In recent days three golfers – none with a handicap lower than 17 – have hit the miracle shot that golf organizations say occurs once in every 10,000 rounds, marking the tenth, eleventh and twelfth times this season that a hole-in-one has been recorded at Breezy’s Traditional or Whitebirch courses.

Curtis Pederson of Emily, a Breezy employee playing in an after-work scramble with several colleagues, scored an eagle on Traditional’s par-three Number 6, a 155-yard shot using a six-iron.

A couple of days later, Larry Peterson, a 71-year-old casual player from Palisade, duplicated the feat on the same hole while playing in the Breezy Point Invitational.

On the same day Ted Zarembski, a principal at Transfiguration School in Maplewood and part-time seasonal employee at the resort, shot a hole in one at Whitebirch’s 215-yard Number 9, using a five-wood and a good bounce and roll.

"Hitting a hole-in-one is one of the greatest thrills for any golfer," says Dave Gravdahl, the resort’s general manager and an avid golfer who has yet to get one. "You have to credit the quality of our players for the more-than-average number that are being recorded at our courses this year."

Pederson, who has worked in the resort’s maintenance department for the past five years, says his ball bounced twice, rolled and seemed to disappear. "I didn’t know it was in the hole until I got to the green," he says. "In fact, we all thought it had gone over the green." His shot was witnessed by five other players, including Scott Brookings and Darell Michaels.

Peterson, participating in the 22^nd annual Invitational, says he didn’t see the ball drop. "When you get to be my age," he says, "it’s one thing to hit the ball, and it’s another to follow its flight. Fortunately, the younger fellas in my group saw it run up past the hole, then roll back a few inches into the cup."

The retired Minnegasco employee, who retired to Palisade a few years ago, recorded a hole-in-one five years ago on a par-three at a Mille Lacs course. A 17-handicap player, Peterson participates every year in the Invitational, which draws about 60 Twin Cities golfers to Breezy Point at this time of the year. His shot at Traditional was witnessed by Doug DeMars and Jim Spinner. Peterson’s team finished tied for first in the nine-hole scramble.

Zarembski, a 19-handicapper, is a well-known fixture as a seasonal employee of the courses. Earlier this summer he witnessed a hole-in-one at Whitebirch’s Number 17 but never dreamed he would hit one himself. At least not until his tee-shot at Number 9 bounced about 10 yards in front of the green and rolled toward the cup.