10-year-old makes hole-in-one at Albuquerque golf course

A 10-year-old knocking in a hole-in-one from 160 yards is rare anywhere. In Albuquerque, Atticus Hendricks-Smith did it at Puerto del Sol Golf Course, a city course built to welcome beginners, seniors and young players trying to find a way into the game.

The ace came on June 10 with a 3-wood from the men’s tees, a shot that would be unusual for almost any golfer and almost unthinkable for a child his age. Puerto del Sol’s first hole is listed at 175 yards from the blue tees, 148 yards from the white tees and 125 yards from the red tees, a detail that underscores just how far Atticus sent the ball. The U.S. Golf Register estimates the odds of a hole-in-one at about 1 in 33,000 per swing.

The moment mattered beyond the scorecard because it unfolded at one of the city’s most accessible golf spaces. Puerto del Sol, which opened in 1978, is a 9-hole municipal course on Albuquerque’s southeast side at 1800 Girard SE. The City of Albuquerque describes it as easy to walk and especially popular with beginner golfers and seniors. It is also part of a broader public system that gives young players room to practice, with all four city golf courses offering putting and chipping greens and driving ranges.

That access is part of the story in Bernalillo County, where golf can feel expensive or exclusive if families do not already know the sport. At Puerto del Sol, junior lessons are available for children ages 5 to 14, and the city’s junior golf program teaches basics such as etiquette, setup, balance, grip and swings through age-appropriate instruction and games. The course’s lighted driving range is open seven nights a week from April 1, 2026 through October 31, 2026 until 10 p.m., giving families more flexibility to practice after school and work.

Atticus has been around golf for most of his life. His mother, Allison Hendricks-Smith, said he started golfing when he was 5 and has been the Albuquerque Country Club Junior Summer Golf Champion for his age group for the last four years. She also said he is a decorated swimmer with eight state swimming records, seven still standing. He is headed into fifth grade at Coral Community Charter School and already talks about growing up to reach both the swimming Olympics and the PGA.

A photo of Atticus practicing at the University of New Mexico Championship Golf Course adds another local layer to the story: this was not a one-off swing, but part of a young athlete moving through Albuquerque’s golf network of public courses, practice facilities and family support. For one family, it was a dream shot. For the city, it was a reminder that the next generation of golfers is being built on municipal fairways, not just private clubs.