Hole in One Or...

[ArnoldArmChewer]

It's a fantastic high when they go in, first time is the best but every time is great. However your subsequent statement I have to agree with a sub-par round would be the pinnacle for me, it's a long way off right now tho.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

Here's another question. Is a HIO any better than holing your 3rd shot from 120yds on a par 5?

Absolutely, I have holed out from 100 yards plus a few times, just smile and move on, that really doesn't count as anything special

 

[Imurg]

As I said on the HIO thread, I've holed out at least 6 or 7 times from 100 yards plus down the years and had many Eagles at par 5's.
They count the same as a Hole in One so in the great scheme of things there's no difference.
Getting an Albatross is more of a feat if you ask me.

 

[Jack_bfc]

I said on the other thread that my HIO was a thinned 9 iron. So I was more embaressed than elated.

If it had been a well struck shot with the right club, pitched and rolled in I would have been.

But I will be more chuffed just hitting my PB's each year, however modest....

 

[Pin-seeker]

Think theirs a difference to fluking a HIO & a well struck shot that goes straight in. When stood on a par 3 obviously the aim is to get it as close to the pin a possible,so if you hit it well & it goes in I wouldn't call it a fluke.
But I'd definitely pick a Albatross over a HIO.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Absolutely, I have holed out from 100 yards plus a few times, just smile and move on, that really doesn't count as anything special

But what is the difference? Why would holing out with your 3rd from Par 3 distance on a Par 5 be any different to holing out with your first on a par 3

 

[Hobbit]

'fraid I'm in the hole in one IS all that. It is widely recognised as being a bit special and, after 42yrs waiting, when mine went in the feeling was tremendous. I have a round or two under par every year and I couldn't tell you the date of the last one but I can remember the day, the date, the weather, who I was playing with, what iron I used & the comp I was playing in.

Each to their own but you can keep my next sub par round and give me the hole in one instead.

 

[Hacker Khan]

'fraid I'm in the hole in one IS all that. It is widely recognised as being a bit special and, after 42yrs waiting, when mine went in the feeling was tremendous. I have a round or two under par every year and I couldn't tell you the date of the last one but I can remember the day, the date, the weather, who I was playing with, what iron I used & the comp I was playing in.

Each to their own but you can keep my next sub par round and give me the hole in one instead.

I'm with you. Is there any correlation between those who have not had one and those who say it's no big deal??

Some of us will never ever shoot a sub par round, but have got a hole in one. As Hobbit said, the feeling was special bordering on the surreal, possibly more so for me as I am not that good a golfer. And as Hobbit said, I can remember everything about the shot and always will. And I can now go to my grave knowing I have made one of the most mythical shots in golf. Tick it off the bucket list.

 

[Hacker Khan]

But what is the difference? Why would holing out with your 3rd from Par 3 distance on a Par 5 be any different to holing out with your first on a par 3

Because a hole in 1 is an achievement and a wonderful feeling. It is recognised (by most golfers, but obviously not all) as something special, something you can say you have done. To reduce golf down to 'I shot 2 under par on those holes, yes one was a hole in 1 but the other one where I shot 3 on a par 5 felt just as good' to me is kind of missing the enjoyment of the whole thing.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Because a hole in 1 is an achievement and a wonderful feeling. It is recognised (by most golfers, but obviously not all) as something special, something you can say you have done. To reduce golf down to 'I shot 2 under par on those holes, yes one was a hole in 1 but the other one where I shot 3 on a par 5 felt just as good' to me is kind of missing the enjoyment of the whole thing.

It's just a golf shot though, and from what I read and have witnessed, in most cases, not a very good one. Just because it's your first shot on a hole is largely irrelevant apart from the fact you write a 1 on your card.

As for the bit in bold, my mates who I mentioned earlier that have hole in ones used to try to rib me that I'd never got one but it doesn't bother me one bit, I just ask them when the last time they broke 100 was. Sure it's special because it's rare (I say rare, but I would wager that it is more common at my place than sub-par rounds) but as a golfing "achievement", I just don't get it.

Still, it seems I am in the minority on this one. I think the tradition of buying drinks for a hole in one is daft, but would happily buy the drinks if I shot under par or even level par for that matter.

 

[Garesfield ACE]

Sub par round? I would trade my hole in one to be a 15 hcapper...but it was still fantastic...and i profited 130 quid from it....

 

[timchump]

I think it's special as you have played a hole in the minimum amount of strokes you could possibly have, as an opposed to an eagle which isn't as impressive in my view.

 

[SimonC]

As I said on the HIO thread, I've holed out at least 6 or 7 times from 100 yards plus down the years and had many Eagles at par 5's.
They count the same as a Hole in One so in the great scheme of things there's no difference.
Getting an Albatross is more of a feat if you ask me.

Have to agree with you on that point. I only know 1 person who has done this whereas I know quite a few people who have had a hole in one or more.

I'd happily swap a couple of my hole in ones for an albatross.

 

[bigslice]

I think it's special as you have played a hole in the minimum amount of strokes you could possibly have, as an opposed to an eagle which isn't as impressive in my view.

totally agree, thats why its special, the whole point of the game is to get in the hole in the LEAST amount of shots. the lowest you can do that is in ONE. so a hole in one is all that, simples

 

[timchump]

totally agree, thats why its special, the whole point of the game is to get in the hole in the LEAST amount of shots. the lowest you can do that is in ONE. so a hole in one is all that, simples

exactly, sorry didn't see you earlier post until now

 

[cliveb]

The context of a HIO modifies how special it is.

Some time ago there was a mixed competition at our club, and one guy hit his tee shot to within a foot of the pin. This particular guy is well known for being something of a misogynist, and he turned to his lady playing partner and said in a very patronising tone, "get inside THAT!". She stuck her tee shot in the hole. Priceless!

 

[Hacker Khan]

It's just a golf shot though, and from what I read and have witnessed, in most cases, not a very good one. Just because it's your first shot on a hole is largely irrelevant apart from the fact you write a 1 on your card.

Not quite sure how you can say they are mostly not good shots. Yes I am sure some are thinned in, but I am willing to be there's many more 'normal' shots not involving ricochetting off flags, bouncing out of bunkers etc etc. Every hole in 1 me or my mates have got have been pretty standard shots, ball goes up in air, lands on green and roles in to the hole.

I am sorry if this is not the case, but you are coming across as bit as having some sour grapes as you have not got one. A hole in 1 is not direct representation of someone's golfing ability, apart from the 6 or so seconds when it happened. And I agree a sub par round is a better indication of how good someone is. And in some ways it is not fair that a happy hacker like myself can get one where as a low handicapper may not have had one.

But that's the beauty of sport, it is unpredictable, and everyone has the same chance on the tee on a par 3. And to say it is largely irrelevant just because you only took one shot on a hole sounds like a pretty joyless way of looking at it. Are you really sure it does not bother you one bit?

 

[Snelly]

"Hole in one - is it all that? "

Is it all what? I don't quite understand the question. Is it all that great? I guess it means is it overrated?

 

[JustOne]

Having shot under par enough times I'd rather have a few more holes-in-one. Nearly 20yrs since my last one.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Not quite sure how you can say they are mostly not good shots. Yes I am sure some are thinned in, but I am willing to be there's many more 'normal' shots not involving ricochetting off flags, bouncing out of bunkers etc etc. Every hole in 1 me or my mates have got have been pretty standard shots, ball goes up in air, lands on green and roles in to the hole.

I am sorry if this is not the case, but you are coming across as bit as having some sour grapes as you have not got one. A hole in 1 is not direct representation of someone's golfing ability, apart from the 6 or so seconds when it happened. And I agree a sub par round is a better indication of how good someone is. And in some ways it is not fair that a happy hacker like myself can get one where as a low handicapper may not have had one.

But that's the beauty of sport, it is unpredictable, and everyone has the same chance on the tee on a par 3. And to say it is largely irrelevant just because you only took one shot on a hole sounds like a pretty joyless way of looking at it. Are you really sure it does not bother you one bit?

In my experience, it's most but I appreciate there are HIO that come from good shots.

And certainly no sour grapes on my part, like I said, I couldn't give a hoot about getting one, I was just asking the question to see how everyone else felt about them.