A golfer at WingHaven Country Club in Missouri admitted to staging a hole-in-one by placing his ball in the cup before starting his round during a recent tournament. Zach Holland, who holds a near-professional plus-two handicap, carried out the deception during a pairs competition.

According to reports, Holland completed the first three holes normally before telling his group he needed to make a phone call because his grandmother was ill. When the group arrived at the fourth hole, Holland claimed he had already taken his shot but was unsure where the ball had landed. His playing partners and opponents then discovered the ball lying in the cup, prompting them to celebrate what appeared to be a hole-in-one.

However, club staff reviewed security footage that showed Holland driving a car near the fourth hole before he had begun his round. Confronted with the evidence, Holland confessed to placing the ball in the cup prior to teeing off. Following the admission, he acknowledged that his actions had made him “completely made a fool” of himself and subsequently resigned from the club.

Holland stated, “You do something as dumb as I did, there are consequences,” reflecting on the incident. The club has not announced any further disciplinary measures.