Everyone searches for something special, the stuff that only dreams are made of.
When those dreams come true, there are those that will always question or try to rationalize it by pondering what were the chances of that ever happening? While others will embrace the moment appreciating every second of the experience, a memory to last a lifetime, simply put, a perfect moment of time.
Kristi Roach and her father Charlie Vienneau did something that very few golfers have ever dream of on morning of September 10, 2023 at Fox Creek Golf Course, in Dieppe, New Brunswick.
They hit not one, but two perfect shots, on the same hole.
“To be honest, you couldn’t write a script more special than this,” said Roach.
“It was a perfect day, perfect weather, a great group, a beautiful course, and to have a full day with dad and then to have that all go down, it’s a memory that is already cemented in so deep.”
“I couldn’t think of anyone better to share this moment with.”
Vienneau’s journey in the game has been a memorable one to say the least. “Dad has been and still is a phenomenal player.”
“The crazy thing is that over the 50 years he has been playing golf, he has never had a hole in one and always vocalized how cool it would be to have one,” said Roach.
In the game of golf, the moment of impact tells the story, but it’s the backstory where this story takes on an entirely different meaning.
“My father lost his dad when he was 9.”
“All of a sudden he was the man of the house, supporting and being there for his mother and two sisters.”
“They didn’t have a lot growing up,” said an emotional Roach.
“One day when he was 13 one of his friends’ fathers asked him if he would like to play golf. Knowing he couldn’t afford it, he said he’d love to, but he couldn’t make it work.”
“His friends father took him, anyway, paid for him to play the day and was waiting for him on the 18th green to see if he loved it.”
“When he was asked “Did you love it, Charlie?” he responded with “I loved it Sir, it was so much fun!”
“His friend’s father then replied, “Great, because I just paid for your membership.”
For the next few summers Vienneau could be seen hitchhiking to the golf course every day to play 36 and sometimes 45 holes per day as he brought his handicap down to a 4 in just two years.
“I was fortunate to have a lot of people to help me along my way in golf,” said Vienneau.
“Peter David’s father paid for my membership, from there head Pro of Gowan Brae Golf club Eric St George took me under his belt, along with the Assistant Pro at the time, Gilles Masse, which I still have the privilege of playing with on a regular basis today along with many others,” explained Vienneau.
The game of golf has a unique way of giving back to those that passionate and love the sport, you just never know when it will happen.
“Dad hit a perfect 8 iron that day, while it was in the air we all commented how it could be close, I remember saying to the group ‘you know, he’s never had one before.’”
“That’s going to be close,” Vienneau said when the ball was in the air and about to land.
Vienneau’s ball landed and rolled agonizing past the hole.
“It started to roll back towards the hole and it kept coming and coming and boom, that’s when I lost it,” Roach said.
“I sprinted the entire way to the green to check if it was in, once, I got there I realized that he and I were playing a match so that meant they were one up,” said Roach with a smile ear to ear.
“We drove to the green and I went to retrieve the ball out of the hole,” said Vienneau.
Roach was reluctant to go back to the tee to hit her shot.
“We took some videos and photos and I was about to walk to the next tee when my group encouraged me and my friend Natalie to go back and hit just for fun because I haven’t been able to play as much as I’d like to this summer.”
“My dad and my playing partner Mike stayed on the green while Natalie and I took the cart back and Natalie hit first and hit it to 8 feet.”
“I walked up and was still out of breath and a little shaky from the excitement.”
Roach tried to collect herself enough to pull the trigger.
“I actually hit it pretty solid,” Roach said.
“I looked up and saw it on the same line as dad’s, it rolled past the hole and then started to roll back further, and further.”
“Mike and I watched from the green, she hit the ball rolled past the hole caught the slope and rolled back into the hole.”
“We were all in disbelief,” said Vienneau.
“Mike and Dad lost it,” said Roach.
“It was pretty unbelievable and one of those ‘am I dreaming’? kind of moments,” added Roach.
“Thankfully Nathalie was quick to take out her phone and video us, it was an amazing moment that will be remembered for our lifetime,” said Vienneau.
A dream come true moment for both father and daughter.
We all strive to be the best we can be in the game of golf and life.
Roach and Vienneau’s journey in the game and life like everyone have had their share of ups and downs.
“My path in golf has spanned almost 30 years and my dad has been there through it all,” admitted Roach.
“The good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the wins, the losses and the ten years I was burnt out from the game.”
“I fell in love with golf at Gowan Brae as a young girl and ever since I can remember I knew I wanted to try my best in everything that was related to golf. When I was old enough to play tournaments, I wanted to compete. When I found out people were playing golf in college, I wanted to follow in their footsteps. When I realized golf could be my career, I took that path as well.”
Nevertheless, as all athletes know, with many highs come also many lows.
“There was a period in my mid-twenties where I found myself not interested in playing the game at all,” confessed Roach.
Transitions in sport and life take a toll, but in many cases those transitions teach us all invaluable life lessons.
“I was in a career transition into becoming a schoolteacher, met my husband, we had our two boys Jack and Joey and golf just became less and less of a priority,” said Roach.
“I was lucky to play five times a year for a solid eight to ten year span and to be honest, my priorities were different.”
Roach has no regrets when reflecting on those times.
“Looking back now, I am not sad of the years lost playing, but proud of how I handled these huge life adjustments.”
The game of golf has a special place in the hearts of the Vienneau family, but family always came first.
“Kristi and I both have been competing in this sport for most of our live, she has had many successes and I have done well, but making the NB Golf team is still a dream of mine, I came close a few times, but you know what they say about that, but maybe a senior team one day,” said Vienneau.
“Family is everything to me,” Vienneau said proudly.
“My wife Karen has always been there to support myself and our two daughters in anything we tackle. Having the girls and their families within driving distance is a blessing as we are able to spend many weekends with our four grandchildren.”
“Family is so important to me and in order for me to be the kind of parent I wanted to be, I think golf had to take a back seat for a bit. But now, the boys are six and eight and over the past few years, I have learned to come back from burnout and embrace this amazing game all over again,” said Roach.
“My passion is back, and I look forward to jumping back into the golf industry as a teaching professional and really focus on developing the next generation of golfers and competitors.”
“I’m incredibly excited and motivated to give back to this game that has given me so much.”
Golf mentor, coach and amazing father, Charlie Vienneau did it all.
“My dad has been my mentor for my entire golf career. He was the one who initially taught me the game. He was the one who first played with me, who introduced me to the members, to his friends, to his friend’s kids. He was the one who teed me up from the 150-yard marker when I was young so I would feel successful and the one who challenged me to play on the back tees with the men as I grew.”
“Without the love and support of my parents, because even though mom didn’t golf, she played a huge role in my sister Michelle’s, my dad’s and my path in the game and being able to live out all of our golfing dreams.”
“Growing up watching my dad compete, hitting the most amazing shots I’ve seen, playing in tournaments with him, and realizing now as an adult what he gave me was so much more than golf, it gives me all the feels,” said Roach.
“I have been finding myself wondering, what if my dad’s friend would have never invited him to go play that day, would our family be here right now?”
“Would golf have been such a big part of our lives?”
“Would our story be this one?”
The game of golf is never short on storylines, those golfing stories are often filled with ‘what if’ moments. Father and daughter have had a few weeks to reflect on their perfect shots and perfect day, but that moment in time has only deepened their love of family, golf and the life lessons the sport has offered over the years.
“Golf has taught me to believe in myself and that I can do whatever I set my mind to do,” said Vienneau. “There’s no one else to blame for failures, but a lot of people to thank for success,” he added.
“Golf has allowed me to meet so many great people across this province and many others, I love this game,” Vienneau said.
“The best thing about golf is that it relates so much to life,” said Roach.
“There are days that you show up and everything feels easy and “right” and then there are other days where you show up and everything feels hard and ‘wrong.’”
“For me, after playing for so long I am confident that nothing stays for long, the good won’t always be good and the bad won’t always be bad – just like in life.”
“Embrace the good and the bad and be proud of yourself during both,” explained Roach.
“The game has also taught me that to get what you want in life, you have to go after your goals, to accomplish your dreams, you must stay consistent and work hard.”
“Talent only gets you so far, but those who continue to work hard and stay consistent are in it for the long haul.”
“Consistency compounds and if you want to enjoy the game of golf along with the game of life, it must be sustainable.”
“Take care of yourself, work hard when it’s time to work hard, rest when it’s time to rest, be respectful of others, and know that whatever you want in the game is possible if you believe it is,” Roach said.
“To share this moment with Kristi is truly unbelievable,” Vienneau said.
“For my 1st hole-in-one in the 52 years, that I have been golfing and to have it been followed on the exact same hole by Kristi doing the same being her second hole in one, which ironically I was there for both of hers, I think is amazing.”
“Something that you could not even dream possible,” Vienneau said.
“For me it was absolutely a dream come true.”
Everyone searches for something special, the stuff that only dreams are made of.
Anything is possible in the game of golf, a perfect shot or in this case two shots and an unbreakable family bond with a sport that continues to impact their lives.
Who won the match?
Well, that didn’t really matter, they both had to ante up for drinks at the end of the round, a perfect end to a perfect day, a golfing dream that came true for both of them!
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