Sampson, a familiar and popular figure to many due to his long service as a journalist and entertainment writer at the Courier, used his trusty six iron at the 112 yard 17th to pull off his ace while playing in the club's Centenary Rosebowl open competition.

The tee shot on the hole is across a valley on to an elevated green and while Sampson knew he had hit the green, the tress surrounding the putting surface prevented him from seeing the ball drop into the cup

"One of my partners, John Lynch, got there first and, to my shock and surprise, said my golf ball was in the hole so it was congratulations all round when I got back to the clubhouse," he said.

The feat was not enough to earn Sampson a prize, but the congratulations of fellow members and the fact that he receives a £150 golf voucher from his insurers and a hole-in-one tie at the club's annual dinner was generous consolation.

The 25 handicapper's only other hole in one was 15 years ago in a medal at Castlefields when a five iron tee shot on the 129 yard 16th also found the cup.