Schultz recorded the first ace on the newly installed golf simulator at Social Bowl this week, sinking his shot on the fourth hole of the Medicine Hat Golf Course layout using a pitching wedge. The achievement, while virtual, carried all the excitement of the real thing.
“I was honestly just trying to hit it straight,” Schultz said with a laugh afterward. “The hole before, I didn’t do very good. I wasn’t thinking about anything special — just keep it straight. I guess I hit it straight enough.”
The simulator, recently added to the venue, features multiple well-known courses with additional downloadable options still being explored by staff. Schultz, who has used the simulator a handful of times with friends, said familiarity with the digital course wasn’t a major factor.
“It’s got a ton of different options,” he said. “There’s a whole bunch more they can add, too. We usually just come out on Wednesdays, play some golf and have some fun.”
Despite the celebratory moment, Schultz downplayed the accomplishment, noting that aces — simulated or not — are rare.
“It’s very rare in golf, SIM or not, that you even get close,” he said. “It’s kind of baffling to me that I’m the one who got it. I’m not the best golfer in the world.”
When asked for advice to other players hoping to replicate the feat, Schultz kept it simple: “Have fun. Don’t worry about your score.”
Social Bowl staff are reportedly discussing whether a formal prize will be attached to future simulator hole-in-ones. Schultz said any reward would be secondary to the experience itself.
For now, the milestone stands as both a first for the simulator and a memorable night for a modest golfer who insists luck played the biggest role.
“I’m just happy I got it,” Schultz said. “That’s enough for me.”