Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point -- Retired Gunnery Sgt. Bill Cousler has played more than 4,000 rounds of golf on Cherry Point’s Sound of Freedom golf course in the last 42 years.
Cousler sunk his seventh hole-in-one this year on April 1, which ties the course record for most holes-in-one by one person.
“I play three or four times a week,” said Cousler. “When I was enlisted I would play maybe once or twice a week if possible.”
Cousler said he started golfing at the age 15, and it soon became a 60 year hobby.
“I served for 22 years, playing as often as I could while serving in the Korean and Vietnam wars,” said Cousler.
In 1971, as an enlisted Marine, Cousler hit his first hole-in-one on the 14th hole at Cherry Point’s golf course.
When asked what his best memory was of playing golf and achieving so many holes-in-one, Cousler said it was the man who awarded him his first hole-in-one trophy.
“I was given this foot tall trophy for hitting my first hole-in-one,” said Cousler. “When I got my first one Maj. General Paul J. Fontana, the commanding general of Cherry Point in ’71, awarded it to me.”
Cousler gave some advice to young, up coming golfers trying get better; practice and seek professional help.
“When you hit a hole-in-one it’s a funny feeling,” said Cousler. “When I hit this last one I didn’t even see it go in. It’s always exciting to hit a hole-in-one.”