Allegheny Township resident cards 6th hole-in-one

Allegheny Township resident Steve Vak knows his way around a golf course.

Although he didn’t start playing the sport until he was in his 40s, Vak has had a lot of success on the links. Just last week, the 73-year-old former Kiski Area superintendent carded the sixth hole-in-one of his career at Conley’s Resort near Butler.

Vak hit a hole-in-one May 27 on the 130-yard No. 3 with a 9-iron. It was the third ace for Vak on that same hole. He has also converted hole-in-ones at The Links at Spring Church, Penn National Golf Club & Inn and Rocky Gap Golf Course in Cumberland (Md.).

According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of the average golfer making a hole-in-one are roughly 12,000 to 1.

Although he has hit quite a few holes-in-one in the past 20 years — Vak said he didn’t have any in the first 10 years of playing — he said he couldn’t take all the credit for the aces. He had a little assistance as well.

“As you know with a hole-in-one, you have to have a decent shot,” Vak said. “But there’s always luck involved. There’s always luck.”

It also helps to play regularly, which Vak does. He can normally be found on the course during the week.

“I try not to play on weekends because the courses are crowded and I’m a very fast golfer. I don’t like waiting,” Vak said. “I’ll play during the week when most of the people who can work are working and they aren’t on the golf course.”

For the past 15 years, he said he and his family have made a trip to Stonewall Resort in Roanoke, W. Va. He was there this past week and you couldn’t get him, or his 12-year-old grandson, off the course.

“We golfed 54 on Monday, 54 on Tuesday, 36 Wednesday, 36 on Thursday, 36 on Friday and 36 on Saturday,” Vak said with a laugh. “Nobody else is going to be playing 36 or 54 holes with me other than my grandson. I try to keep up with him. He’s full of energy.”

Most of the time though, you will find Vak at Conley’s Resort, which is where he loves to play.

“I enjoy it because what’s reasonable at Conley for older people is it is a course where I can get to every green in regulation and that is important,” Vak said. “If you can’t get to a par 4 in two shots, that’s frustrating. If you can’t get to a par 5 in three shots, that’s frustrating.”