Hole in one protocol

[David in FL]

I've never, in all the times I've been in a scramble, heard anyone mention splitting a prize for anything. Long drive, closest to the pin, longest putt, hole in one... Those all typically have a prize attached to them for the winner and everyone always accepts that the winner gets the prize without even a comment. Now I've never had a car be a prize but there have been sets of clubs, large flat screen tvs, cash, etc. I've no clue why anyone would think something like this would be split considering nobody on the team helped you.

^^^^^ This is the right answer ^^^^^ If the closest to the pin prize is a new putter, would that get split amongst the team? Of course not. Remember though, the bar bill is yours alone too! ;-)

[Shindig]

My question: If you get a hole-in-one, do you have to buy everyone in the field a drink at the conclusion of the event? :hmm:

I can't say what "the rule" is, but it happened in the first round of my club's championship last summer. I narrowly missed an ace on the first par-3 (hit it to a foot, entirely by accident), but someone in a different foursome made an ace on the last par-3. He bought a drink for everyone in the flight, although there were some non-golfers in the bar who took advantage of it too (no golfer took more than one drink; two of these girls did). He offered for the first few groups of the next flight in (we were first flight out that day), and after everyone for a few groups declined, he closed the tab.

[imsys0042]

My question: If you get a hole-in-one, do you have to buy everyone in the field a drink at the conclusion of the event? :hmm:

It depends on where you are. Public course, it's your discretion. Private course, you can refuse I suppose but prepare to suffer the consequences. It's tradition to do so, and many places offer hole in one insurance. I actually was in a weird position last year. I was playing the back nine by myself and made a hole in one. No one saw it. Which meant no plaque, or goodies from the club like your name on the wall. So I never did but drinks for anyone since I really couldn't get credit for it. However if someone witnessed it, I would have done so. I did go into the bar and see if there was anyone I knew. But it was NFL week one and barely anyone was there anyway

[vangator]

I say the guy who hits a hole in one keeps the prize. No sharing. When I play scrambles, I am typically the A player / captain. I announce before hand all prize money is shared. For long drive, I ask the D player to get one in play ( a safe shot). Each successive player is to better the shot or "go for it". If a prior shot is good, I can really bomb it. I can do that because the rest of my team contributed to allow me to do that. Back in my younger days I won several long drive contests and always split the money. If it was a new putter or something, then no. We have scrambles with CTP, long putts, long drives and skins. All winnings are thrown in the pot and split. That's me. I'm there for the free beer usually.

[Mac62]

Last week, I played in a charity shamble. It was a 4-man scramble format, but only two of our players showed up. I am basically a bogey golfer, and my partner was a little better, but hadn't played in a couple of years. We were allowed 2 shots each, and managed 1 bogey and 5 birdies for a 68. Our last hole was a par 3, with a new Toyota Corolla for a hole in one. It was around 178 to the stick and I hit a 4 iron. As it turned out, it wasn't that close but looked good enough in the air to kick the heart rate up a couple of beats. It hit a little mogul on the green, bounced once and checked. If it had rolled out, it would have been pretty close.

Before I hit my shot, my partner said, "Make it and we'll split it."  I just said, "I need that car", horsing around of course because I had no expectation of making it.

Is there any unwritten obligation to share such a prize with your playing partners?  My partner was a nice guy, and an acquaintance of my daughter, but that is the first time I had met or played with him.

Neither of us paid to enter the scramble, nor was there a donation on this hole in one. Now on a prior hole, there was a promotion by a different company where you donated $10 each to the charity and the hole sponsor (Dixon Golf) gave you a sleeve if you hit the green, and 2 round trip airline tickets for a hole in one. Also a birdie on the hole if all participated. I paid the $20 for both of us on that hole. I think we both won the prize if one of us made an ace.

My .02 - if there's a team prize for winning the tournament or whatever, then the team splits the prize.  A hole-in-one is an individual accomplishment - nobody else had anything to do with it (unless he was standing behind you with his arms around you and you were both swinging the club, lol).  Hole-in-one, longest drive, closest to the pin....those prizes go to the individual who accomplished them, unless the team agrees otherwise beforehand.

[Strandly]

I would expect the player who made the shot win the entire prize.  HOWEVER, it might not be such a bad idea to make some sort of sharing arrangement.  Look at it this way, if the car is worth 20 grand by refusing to split the prize you are wagering 10 grand on your ability.  Are you that good?  Perhaps it is better to settle for 10 grand and double your chances.