Was This a Hole in One?

[zetterbee]

I think I have had the following 5 holes in one (I have been playing over 60 years). Do you agree, especially regarding the last one listed?

One in a club open tournament, witnessed by my 3 fellow competitors.

One in a friendly fourball. 

One while practicing on my own and witnessed by a green-keeper.

One while practicing on my own, no witnesses, I was playing 2 balls from each tee and the second one was holed. Clearly not an official one, but nevertheless definitely a hole in one.

Finally, in a competition on a par 3, I hit my first ball over the back of the green where there was a short downslope then 3 metres of thick rough and then out of bounds. Local golfers always played a provisional here if they went over the green. I did so and holed it. My first ball was easily found, so I continued with it and scored 4. 

Regarding this last one, people always say it cannot be a hole in one because, being a provisional, it would have been a 3. I say it wasn't a 3 because my carded score on the hole was a 4. The provisional ball was a 'void' and sort of 'scoreless', but with one shot it was hit from in between the tees and into the hole. Surely a hole in one?

[iacas]

16 minutes ago, zetterbee said:

One while practicing on my own, no witnesses, I was playing 2 balls from each tee and the second one was holed. Clearly not an official one, but nevertheless definitely a hole in one.

Definitely not a hole in one, no.

16 minutes ago, zetterbee said:

Finally, in a competition on a par 3, I hit my first ball over the back of the green where there was a short downslope then 3 metres of thick rough and then out of bounds. Local golfers always played a provisional here if they went over the green. I did so and holed it. My first ball was easily found, so I continued with it and scored 4.

Also not, for the same reasons as the above. Your score for the hole (had you not found the provisional) both times as a 3. Par on a par three is not a hole in one.

16 minutes ago, zetterbee said:

Regarding this last one, people always say it cannot be a hole in one because, being a provisional, it would have been a 3. I say it wasn't a 3 because my carded score on the hole was a 4. The provisional ball was a 'void' and sort of 'scoreless', but with one shot it was hit from in between the tees and into the hole. Surely a hole in one?

No.

[StuM]

 “Hole in One” (aka “Ace”) is exactly as described. It is where you hole out from the tee with only one shot.

Sorry but Mulligans, Provisionals, 2nd ball played in practice round, or any shot that is not the 1st ball played on a hole can never be an Ace.

Still, getting a par on a Par three after taking S&D penalty feels good, but can’t be called a Hole in One

[bkuehn1952]

I agree with the above two replies. There are no universally agreed upon "rules" for hole-in-one's but holing out a second shot is definitely not a hole-in-one. All holed out shots are not hole-in-ones.

[billchao]

On 7/8/2023 at 7:58 AM, zetterbee said:

Finally, in a competition on a par 3, I hit my first ball over the back of the green where there was a short downslope then 3 metres of thick rough and then out of bounds. Local golfers always played a provisional here if they went over the green. I did so and holed it. My first ball was easily found, so I continued with it and scored 4. 

Regarding this last one, people always say it cannot be a hole in one because, being a provisional, it would have been a 3. I say it wasn't a 3 because my carded score on the hole was a 4. The provisional ball was a 'void' and sort of 'scoreless', but with one shot it was hit from in between the tees and into the hole. Surely a hole in one?

Not only was this not a hole-in-one, but it wasn't even a par since you had to abandon your provisional once you found your original ball, which you know. You holed your provisional but since it doesn't actually count for anything it might as well have not happened.

If you didn't find your original ball, it still wouldn't be a hole-in-one. A hole-in-one doesn't result in a 3 on the scorecard.

[NeilV]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:58 PM, zetterbee said:

 

Finally, in a competition on a par 3, I hit my first ball over the back of the green where there was a short downslope then 3 metres of thick rough and then out of bounds. Local golfers always played a provisional here if they went over the green. I did so and holed it. My first ball was easily found, so I continued with it and scored 4. 

Regarding this last one, people always say it cannot be a hole in one because, being a provisional, it would have been a 3. I say it wasn't a 3 because my carded score on the hole was a 4. The provisional ball was a 'void' and sort of 'scoreless', but with one shot it was hit from in between the tees and into the hole. Surely a hole in one?

Nope. I have holed a provisional on a par where I didn't find the original ball. It's a 3 on the card and I still regard it as my finest par save scramble ever 🙂 One of my playing partners who witnessed it still likes to describe it as a hole in one and I still have to remind him about the score on the card.

[p1n9183]

On 7/8/2023 at 8:58 AM, zetterbee said:

Surely a hole in one?

Simply not. It would be a hole in 3, but you found the first ball so it ended up been just a really good practice shot or nothing at all. 

[TourSpoon]

You have 3. The last 2 are ridiculous to even consider. Maybe they are good bar stories, but not any where close.