A most improbable shot

[shortstop20]

Played 27 holes today at the local 9 hole course. Was decent weather for October, definitely wasn't going to pass up the opportunity. Low 60's with 25 MPH winds or so, but sunny.

The 4th hole is a short par 5, 400 yards. I hit my drive about 230 yards, it had a little more draw spin than I intended and I ended up on the far left side of the fairway, only 3 yards from my last drive on the 2nd 9 hole go around.

169 yards out for the second shot. Wind is blowing right to left, into our face. I pull the 4 hybrid and tell my playing partner(playing best ball), "I didn't hit this club well last time on this hole, pushed it, but this is the club". I go through my routine, 2 practice swings, pick my line, and swing. The ball started right where I wanted it to, right of the hole, the wind grabs it, pulls it left, and now it's headed dead at the stick.

By this time I'm screaming "Be good, Be Good!" like Hal Sutton or something.  The ball hit the front of the green and one of my friends and playing opponent said "Go in, Go in!". Shortly after it hit the pin and dropped in the cup for a 2!!!!

It's a very short Par 5 so call it a true Albatross or not, I'm taking it!

From the spot of the shot, with yardage.

The divot...

BAD PICTURE! LOL

So does anybody have any suggestions on where to buy a plaque that will hold the ball and maybe even the scorecard? Needs to be able to be engraved with the info obviously.

[iacas]

Congrats! You're wearing a Titleist hat and were perhaps playing a Titleist ball? You might write to them. I know they do things for Holes in One, but albatrosses are even more rare, so it's worth checking out...

http://www.titleist.com/myaccount/login.aspx?r=/myaccount/holeinone.aspx <--- might just be for holes in one, but I'd submit it anyway with a note about how it's NOT a hole in one but is an albatross.

[shortstop20]

Thanks Erik. Yes it is indeed a Titleist ball, although it's an older DT Distance ball.

I had thought about that, I think I'll do it.

It's kind of funny, I had just bought that hat a few days earlier and it was the first time I had golfed with it.

[WWBDD]

Best ball?

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by WWBDD

Best ball?

The drive and the holed shot were both mine so I don't see any issue? I also hit first both times and would not have played the hole any differently.

[michaeljames92]

Well done, but I'm confused. A 400 yard par 5?

[cruzthepug]

Originally Posted by michaeljames92

Well done, but I'm confused. A 400 yard par 5?

+1, normally that's just a average par 4

[Grumpter]

Originally Posted by michaeljames92

Well done, but I'm confused. A 400 yard par 5?

Agree

[Merlin76]

Well done.

A 400 yard par 5, maybe you were playing off the ladies tee????

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by Merlin76

Well done.

A 400 yard par 5, maybe you were playing off the ladies tee????

It's a short 9 hole course in a small town in rural SD. Not uncommon around these parts to have 400 something yard Par 5's.

There's only 2 sets of tees and I play from the back tees.

[Grumpter]

Great shot in tough conditions but it's not anywhere near long enough to be considered a par 5 in my opinion.

[bogey joe]

Congrats of the albetros!!!!!  You should have no regrets or misgivings over your incredible accomplishment.  Double-eagles are far more rare than hole-n-ones and you are now part of a very small segment of golfers.  I had a similar situation earlier this year as I also carded another double-eagle on a 447 yard par-5.  Because it happened on my own course I had to call it in to the local newspaper.  The reporter, a friend of mine, questioned and even gigged me little over the short yardage of the par-5, asking me "What's up with that?  Shouldn't that be a par 4?"  My response was simple, "that's the way they built the course, and all I can do is play the hole in front of me."   As far as the plaques go, I can help you with that if you want to contact me.  I have began manufactuering my own plaques for myself and those who make aces or double eagles at my course and I would be more than happy to get you one at a reasonable price if you like them.

[shortstop20]

Originally Posted by bogey joe

Congrats of the albetros!!!!!  You should have no regrets or misgivings over your incredible accomplishment.  Double-eagles are far more rare than hole-n-ones and you are now part of a very small segment of golfers.  I had a similar situation earlier this year as I also carded another double-eagle on a 447 yard par-5.  Because it happened on my own course I had to call it in to the local newspaper.  The reporter, a friend of mine, questioned and even gigged me little over the short yardage of the par-5, asking me "What's up with that?  Shouldn't that be a par 4?"  My response was simple, "that's the way they built the course, and all I can do is play the hole in front of me."   As far as the plaques go, I can help you with that if you want to contact me.  I have began manufactuering my own plaques for myself and those who make aces or double eagles at my course and I would be more than happy to get you one at a reasonable price if you like them.

Thanks.

That'd be great, send me a PM with info.

[johnclayton1982]

I dunno about the whole par 5 isn't 400 yards thing.  The course I play in Louisiana has been used relatively recently for the Zurich classic (Before it moved to the TPC course), and hole 11 is a 414 yard par 5.   It was set up as short as 411 yards for the PGA event.  It is a nasty hole - despite being a par 5, it is a vicious dogleg left, and the fairway slants down and runs hard into water that runs all the way up the right side to the green.  It is oh so easy to hit a smooth 240 yard carry drive and find the water.  You absolutely have to lay your drive up to like 195-200 OR make sure you shape a draw across the dog leg.  Even then, i've hit 4 hybrid too hard and had it run down the viction downslope into the water off the tee.  Anything but a very short shot or a perfect draw and you are wet (or in the woods, to the left side of the hole).  The hole was the 2nd hardest for the pros during that event on the course.  It also is an elevated green with tons of trouble around it, so while you can get at it in 2, its a hard hole.  That said, it is a relatively easy hole if you hit 6 iron straight, 6 iron layup area left of green, you'll have a clear 80-100 shot onto the green in regulation.  But if you want to get on in 2, you take a ton of risk.  I've played that hole 100 times, and I am really happy to escape with bogey.

A 400 yard par 5 shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, IMO.

[Gresh24]

Originally Posted by johnclayton1982

I dunno about the whole par 5 isn't 400 yards thing.  The course I play in Louisiana has been used relatively recently for the Zurich classic (Before it moved to the TPC course), and hole 11 is a 414 yard par 5.   It was set up as short as 411 yards for the PGA event.  It is a nasty hole - despite being a par 5, it is a vicious dogleg left, and the fairway slants down and runs hard into water that runs all the way up the right side to the green.  It is oh so easy to hit a smooth 240 yard carry drive and find the water.  You absolutely have to lay your drive up to like 195-200 OR make sure you shape a draw across the dog leg.  Even then, i've hit 4 hybrid too hard and had it run down the viction downslope into the water off the tee.  Anything but a very short shot or a perfect draw and you are wet (or in the woods, to the left side of the hole).  The hole was the 2nd hardest for the pros during that event on the course.  It also is an elevated green with tons of trouble around it, so while you can get at it in 2, its a hard hole.  That said, it is a relatively easy hole if you hit 6 iron straight, 6 iron layup area left of green, you'll have a clear 80-100 shot onto the green in regulation.  But if you want to get on in 2, you take a ton of risk.  I've played that hole 100 times, and I am really happy to escape with bogey.

A 400 yard par 5 shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, IMO.

I agree, but you can clearly see from the photos that this appears to be a straight, wide open hole that doesn't even have any bunkers or hazzards.

[NCSU_MSE]

He hit driver-4h, which is more club than most tour pros hit into par 5's these days.  Heck, I'm one of the longer hitters in my league and that would be driver-6 iron on a good day.

400 yards is not a long par 5, but in some ways I think it's more fun for the average golfer because it is so reachable in 2.  Nothing stinks worse than launching a career drive only to find yourself less than halfway home on a par 5.

[newtogolf]

Congrats.  Don't like all the talk about the 400 yard Par 5 ruin your moment, you didn't design the course.

[shortstop20]

Quote: Originally Posted by johnclayton1982  I dunno about the whole par 5 isn't 400 yards thing.  The course I play in Louisiana has been used relatively recently for the Zurich classic (Before it moved to the TPC course), and hole 11 is a 414 yard par 5.   It was set up as short as 411 yards for the PGA event.  It is a nasty hole - despite being a par 5, it is a vicious dogleg left, and the fairway slants down and runs hard into water that runs all the way up the right side to the green.  It is oh so easy to hit a smooth 240 yard carry drive and find the water.  You absolutely have to lay your drive up to like 195-200 OR make sure you shape a draw across the dog leg.  Even then, i've hit 4 hybrid too hard and had it run down the viction downslope into the water off the tee.  Anything but a very short shot or a perfect draw and you are wet (or in the woods, to the left side of the hole).  The hole was the 2nd hardest for the pros during that event on the course.  It also is an elevated green with tons of trouble around it, so while you can get at it in 2, its a hard hole.  That said, it is a relatively easy hole if you hit 6 iron straight, 6 iron layup area left of green, you'll have a clear 80-100 shot onto the green in regulation.  But if you want to get on in 2, you take a ton of risk.  I've played that hole 100 times, and I am really happy to escape with bogey.   A 400 yard par 5 shouldn't be dismissed out of hand, IMO. I agree, but you can clearly see from the photos that this appears to be a straight, wide open hole that doesn't even have any bunkers or hazzards.

There's a large water hazard that guards the left side of the green and balls that land around that area will often bounce in the hazard. There is also OB just 15 yards right of the green. Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk