There must be a special feeling when several members of the same family experience holes in one. Like when Michael Monk who, in 1992, at the age of 82, continued a family run at Tandridge GC in Surrey by having his first hole in one. During the previous 12 months, his daughter Elizabeth (52), daughter-in-law Celia (48) and grandson Jeremy (16), had aces on the same course.

A fascinating twist on the concept of family aces occurred recently at Rosslare GC. And it involved the Swan family of six - father Alan, mother Breda and children Mark (aged 28), Karl (26), Steven (20) and Sara (18) - who were there on holiday. As it happened, the four men, all members of Portmarnock, were playing while mother and daughter looked on.

At the short, 170-yard second, Steven, a 14-handicapper, was about to hit his six-iron tee-shot when his brother Mark gently ribbed him: "There's the club pro (Johnny Young) standing behind the green; you'd better hit a good one." And with the entire family looking on, Steve duly obliged - for a hole in one.

Two weeks later, Mark and Karl were in San Roque on the Costa del Sol on a golfing holiday with friends. And the Swan golfing magic remained when, on the 510-yard par-five ninth, Mark bagged a very rare bird indeed, by holing a five-iron second shot for an albatross two. Swanderful, you might say.