Hole in One - Do You Buy Drinks?

[tristanhilton85]

I'd buy for my group, not the entire clubhouse.

[CProsser]

Well I have been playing for over thirty years, been as low as a +1 and never had a hole in one.  I have had the pleasure of listening to Mr. Havacamp talk about his 14 aces ad nauseum.  Odd, but I have only had several free drinks because my playing partner scored an ace and brought us other three guys out for beers afterword.  Never have I sat in the 19th hole and had a drink bought for just being there when Mr. or Mrs. Ace came in.  That said, when I get my first, everyone in the clubhouse gets a beer or a glass of wine on me.

[RichWW2]

I think the poll needs to be broken down a little more.
1. Everyone in the Clubhouse/Bar/Whatever.
2. Only everyone in your group/witnesses.
3. No, People should be buying me drinks.

Having only a No only option makes it seem like more people are greedy bastards then there really are. I'm guessing option 2 would be much higher than option 3 and about the same number of 1 there is now.

I would definitely buy for everyone in my group, friends, and any witnesses.  Other then that, I'm not buying you jack because you just happened to be in the clubhouse the day I got lucky and hit an ace.

Maybe I'm just unlucky in the fact that that no one has ever hit a hole in one when I've been on the course but I've never been bought a drink when in the clubhouse/bar after around. Been playing for 15 years now.  However, like I said before on this thread, I'm not a member of a club or anything so I imagine there is a huge difference in expectations between public courses and members or private courses.

[wolfsburg2]

I'd buy drinks for my group for sure. I am not going broke buying 20 drunks a bloody mary because I aced a hole.

[Aging Boomer]

My two aces both came at a par 54 course that didn't even have a bar back when I made them--just a coffee shop.  I've never made one at the club or any other full size layout in over fifty years.  I do have an albatross double eagle, though, and that's even harder (or luckier, if you prefer).

[Tuffy22]

I had my first (and only) last year on vacation w/ my wife.  She drank on my tab the rest of the day (does that count?).  I didn't go in and formally announce it to the clubhouse, and didn't feel compelled to buy drinks for a bunch of strangers.  If it would have happened on my home course, I might have had a different perspective.

[Spyder]

The first thing on my mind would be to retrieve my ball before anyone putts, walk the ball to my bag, place it in its own compartment for the remainder of the round and make sure I do not use it again. I would then buy drinks at the 19th and have the witnesses in my group sign the ball, take a picture with the guys in my group with me holding the ball, then place that shiny son of a bitch right on my bar in a case at home.

Sounds crazy, but I'd surely never have another one in my life with my luck.

[Mr3Wiggle]

Originally Posted by Spyder

The first thing on my mind would be to retrieve my ball before anyone putts, walk the ball to my bag, place it in its own compartment for the remainder of the round and make sure I do not use it again. I would then buy drinks at the 19th and have the witnesses in my group sign the ball, take a picture with the guys in my group with me holding the ball, then place that shiny son of a bitch right on my bar in a case at home.

Sounds crazy, but I'd surely never have another one in my life with my luck.

Would you be bummed if you made a hole in one with a yellow golf ball?  And then had to display that?

[Dave2512]

Never had an ace. Watched my step-dad sign a $846 bar ticket after buying the clubhouse a round.

[Timothy Voyles]

No effin way...

I nearly holed a shot in a 4 man scramble a few weeks ago, 6in from the cup. I'd gladly buy a round for the guys in my group. The whole club house? Not a chance... One of the guys in my group slyly remarked "I almost got him drunk for the day", I told him if he can get hammered from one drink then more power to him. I don't drink at all btw. He wanted to go on about ace guy buys and yadayada... No way I'd pony up for my friends to get hammered on my day of greatness, much less a bunch of strangers.

[NuclearMike]

I'm with the majority- I'd buy drinks for my group but not for the house.  I hit the flagstick yesterday on a 140 yard par 3 while playing alone, and missed the 8 footer for birdie.  Bought myself a diet coke anyway.

[Macca400]

I don't think this is something that I really need to worry myself about. The likely hood of me hitting a hole in one are slim enough that I'd easily say I'd buy everyone on the forum a drink or bottle of champagne if I got a hole in one.

[Chief Broom]

I'd imagine the only place where people feel compelled to buy everyone, and I mean everyone - staff, folks coming in after the fact, the mailman making his afternoon delivery, etc. - is in the private country club atmosphere.  That's a place where you wouldn't be buying total strangers drinks but in fact fellow club members that, if you aren't at least friendly with, you know by name and reputation.  That changes the dynamic of buying everyone a drink, because what you are really doing is formally announcing to the entire membership your accomplishment.  Another facet of this practice in the country club environment is that if you can afford to be a member of of such an establishment, then picking up the tab for such an extravagance isn't as big of a deal as it would be for a golfer on a budget such as myself.

[Dave2512]

Originally Posted by Chief Broom

I'd imagine the only place where people feel compelled to buy everyone, and I mean everyone - staff, folks coming in after the fact, the mailman making his afternoon delivery, etc. - is in the private country club atmosphere.  That's a place where you wouldn't be buying total strangers drinks but in fact fellow club members that, if you aren't at least friendly with, you know by name and reputation.  That changes the dynamic of buying everyone a drink, because what you are really doing is formally announcing to the entire membership your accomplishment.  Another facet of this practice in the country club environment is that if you can afford to be a member of of such an establishment, then picking up the tab for such an extravagance isn't as big of a deal as it would be for a golfer on a budget such as myself.

It's pretty much the way it's done. Your name goes on the plaque and you keep the tradition going. When my step-dad had to do it he wasn't very happy. He's a sober AA guy, buying people alcohol is not something he enjoys doing. If someone at a private club didn't buy drinks their rep would be severely damaged. Never live it down.

[Chief Broom]

Originally Posted by Macca400

I don't think this is something that I really need to worry myself about. The likely hood of me hitting a hole in one are slim enough that I'd easily say I'd buy everyone on the forum a drink or bottle of champagne if I got a hole in one.

You never know about that...  I play in a league with a guy: Jerry.  Jerry has some kind of  mental impairment.  Great guy.  Hits the ball at most 100 yards.  Jerry plays pretty fast because since the league uses a stableford format once he hits bogey and it's not in the hole he picks up.  You never have to help Jerry find his ball because he hits it fairly straight and even if he hits it off line it's not going to go very far anyway.  Jerry gets in his game and pretty much stays to himself.  But the thing about Jerry that's kinda neat is that occasionally his putter gets hot.  Since he only has to pull 4 or 5 points I've seen him get hot and pull 10-12 points.  The trick is to get him excited.  If he makes a long putt that will do it, but he'll also get fired up if someone else makes a long one.  You get him fired up and you stand a good chance of getting him to pull his points and maybe then some.

Well anyway one day a couple years ago on the short par 3 (about 100yrds from the forward tees where Jerry plays) Jerry tops his tee ball and it goes rolling down onto the green and lo and behold rolls right into the cup for an ace.  Nobody could believe it.  Arguably the worst golfer in the league's history (and the league has been playing since the 1950's) makes an ace, and during league play aces are worth a hundred bucks.  Afterwards everybody is standing around congratulating Jerry on the ace and his new c-note.  Someone asks Jerry if he's going to buy the drinks and Jerry explains how he can't because he's got to take the money home to his wife, and off goes Jerry.  So I guess we can put Jerry down in the poll as a no.

[Dave2512]

Sounds like Jerry is smarter than people think.

[zipazoid]

Originally Posted by Spyder

The first thing on my mind would be to retrieve my ball before anyone putts, walk the ball to my bag, place it in its own compartment for the remainder of the round and make sure I do not use it again. I would then buy drinks at the 19th and have the witnesses in my group sign the ball, take a picture with the guys in my group with me holding the ball, then place that shiny son of a bitch right on my bar in a case at home.

Sounds crazy, but I'd surely never have another one in my life with my luck.

Here are mine -

[Spyder]

Originally Posted by Mr3Wiggle

Would you be bummed if you made a hole in one with a yellow golf ball?  And then had to display that?

No way! Yellow,White, or Orange - I do not care! Haha, I would display it and love it all the same!