Ken Robeson

CENTER TWP — Ken Robeson has never shot a hole-in-one on a golf course.

The Clinton Township resident — who turns 69 next week — has done just about everything else in the sport.

- He played a nine-hole round at Saxon last year and shot even-par on each of the holes.

- Three weeks ago, he scored two eagles in the same round — on No's 13 and 16 — at Stoughton Acres.

- Fifty years ago, he even got struck by a golf ball while trimming a green at Butler Country Club.

“A guy's approach shot hit me in the shoulder,” Robeson said. “He wasn't real happy about it. I was 16 years old ... I didn't know enough to stay out of the way.”

Two weeks ago, Robeson played the Butler Country Club course for the first time. He was a guest of BCC member Ron West.

A golfer for roughly 25 years, Robeson plays three times a week during the summer. He secured another odd achievement while playing the back nine at Stoughton Acres recently.

Robeson shot an even-par 36 for the round — without parring a single hole.

“I'm sure that's been done before, but I've been golfing for 60 years and that's the first time I've seen someone do it,” said Colin Gaiser, who joined Joel Bell in playing that round with Robeson that day.

Robeson began the round with a birdie on the par-4 No. 10 hole. He bogeyed the par-4 No. 11 and followed that with a bogey on the par-3 No. 12.

“I missed a three-foot putt for par on that hole,” he said.

No. 13 at Stoughton Acres is a par-5. Robeson hit his drive approximately 260 yards, nearly to the bottom of a hill. A wide pond sat between him and the green.

He hit an 8-iron 160 yards, landing the ball on the green about 10 feet from the hole. Robeson sank the putt for an eagle.

“I have an advantage in that I can play from the senior tees now,” he said. “I can still hit the ball pretty good for my age.”

Robeson went on to birdie the par-4 No. 14, bogeyed No. 15, birdied the par-5 No. 16, and closed the round with consecutive bogeys. The No. 17 hole is a par-3.

“I had a bad chip there,” Robeson said of No. 17. “Putting is probably my biggest weakness.”

A former U.S. Marine, Robeson was introduced to golf by a friend at his church who is an avid golfer.

“I put together a set of clubs and (his attraction to golf) just snowballed from there,” Robeson said.

His late parents met as a result of World War II. Robeson's mother was from Poland and was in a concentration camp, forced to work farmland in Germany as a youth. His father, a welder in the service, met her when he was sent overseas after the war.

“That's how I came to be,” Robeson said. “I have a lot to be thankful for.”

Including a few oddities on the golf course.