ALMOST 100 players - the vast majority from the Glamorganshire and Dinas Powys golf clubs - turned out for the annual MS Society Golf Day in Mountain Ash.

And, 13 years after the inaugural team event teed off, there was a competition first to celebrate with Mike Ball, a Dinas Powys golfer representing Cardiff Orthodontics, landing a coveted hole in one at the 17th.

A five iron onto the fringe was enough to see the ball meander its way into the cup and win its owner a prize for being nearest the pin.

But there is a time and a place for an ace and, with scores of players in the clubhouse (tradition says the successful golfer buys everyone in the bar a drink), the MS Society Golf Day probably isn't it. A quick emergency meeting of the competition committee was called and Mike's donation to the day's charity saved a hefty round!

The event's big winners were Vale Engineering and a team of Steve Ellard, Paul Rice, Nal Llewellyn and Jeff Shorney. The Penarth bunch returned an accumulate stableford score of 128 points, with skipper Jeff also picking up the prize for longest drive on the sixth.

A team from Centrica - including James Lee, James Mullen, John Russell and Will Middleton - were Magic Ball winners, with Will doubling as best individual (43 points).

Centrica won the par threes competition for best scores on the shortest holes, and Penarth's Megan Blunsdon, representing the ladies, was presented with an award for her debut start.

Event organiser Roger Evans said: "Another successful golf day raised approximately £3,000 for the MS Society, which takes our collective total up to more than £30,000.

"Thanks once again go to all our golfers and sponsors for their continued support. Preparation for next year's competition is already underway."