AN ACE AT 6: 6-YEAR-OLD HENCY REACHES CUP IN ONE

Most golfers go a lifetime without achieving the seemingly elusive hole-in-one.

Imagine the envy those people must be feeling when they learn of Jesse Hency's hole-in-one, recorded July 21 at Kimbeland Country Club in Jackson, Mo.

Jesse, you see, is only 6 years old (he'll turn 7 in November). But that didn't prevent the easy-going, powerfully-built Cape Girardeau youngster from acing the 135-yard, No. 4 hole at Kimbeland while playing with his grandfather, Harold Schott. He used a 3-iron and hit off the men's tees.

"It was pretty exciting," said Jesse, flashing a big grin. "I didn't see it go in. Grandpa had to tell me."

And how did he celebrate?

"I just told people," he said, again wielding his seemingly ever-present smile.

Jesse certainly has some pretty good genes for golf, since his grandfather has seven career holes-in-one to his credit. Jesse has lived with his grandparents since his mother died last year, and he often accompanies the retired Harold to the course.

"He goes out just about every single day with his grandfather to play golf," said Judy Schott, his grandmother. "He is small, and you could say it was luck, but he does play a lot and he's fairly big for his age, and he's powerful."

Jesse got his first golf club when he was 3 and begin to hit balls with his grandfather when he was 4. He began to play actual rounds in the last couple of years and participates in the junior golf program at Kimbeland.

"Harold plays in a group that plays at Kimbeland every day except Sunday," said Judy. "Jesse started going out and riding along with grandpa. He had his own clubs and Harold would let him hit a few. He's been taking lessons and we've got an area here at home where he works on his game. So he gets a lot of golf in."

And that's fine with Jesse, because he loves to play, with baseball a close second on his list of favorite sports.

"I like golf a little bit more. I play it more, but I also like baseball," he said. "My favorite baseball players are Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. My favorite golfer is Tiger Woods."

No information could be found regarding the youngest golfer to ever record a hole-in-one. There have probably been younger ones than Jesse, but sinking an ace a few months shy of his seventh birthday is quite a remarkable accomplishment.

And Jesse, who will be entering the first grade soon, doesn't plan on stopping here.

"My grandpa's got seven (holes-in-one)," he said, grinning again. "I want to catch up with him."