Despite battling a myriad of physical ailments, Joe McLaughlin was recently able to experience the joy of making a hole-in-one at the home of golf.
The 70-year-old from Glenmavis, Scotland, lost part of his left leg in 2009 due to a blood clot. He also has a cataract in his right eye, has suffered a stroke and has been diagnosed with both skin and bone marrow cancer. Despite the hardships, McLaughlin aced the par-3 fifth hole last week on the Jubilee Course at St. Andrews.
‘I used a seven iron and kept looking after I hit the shot,’ McLaughlin explained in an interview with the Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser. ‘The ball just disappeared. I’d been playing rubbish up to that point.’
According to the report, it was the fifth career ace for McLaughlin, who has played golf for 60 years and now plays to a 10 handicap despite using a prosthetic limb on his lower left leg. Though he has faced more than his fair share of physical setbacks in recent years, McLaughlin maintains a positive outlook.
‘You’ve got to continue living your life,’ he added. ‘And I love playing golf.’
