We've launched the new forums! Read more here

The Holy Grail

Diane

Diane

_________________________
Joined
Jun 25, 2009
Messages
7,721
Reaction score
50
I read an article recently that debated whether a hole-in-one was truly the Holy Grail of golfers. The author pointed out that not only did brand new golfers, but also lousy golfers, politicians, celebrities, just about anybody could get a hole-in-one. Your ball could take several bounces and rebounds and still go in. Blind and elderly golfers get them. The estimate was 150,000 per year. It's a goal all golfers can aspire to and often achieve without any real skill or talent. With that in mind - do you still consider a hole-in-one to be the Holy Grail of golf?
 
That to me is why it is the holy grail. Shooting par golf is the goal for many golfers that take up this game, but most will never achieve that. Anybody can hit a hole in one and that is what makes it the ultimate achievement. Because anybody can do it and be the best ever for that given swing, and yet still so few ever do.
 
I have had 1 hole in one,in all the years i have been playing,and that was a fluke. Thinned iron into the bank at the front of the green,ball popped up onto the green and rolled in.


Just a thought-
Man blames fate for all other accidents, but feels personally responsible
when he makes a hole-in-one.

Bishop sheen.
 
Not sure what else would be considered the holy grail, but I've shot a sub 70 round and never had a hole-in-one. I've holed out for plenty of eagles, just not on a par 3. I sure would like one before I die to go with the 8 perfect bowling games I have and that would be the holy grail for me at this point.

I know a big percentage of players never shoot in the 70's let alone the 60's. Great question though...I think it will vary based on if they have had a hole in one or not. :D
 
Absolutely. It's still the ultimate achievement, even though it's more luck than skill in most instances.
 
Diane said:
I read an article recently that debated whether a hole-in-one was truly the Holy Grail of golfers. The author pointed out that not only did brand new golfers, but also lousy golfers, politicians, celebrities, just about anybody could get a hole-in-one. Your ball could take several bounces and rebounds and still go in. Blind and elderly golfers get them. The estimate was 150,000 per year. It's a goal all golfers can aspire to and often achieve without any real skill or talent. With that in mind - do you still consider a hole-in-one to be the Holy Grail of golf?
Click to expand...


There are two ways I look at a hole-in-one.

The first is that since it's what you're aiming at, why is it such a momentus occasion if the ball goes in the hole? I've had a few birdies and eagles by holing an approach shot with a short iron (making them roughly the equivalent of a par 3 tee shot) and it was certainly exciting, but since I was aiming at the flag, it was not really all that surprising. Satisfying maybe, but not momentous.

The other way I see them is as you described; dumb luck. I once witnessed a 13 year old who hit a tee shot with a 3-wood on a flat, 135 yard par 3 hole who topped his drive and the ball skipped down the fairway, onto the green and into the cup. I've also witnessed a "textbook" ace wherein the player one-hopped a very good tee shot into the hole and for my money, I think that one was far more impressive than the 135 yard worm-burner.

Here's something to think about: Why is it that if a Tour Pro scores an ace, he wins a car? Wouldn't it be more fun is if all of the patrons who enter a tournament site would be issued a card that has a pro's name on it and if that pro scores an ace, then the patron wins the car?

I'm sorry, but I just can't get excited over watching a pro win something that he could probably buy twenty of. I mean, the patron probably needs the car a helluva lot more than the pro ever will, so why not give one to them and make that ace really memorable?


-JP
 
I've had one, perfect shot that one hopped in the hole. Was there luck involved... sure there was, but I pulled the right club and made a good swing. To me that was/is the greatest achievement I have had in golf, and no one will change my mind about that...
 
I think so too. I am still waiting for mine!
 
Probably right. Still waiting for mine
 
You are right about a HIO for the average hacker being a lucky shot, with some help from skill, and/or talent. Example, I took a a good friend golfing, who had never golfed before. First hole was a par 3, and he aced it. No golf skills, but a very good baseball player. The rest of the round he shot another 124 strokes. There are some touring golf pros who do not have a HIO. Lot's of skill, and talent there, just not lucky enough as yet. I know a guy who plays "Natural Golf", and has 4 aces, and is a 6 hdcpr. I think skill, and talent helps to get the ball flying in the right direction, but after that a certain degree of luck has to take over. Holly Grail? Yes, I would put a HIO right up there in the #2 position, right behind a "59".

Diane said:
I read an article recently that debated whether a hole-in-one was truly the Holy Grail of golfers. The author pointed out that not only did brand new golfers, but also lousy golfers, politicians, celebrities, just about anybody could get a hole-in-one. Your ball could take several bounces and rebounds and still go in. Blind and elderly golfers get them. The estimate was 150,000 per year. It's a goal all golfers can aspire to and often achieve without any real skill or talent. With that in mind - do you still consider a hole-in-one to be the Holy Grail of golf?
Click to expand...
 
I know a guy who played against Tom Watson in the Kansas City Juniors. He hit a hole-in-one in their match and was jumping up and down, all excited! Then Watson tapped him on the shoulder and told him that the hole was over there! He wound up playing on tour for a couple of years about the same time Watson joined the tour.
 
I'm sure it is luck matter of fact I know it's luck I have had one on a par 3. For me it was luck because I was playing the tips and the par 3 was 215 yards from the tips to pin. I will always think of it as the Holy Grail of golf no matter what. I also proudly display a pewter tag on my bag from Titleist for the hole in one that I got using their ball
 
That's funny. I did almost the same thing at the Death Valley California golf course. I eagled what I thought was a back 9 hole from 220. When I got to the hole to pick up my ball, I found I had already had played the same hole which was part of the front 9. The correct green was about 50 yards north. Wound up with a 6, which started out as 2. :banghead:

Smallville said:
I know a guy who played against Tom Watson in the Kansas City Juniors. He hit a hole-in-one in their match and was jumping up and down, all excited! Then Watson tapped him on the shoulder and told him that the hole was over there! He wound up playing on tour for a couple of years about the same time Watson joined the tour.
Click to expand...
 
No, for me it would be a lucky shot no matter how good I was. I'd rather have an eagle on a long par 5; on in 2 and 1 putt. That takes some mojo on 3 consecutive shots. But thats me.

(and I like Provisional's 59 too, that would be tops)
 
The worst golfer I play with and the best both have hole-in-ones.I don't know about holy grail or that's it's common.It is an occurence that deserves the attention it gets no matter how ugly the shot or how horrible the golfer because for all the stokes counted out there it still only happens by your numbers 150,000 a year.150,000 out of millions of shots if not billions is a big deal.
 
From golf.about.com:

In 1999, Golf Digest reported, "One insurance company puts a PGA Tour pro's chances at 1 in 3,756 and an amateur's at 1 in 12,750."
Click to expand...

and

What about the insurance companies that sell "hole-in-one insurance" to tournament promoters? They must know the odds, right? One such company, SCA Promotions, says the odds of a golfer holing out from 150 yards is somewhere from 10,000 to 15,000 to 1.
Click to expand...

I'd reckon the guys that actually have to pay out for HIO would have a pretty good bead on it.
 
Since I don't have one, I am going to downplay their significance...I think they are pure luck. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. :banghead:
 
I've never had one, and really don't care if I ever get one. I've had a lot of near misses, and would take more near misses in the future over a hole in one.
 
I think it is, I have come pretty damn close to one. I would be more happy with a sub par round though.
 
I'll go with Gen Errs opinion, If I get one great if I don't great, I've had 1 near miss this year about 3 inches on a par 3 hole at the time I was pretty happy. I don't know if there is a "holy grail" of golf for me, I'd like to consistently break 100 and play bogey golf everytime, that would maybe be my "holy grail"
 
I vote no. Personally I would much rather eagle the long par 5's. Takes more skill & less of the dumb luck factor out of the equation.
 
Not the holy grail for me. To me something that involves so much luck cannot be my holy grail. I would much prefer a round of 18 pars over a hole in one. It is not easy to play 18 holes to par, some luck would be needed but it would be hard to say luck was involved for 18 holes.

Certainly there is some skill involved, but I know many good golfers that have never had one, and some not so good golfers that have 2-3.
 
As Gary Player said something like "The more I practice the luckier I get", hope that was close. Yes, I believe it is the Holy Grail! My mother started playing in her mid fourties and has 5 HIO trophys from 3 different courses. At 79 she still plays 4 days a week, lol, and has the game to get more.

I have none, sniff sniff. Yes, it would be a darn big deal to me.
 
I have never had one but hit the pin, marked the cup edge, left it close probably like so many people. It would be nice though to have at least one. Last week I had two holes to play and when I got to #8 (played the back first) I was thinking how nice it would be to ace it, but not for the hole in one but to get back my back to back bogies I just had.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top