The Ace : How much skill - How much luck?

[gripitandripit]

How much skill (versus luck) is involved in making a hole-in-one?

I saw somewhere that one of the greats (Hogan or Bobby Jones I think) never had an ace.

On the other hand, I know several hackers that have had an ace.

[flap]

I'm playing over 25 years and got my first and only sofar 2 years ago.200 yds with a 4 iron.I don't belive its luck because I was aiming at the flag so I hit a good shot.If I was aiming at the fat of the green and it went in then it would be luck.

[iacas]

I'm playing over 25 years and got my first and only sofar 2 years ago.200 yds with a 4 iron.I don't belive its luck because I was aiming at the flag so I hit a good shot.If I was aiming at the fat of the green and it went in then it would be luck.

Everyone aims at the flag at a par 3 though, so I don't know if that's the deciding factor.

Pros pepper the pin on par 3s (relative to amateurs and hackers). Imagine a dispersion pattern. For a pro, it'd look like a shotgun blast from 5 feet - very tight dispersion. For an amateur, it'd look like a shotgun blast from 25 feet - pellets all over the place. If one of the pellets happens to line up with the hole, it's a hole in one. That, to me, is the definition of luck (or the law of probability). But definitely not skill, obviously. That's not to say someone - even a hacker - can't make a good swing or that no skill is involved. Just that the higher the skill level, the more likely you are to "get lucky" one day and have a pellet line up with the hole.

[majorchamp]

Well, I have never had a legitimate hole in one.

I was playing in a college tournament 2 years ago and during the practice round, I pulled my first shot, dropped another ball and made it. Too bad it didn't count.

I think if you make 1, its luck.

More then that, its skill.

Some pro's have like 25 or something. Thats unreal.

[robertspages]

Well, I have never had a legitimate hole in one.

Art Wall had 40. Getting a few is luck. Beyond that, it's a combination of luck and skill. Over time, if you hit enough shots at the hole, some will go in. I've hit a lot of ones that just barely missed, and I had a double eagle shot sit an inch from the hole, but I'm still at zilch.

[gripitandripit]

I'm living proof that a lot of luck is involved. I've had three aces (from 168 yds, 227 yds, and 136 yds) I've played with a lot of golfers way better than me that haven't had any. I think its 49% skill and 51% luck.

[robertspages]

I'm living proof that a lot of luck is involved. I've had three aces (from 168 yds, 227 yds, and 136 yds) I've played with a lot of golfers way better than me that haven't had any. I think its 49% skill and 51% luck.

I think it's about 60% luck.

I've holed out from 162 yards, but it was on a par 4 that I had to pitch back to the fairway. It was for birdie. I've holed out a half dozen wedge shots from about 100 yards, and countless pitch shots from the 20 to 50 yard range. I have a buddy who played the mini tours and beat Billy Andrade in the junior golf days. He said he has 9 holes in one and has holed out from 100 yards or more so many times that he can't remember. He figured at least 100 times. Nice guy, who beats my brains in when we play.

[oqvist]

HIO is 100 % luck really. Even for the PRO:s. No PRO can calculate and perform the exact action to create a hole in one. So it´s only luck.

Of course it helps to be consequent in shooting good and straight shots but still. I have seen to many 9 year olds on their first season make 2 HIO and old veteran sub 10 players who never made one to know it´s only luck.

Me am the perfect example. My first round of golf ever I was 5 inches from a HIO have never been so close to that later even though I hit the ball 50 million times better.

[six_overpar]

I got my HIO when I was a freshman in high school. It was a 146 yd par3. I skulled by shot straight to a bunker, the ball hit a rake bounced on the green and rolled right in the hole. Lucky? Hell yeah, but the only thing my scoecard showed was an eagle. I'd rather be lucky than good anyday boys. I have been w/in a foot several times since. I think trying to get HIO is futile; if I thought I was that lucky I would try the lottery instead of par 3's.

[iacas]

HIO is 100 % luck really. Even for the PRO:s. No PRO can calculate and perform the exact action to create a hole in one. So it´s only luck.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's skill to get within 5 or 10 feet of the pin on a par 3. It's luck from there on out.

[oqvist]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: it's skill to get within 5 or 10 feet of the pin on a par 3. It's luck from there on out.

Very true. Just see how seldom the PRO:s make HIO if you consider how many rounds they play and how accurate they are :)

[Ben]

Pure skill, boys, pure skill . Hahahhaaaa

My one and only hole in one came this year by way of a perfectly hit 5 iron, to a pin placement on a green that ain't easy at all. I knew where I had to hit the green and how I had to hit the shot to get it there, and pulled it off to perfection.

The only other times I've come anywhere close to a hole in one, only 2 other times, I hit the shot I needed to hit as well.

But that's my case. six overpar's on the other hand, now that's some serious luck! Not that that's a bad thing.

[iacas]

Very true. Just see how seldom the PRO:s make HIO if you consider how many rounds they play and how accurate they are :)

The pros aren't always firing at the flag, either... And most decent PGA Tour pros with five to fifteen years under their belt seem to have 10-30 HIOs on the PGA Tour alone. I wouldn't call that "seldom."

[oqvist]

The pros aren't always firing at the flag, either... And most decent PGA Tour pros with five to fifteen years under their belt seem to have 10-30 HIOs on the PGA Tour alone. I wouldn't call that "seldom."

If you look at the number of sheer rounds they play and how skilled they are that is seldom ;) If it where pure skill it would be 100 times that number of HIO. You can hit the perfect shot it will 99 times of 100 not drop because you can impossible calculate and perform the exact shot you want. You need a robot for that.

[iacas]

If you look at the number of sheer rounds they play and how skilled they are that is seldom ;) If it where pure skill it would be 100 times that number of HIO. You can hit the perfect shot it will 99 times of 100 not drop because you can impossible calculate and perform the exact shot you want. You need a robot for that.

Pros regularly have 50+ holes in one by the time they turn 50. Amateur golfers - many of which play as frequently as the pros do - are lucky to have 3 or 4.

As I said: it's skill to get within 5 or 10 feet of the pin on a par 3. It's luck from there on out.

[Rafcin]

check this one out