The moment hadn’t sunk in. That’s when Cedar Crest’s Dylan Ramsey approached Ephrata’s Makenna Heckman and gave the sophomore a high-five and words of congratulations.
Then it clicked. Heckman had jarred her second-in-one in a nine-day span.
“To be completely honest, I think I was more excited about the second one than the first one,” Heckman said with a chuckle. “I don’t know why, I just was. But it was really cool to see it happen and just have my team there to watch and just be as excited as I was.”
Interview with Ephrata’s Makenna Heckman at L-L Golf Media Day
Heckman’s second ace happened on the par-3 16th at Overlook Golf Course Sept. 3 in a Lancaster-Lebanon League Section One match. She used a 5-iron on the 155-yard layout, nicked the pin midflight and spiraled the ball into the cup.
Her first career hole-in-one occurred on Hole 8 at Foxchase Golf Club Aug. 25 during an Ephrata practice. Heckman hit a high draw from 105 yards out, placed the approach 20 feet from the pin and tracked the ball all the way until it dropped.
“I have no idea how either one of them happened,” Heckman said. “They just kind of happened.”
No one can plan a hole-in-one. According to PGA.com, the odds of an ace vary from 12,500 to 1 for the average golfer, 5,000 to 1 for a low-handicapper and 2,500 to 1 for a tour professional.
Mountaineers coach Loren Souder hadn’t witnessed a hole-in-one until Heckman’s breakthrough at Foxchase. Not in his coaching career, not in his leisure playing.
“I was standing with one of my players on the ninth tee box when she hit that shot,” Souder said. “We were standing there looking at it, and it landed 15-20 feet short of the pin. And I was like, ‘Oh, wow, great shot.’ And then it started rolling. And then I looked at Sam (Buckwalter), and I was like, ‘That’s gonna go in.’
“It was really cool to be able to see that.”
Brayden Souder, a former standout at Penn Manor, was following his past teammates at Overlook when Heckman plugged her second ace. He immediately texted his dad the news.
“I was shocked when he sent me that,” Loren Souder said.
Heckman is still taken aback by the turn of events. Having put in the work this offseason — from lessons, solo practices and competing in tournaments — she sees the aces as an added reward.
But it doesn’t mean she’s stopping or settling. No, it’s stoked a brighter, higher fire.
“I’ve learned that, this year, I can handle the pressure,” Heckman said. “It’s not unbearable. It’s just been more fun this year, and I’ve put a lot less pressure on myself.”
Heckman burst onto the prep circuit last fall by placing 10th at the PIAA Class 3A championships, penciling rounds of 79 and 70 at Penn State’s White Course. She started the roll with a tied-for-sixth finish at the two-day District Three tournament in 156 strokes (12-over par).
Heckman played with the heavy hitters last season. Now she’s one of them.
“I definitely have a high standard for myself,” she said. “I would say that I’ve got a higher standard just because I did really, really well last year, and that kind of set a really high bar. But I’m definitely trying to exceed goals that I’ve set for myself this year.
“This fall, I’ve just been thinking about basics when I’m out there and just taking it shot for shot, kind of just trying to keep my mind as empty as possible and at peace with what I’m doing. And it’s been working a lot better.”
Souder notices a calmer demeanor, a stronger self-trust in his underclassman. Heckman has a 75 average through four matches, with an even-par 72 at Four Seasons being her lowest mark.
“When you come off a freshman season like she had last year,” Souder said, “you would kind of think some kids might be like, ‘I got this. I’m good. Why do I need to continue to practice? I’m one of the best girls in the L-L League.’ And that’s not Makenna at all. She is there before practice starts. She’s there after practice ends. She’s just a grinder. She works nonstop.”
With the grind comes results. With results will come more high-fives and words of congratulations.
It’ll continue to sink in for Heckman.
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