Former footballer Jimmy Bullard recalls his first and only hole in one

[dropcap]They’re[/dropcap] a number of well renowned sportsmen who are multi-talented at other sports. Although most of us admire and possibly envy their talents, some golfers are good at baseball whilst some football players are handy with a tennis racket.

Take Sergio Garcia. He has played in a football match for third tier Spanish side FC Borriol or Arnold Palmer who was a master around the pool table.

For footballers, a large number of them know their way around a golf course including Gary Lineker and Andriy Shevchenko. Although he never boasted the same accolades Lineker or Shevchenko achieved, Jimmy Bullard could certainly match them over 18 holes.

The former Fulham and Hull midfielder is a scratch handicap golfer and once tried to force his way onto the PGA EuroPro Tour – although he ended with £0 winnings to his name.

One achievement he has made in the golfing world, however, is achieving a hole-in-one. Bullard, speaking as part of Ladbrokes Rugby’s ‘Who’s Got The Balls’ campaign’, fondly recalls his moment.

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“I had a hole-in-one at Sunningdale. It was the 3rd hole, 173 yards, downwind and I hit an 8-iron to the back tier,” he said.

“It pitched up six yards short but I couldn’t see it because the hole was uphill. There was a greenkeeper at the back of the green and he put his hand up. I thought ‘that has to be close’.

“I walked up to it and it was in! I thought why has the greenkeeper only put his hand up? You’ve got to be jumping around going mental haven’t you? He said no and was super cool about it.”

So did Bullard follow tradition and buy everyone a drink at the bar? “Did I heck, I made a swift exit.”

Watch Austin Healy and Jimmy Bullard challenge the values of football and rugby in ‘Who’s Got The Balls’ at LadbrokesRugby.com #RealBalls