AUSTIN, Texas — Social distancing has encouraged many people to develop new hobbies or skills. For Texas golfer Cole Hammer, a few weeks away from school have allowed him to hone a skill that he accidentally acquired when he was 13 years old.
"It never even crossed our minds that it was possible. You know, I was trying to hit like a spinner, but it accidentally landed in the pool hopped out and just ripped," Hammer said. "So, I was like, 'Maybe I can make something out of that.'"
Since that day years ago, when Hammer is back home in Houston and has the time, the desire and a couple dozen golf balls, he tries to send shots skimming across his family's pool and into the bottom of the cup.
His most recent experience with that skim-the-pool trick shot made him an internet celebrity – even if it was only for a few days. Three videos of Hammer completing these shots have gone viral and been viewed hundreds of thousands of times.
But for every trick shot that Hammer made, there were a few that fell short.
"Our pool cleaner was definitely not happy with me! There were probably 150 balls at the bottom of the pool, then the others were drilling the house," Hammer said. "So, yeah, my dad wasn't too happy with me. But yeah, it was worth it"
Worth it – and part of a pattern. Hammer has completed several trick shots over the years and doesn't see that slowing down anytime soon.
"I've turned my room into like, a theme park before and hit shots all over," he said. "Probably dented a few walls here and there, but I guess that kind of comes with the territory of being a golfer."
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