A GOLFER’S first ever hole-in-one earned him an impressive prize – a brand new car worth almost £30,000.

Sales manager Nick Taylor from Carterton, scored his lucky shot while playing at Radyr Golf Club, near Cardiff.

And his well-aimed shot at the 12th hole with a seven iron earned him an Audi A5 convertible.

The 24-handicap player hit the once-in-a-lifetime shot on the par three hole during the SET Office Supplies Golf Day and won the gleaming red motor parked next to the tee.

To make the shot even more remarkable, Mr Taylor, 24, succeeded at the 149-yard hole on the only one of 18 with a prize attached.

He said: “I knew about the prize before the day and joked with my wife Kim that I would be going home with a new car.

“I knew immediately what I had won because the Audi was parked right next to the tee. My shot flew to the back of the green and then rolled into the hole.

“You could see the flag from the tee and I watched the ball drop in.

“Three other guys who had teed off before me got within a metre of the pin and then my shot went in – it was a real stroke of luck.

“Everyone on the course was going crazy and people ran over from the other greens to see what was happening.

“I could scarcely believe what I had done and my game went to pieces for the rest of the back nine.

“I’m far from a top golfer and play off 24, which makes this even more special. I play cricket for Shrivenham and I’m handier with a cricket bat than with a golf club.”

Mr Taylor, who works for printer manufacturers Brother, said he only played golf competitions once or twice a year, but visited a driving range every other week.

He added: “I drove to Radyr in my BMW sports coupé so I had two cars by the time it came to going home.”

Neil Griffiths, managing director of golf day sponsors SET, said: “It was unbelievable. We have been running this tournament for 12 years and have never had a hole-in-one before.

“To hit a hole-in-one is special and to do that on the only hole where there is the prize of a car is astonishing.

“We insured ourselves in case somebody won the car, just as we have every year. Now for the first time our insurers will have to pay up.”

More than 100 golfers took part in the competition in the Welsh capital on June 11.

George Amos, chairman of SET, added: “The news spread like wildfire round the course once Nick had hit the shot. For years the prize has been a Ford Ka convertible.

This year it’s an Audi and Mr Taylor has won a beautiful car.”

But Mr Taylor did not drive his prize home after the game, adding: “I had a few celebratory drinks afterwards so I was in no state to drive.”