Dick Gillen of Duluth was quoted in the News Tribune last August saying he hoped to get a few more holes-in-one, even though he already had eight.
"I just have to keep plugging away," Gillen said.
Gillen recorded his ninth hole-in-one on Tuesday at Superior's Nemadji Golf Course while playing in the morning senior league with friends Bill Minter, Bob Schamberger and Dan Thompson.
Gillen, 76, used a 9-iron to ace the 125-yard No. 14 West hole for the first time.
"At first we thought it went right in the cup but it actually bounced about five feet short of the hole and went in on one hop," Gillen said.
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Gillen lives in Gary, so it only takes him about 10 to 12 minutes to cross the Oliver Bridge and get to Nemadji, where he is a regular.
All of Gillen's holes-in-one occurred on regulation courses, with eight of them at Nemadji, including two last year alone. What is even more remarkable is that he didn't get his first ace until 1998 -- when he was 62.
Last week the News Tribune highlighted Herb Galliart of Cloquet, an 83-year-old who has 19 aces, all but two of which came at a short Par 3 course in Arizona where he spends his winters.
Gillen was asked if he was trying to catch up to Galliart.
"I don't think I'll live long enough for that," Gillen said with a laugh.
At the rate he's going, who knows?
