By Bonnie Adams, Managing Editor
Marlborough – For a golfer, the ultimate achievement is when they get a “hole-in-one.”? Most golfers never do so. Nicholas Jaworek, who describes himself as “not really that good,” had never made one either and never thought he would. But that all changed May 30 when he played a round at the Berlin Country Club. And he truly believes, he said, that he was able to do so that night thanks to his father, Michael, who had passed away just days before on May 24.
The past year has been difficult for Jaworek and his family. His mother, Pamela, passed away last July. Michael and Pamela had owned the popular restaurant, The Diner, for the past 14 years.
Golf was always something Jaworek had enjoyed playing with his father and his grandfather, Walter “Varge” Jaworek.
“My grandfather is very good and still plays at age 91,” Jaworek said. “My dad was really good, too. He loved it. We actually buried him with one of his clubs.”
“But I am not at all, I's pretty much below average,” he added.
Each week Jaworek plays golf at the Berlin Country Club with his good friends, Jon Palaina, Dan Urato, and Brian Courchiane. To honor his father's memory, he decided to play a round the evening of May 30 with his father's clubs.
“They all obviously had known what I was going through, “he said. “So it was pretty emotional. I just tried to play each hole like my Dad had played.”
As the foursome approached the fourth hole that evening, Nick chose a 9-iron from his father's bag and took his shot.
“It had a perfect trajectory,” he recalled. “It bounced once and then disappeared. I threw my arms up in disbelief and looked up to the sky. All I could say was “Thanks, Dad!” I absolutely 100 percent believe that my Dad helped me get that shot.”
Shortly after that, a single military jet broke through the clouds and flew over the course. Jaworek's friends joked that his father had arranged for that as well, he said.
The celebration continued at the clubhouse after they had finished playing.
“When you get a hole in one, you have to buy everyone a drink!” Jaworek said. “But that's ok. Almost everyone knew what I had gone through so they were really happy for me.”
The next morning Jaworek received a text message from Urato.
“I like to think I have seen a lot in my life. I’ve traveled a lot. I have had some great times with my friends. I have felt some unexplainable emotion. I’m not certain I will ever see anything like I saw today. Simply amazing,” the message said.
“I know my parents were up there smiling down and enjoying the moment,” Jaworek said. “It was so nice to have that happy moment in the midst of this sad time.”
As far as using his father's clubs for future rounds, he was not sure, he said.
“But I will never use that particular club again,” he added. “That's going to be kept aside.”