Hole in one explained

In golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one (also known as an ace, mostly in American English) occurs when a ball hit from a tee to start a hole finishes in the cup. Holes-in-one most commonly occur on par 3 holes, the shortest distance holes on a standard size golf course. Longer hitters have also accomplished this feat on longer holes, though nearly all par 4 and par 5 holes are too long for golfers to reach in a single shot.[1] While well known outside golf and often requiring a well hit shot and significant power, holes in one need also a significant element of luck., a condor (four under par) hole-in-one on a par 5 hole had been recorded on five occasions.

Description

In golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one occurs when a ball hit from a tee to start a hole finishes in the cup. The feat is also known as an ace, mostly in American English. As the feat needs to occur on the stroke that starts a hole, a ball hit from a tee following a lost ball, out-of-bounds, or water hazard is not a hole-in-one, due to the application of a stroke penalty.

Rarity

While well known outside golf and often requiring a well hit shot and significant power, holes-in-one need also a significant element of luck.[2] [3] [4] Time magazine reported 1,200 holes in one were made by American golfers in 1922.[5], a condor (four under par) hole-in-one on a par 5 hole had been recorded on five occasions, aided by thin air at high altitude, or by cutting the corner on a doglegged or horseshoe-shaped hole.[6] [7] [8]

Holes-in-one most commonly occur on par 3 holes, the shortest distance holes on a standard size golf course. Longer hitters have also accomplished this feat on longer holes, though nearly all par 4 and par 5 holes are too long for golfers to reach in a single shot. As such, they are more common and considered less impressive than other hole accomplishments such as completing a par 5 in two shots (an albatross).[9]

Miniature golf

The world record on one round of minigolf is 18 strokes on 18 holes. More than a thousand players have officially achieved this score on eternit. On other playing systems, a perfect round of 18 holes-in-one is extremely rare, and has never been scored in an official national or international tournament. Unofficial 18-rounds on concrete and felt courses have been reported in Sweden.[10]

Holes-in-one on par 5 (or higher) holes

, a condor (four under par) hole-in-one on a par 5 hole had been recorded on five occasions,[11] aided by thin air at high altitude, or by cutting the corner on a doglegged or horseshoe-shaped hole.

None of the five par-5 holes-in-one were achieved during a professional tournament.

Notable holes-in-one

A memorable hole-in-one was made in the 1973 Open Championship by Gene Sarazen at age 71. Earl Dietering of Memphis, Tennessee, 78 years old at the time, is believed to hold the record for the oldest person to make a hole-in-one twice during one round.[13]

During the second round of the 1971 Martini International tournament, held at the Royal Norwich Golf Club in England, John Hudson had two consecutive holes-in-one. Teeing off, using a 4-iron, at the par-three, 195-yard 11th hole, Hudson holed his tee shot for a hole-in-one. At the next hole, the downhill 311-yard, par-four 12th, and this time using a driver, he once again holed his tee shot, for another ace. This is believed to be the only time a player has scored holes-in-one at consecutive holes in a major professional tournament.[14] [15]

Despite the relative rarity of holes-in-one, there have been a total of six in Ryder Cup matches. Peter Butler scored the first in 1973 at Muirfield followed by a 20-year gap before Nick Faldo scored a hole-in-one in 1993. Two years later, Costantino Rocca and Howard Clark both scored holes-in-one before an 11-year gap to 2006 saw Paul Casey and Scott Verplank both hole out in one on the 14th hole.[16]

On August 11, 2016, Justin Rose shot a hole-in-one during the first round of the golf tournament of the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which is considered to be the first in Olympic history. For the 189 yards par-3 hole, he used a 7-iron.[17]

Traditions

It is traditional for a player who has scored a hole-in-one to buy a round of drinks for everyone at the clubhouse bar.[18]

Competitions

Occasionally special events host a hole in one contest, where prizes as expensive as a new car, or cash awards sometimes reaching $4 million are offered if a contestant records a hole in one.[19] Usually such expensive prizes are backed by an insurance company who offers prize indemnification services. Actuaries at such companies have calculated the chance of an average golfer making a hole in one at approximately 12,500 to 1, and the odds of a tour professional at 2,500 to 1.[2]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-06-08 . What is Ace in Golf? A Complete Guide! - Golf Gearz . 2024-06-12 . en-US.
  2. Web site: What Are The Odds of Making a Hole In One? . US Hole In One . February 14, 2013 . November 9, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121109172936/http://www.holeinoneinsurance.com/hole-in-one-odds.html . live .
  3. News: Halley . Jim . With holes in one, no matter how you slice them luck is vital . USA Today . 31 October 2014 . 2022-02-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220212213111/http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/golf/2006-07-16-hole-in-one_x.htm . live .
  4. Web site: Oscarson . Paul . Top 10 Craziest Holes-in-One . 31 October 2014 . The Bleacher Report . 24 December 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141224060502/http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1693444-top-10-craziest-holes-in-one . live .
  5. . Miscellany . . . 27 . March 3, 1923 . March 2, 2021.
  6. "Condor", GolfToday.co.uk, 2010, webpage (dated October 2008): GT-condor .
  7. Web site: Kelley . Brent . Has There Ever Been a Hole-in-One on a Par-5 Hole? . August 24, 2014 . About.com Golf . One was even recorded with a 3-iron! That one was made by Shaun Lynch, playing at Teign Valley Golf Club in Christow, England, in 1995, on the 496-yard No. 17. According to a 2004 article in Golf World magazine, Lynch aimed straight toward the green on a horseshoe par-5, clearing a 20-foot-high hedge, then hitting a downslope on the other side. The downslope carried his ball to the green and into the cup. . February 14, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170214061853/http://golf.about.com/od/faqs/f/par5aces.htm . dead .
  8. Web site: What is a condor in golf? We explain the rarest of birds in golf? . August 25, 2021 . The Golf Newsnet . August 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210825214017/https://thegolfnewsnet.com/golfnewsnetteam/2021/01/13/what-is-a-condor-in-golf-we-explain-the-rarest-of-birds-in-golf-121666/ . live .
  9. Fields . Bill . April 2, 2004 . The Rarest Bird: The albatross took flight at the 1935 Masters, but golf's most unlikely shot isn't easy to find . dead . . https://web.archive.org/web/20070305063301/http://www.golfdigest.com/majors/masters/index.ssf?%2Fmajors%2Fmasters%2Fgw20040402albatross.html . March 5, 2007 . February 14, 2013.
  10. Web site: Svenska Bangolfförbundet . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20070505103330/http://www.bangolf.se/t2.aspx?p=112569 . May 5, 2007 . April 8, 2007.
  11. Web site: Odds for hole in one, albatross, condor . 2019-08-23 . PGA of America . 2019-08-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190823203536/https://www.pga.com/news/golf-buzz/odds-hole-in-one-albatross-condor . live .
  12. Web site: Longest hole-in-one in history? Well, maybe . August 25, 2021 . The Times News . August 25, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210825214008/https://www.thetimesnews.com/article/20130727/News/307279894 . live .
  13. News: Stukenborg . Phil . April 20, 2012 . It's a pair of aces for senior golfer . The Commercial Appeal . dead . February 14, 2013 . May 2, 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140502022515/http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2012/apr/20/its-a-pair-of-aces-for-senior-golfer/ .
  14. Book: Steel, Donald . Golf: Records, Facts and Champions . Donald Steel . Guinness Superlatives Ltd. . 1987 . 0-85112-847-5 . 222.
  15. Book: Alliss, Peter . The Who's Who of Golf . Peter Alliss . . 1983 . 0-85613-520-8 . 250.
  16. News: 6 Ryder Cup Hole In Ones . October 1, 2014 . March 30, 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160330080621/http://www.mdhio.net/6-ryder-cup-hole-in-ones/ . live .
  17. Web site: Justin Rose makes the first hole-in-one in Olympics golf history - Golf Digest. Myers. Alex. 2016-08-12. 2020-10-29. https://web.archive.org/web/20201029234207/https://www.golfdigest.com/story/justin-rose-makes-the-first-hole-in-one-in-olympics-golf-history. live.
  18. Web site: July 19, 2012 . Golfers Hit Hole-In-Ones Within Seconds of Each Other . December 7, 2013 . ABC News . January 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200111041952/https://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2012/07/golfers-hit-hole-in-ones-within-seconds-of-each-other/ . live .
  19. News: Hole-in-one insurance policies provide safety net for glitzy tournament contests . Chris . Harris . February 26, 2006 . February 14, 2013 . December 13, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191213003932/https://www.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2006/02/27/focus2.html . live .

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