Everyone thought Cynthia was just trying hard to save face. After all, Hitting the ball into a par–4 hole in four strokes was already impressive. A birdie, or three strokes, was hard to achieve, while an eagle–two strokes–was a feat for top athletes. But a hole–in–one… that was as rare as winning the lottery.

Cynthia took her stance at the tee, raised her club high, and swung with all her might. The white ball soared through the air in a perfect arc, heading straight for ...