ON Tuesday last week, neither David France, 71, nor his son Mark, 27, had hit a hole-in-one - despite playing golf for more than 60 years combined.

Five days later, they had both managed it, and both on the same course.

Mark, a pilot for budget airline Jet2, was the first to break his duck when he played last Tuesday.

He used a seven-iron to chip directly into the hole on the parthree, 145-yard seventh hole at Dinsdale Spa Golf Club, near Darlington.

His father, who has played for more than 50 years, admitted to a touch of jealousy when he saw it drop in.

He said: "I was mortified, absolutely mortified. I could not believe he had done it and I was still waiting after 50 years. It makes it all the more unbelievable that I managed it later that week."

David was playing on Saturday, without his son, when he drove a two-iron into the wind on the par-three, 160-yard 11th hole.

He said: "It was on the flag all the way, but we could not see it drop in. I thought it had gone into the long grass. We looked there but could not find it.

"I approached the hole from one side but could not see it, and thought It's not in'.

"It was only when I came from the other side that I saw it, and shouted It's in the hole!'"

David, who lives in St George's Gate, Middleton St George, near Darlington, is a retired manager of Barclays Bank. Mark, who is based at Newcastle Airport and lives with his father while not flying, started playing aged 16.

But the celebrations in the Dinsdale Spa clubhouse have not finished yet. David said: "When Mark got his hole in one, there were only three or four people in the bar, so he said he would wait until Saturday before getting the drinks in.

"But then I got mine, so he is waiting until this Saturday before he gets them in. We will have another celebration then."