Roy Bliley, 87, of Butler scored the first hole-in-one of his 57-year golfing career last week at Lake Arthur Golf Club.

MUDDY CREEK TWP — Roy Bliley knows his way around a golf course, including some of the more famous ones.

The Butler resident has played Pebble Beach, Whistling Straits and Pinehurst. He’s played prime courses in Arizona, South Carolina and other states.

“My son’s a doctor. We’ve gone on many golf trips together,” Bliley said.

Bliley has been golfing for 57 years. He turns 87 on Friday.

But he’s never had a hole-in-one.

Until last week.

Bliley aced the No. 9, 115-yard hole at Lake Arthur Golf Club. He used a 5-wood.

“It’s hard for me to describe it because I didn’t see it,” he said. “I hit it and the ball landed just to the right of a sand trap. From there, I thought I lost it.

“My buddy and I looked for the ball for a while. I gave up, dropped one and chipped up on to the green.”

When his buddy, Donald Shearer, went to remove the pin prior to putting, he found Bliley’s original shot resting in the cup.

When he first learned his ball had wound up in the hole, “I almost fainted,” Bliley said.

“I figured any chance I had of getting a hole-in-one were long over.”

His golf-playing days are far from over.

Bliley said he plays three times a week, including a Monday night league at Lake Arthur. Other local courses he frequents include Green Meadows, Stoughton Acres, Aubrey’s Dubb’s Dred and Castle Hills. He carries a 19 handicap.

Bliley admitted he nearly got a hole-in-one years ago at Hidden Valley Country Club in the South Hills.

“It wasn’t a good shot, though,” he said, laughing. “It was a cold day and my shot landed on a frozen pond. It rolled across the ice, right up to the hole, but didn’t go in.”

Bliley has scored an eagle in golf before, “but I’ve never been really, really good.

“I’ve never shot my age. That’s something I’d like to do,” he said.