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Question: Would you rather have a HOLE IN ONE on a par 3 or an Albatross on a Par 5?


Would you rather?  

216 members have voted

  1. 1. Would you rather have a HOLE IN ONE on a par 3 or an Albatross on a Par 5?

    • HOLE IN ONE
      152
    • ALBATROSS
      64


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1 hour ago, chisag said:

... Here is another variable for better players and high index players when it comes to Albatross vs HIO. If shooting your lowest score was your goal, would you rather play 18 par 5's or 18 par 3's? I remember charting my rounds in LA back in the late 90's and was shocked to see how poorly I played the par 3's compared to the par 5's. I can't remember the exact #'s but it was something like 39 under on the par 5's and 21 over on the par 3's. Considering iron play was probably my greatest strength at that time, I was a little surprised by those #'s. Then I saw a stat and again can't remember exact #'s but for his career Tiger was something like 1,121 under on par 5's and 31 over on par 3's. 

... My wife is a good golfer that shoots in the mid to low 90's and she would always rather play a par 3 than a par 5.   

First, the Tiger stat is skewed.  Many times on the par-5s, he was on the green with 3 more shots to use to get to par, on the par 3s he was ALWAYS on the tee at that point.  

I think for better players, the par 5s are the best opportunity for birdie, because as long as the ball is in play, you'll have the shortest shot to get close to the hole for a birdie putt.  And better players keep the ball in play most of the time.  So better players will shoot lower scores in relation to par on the par 5 course.  For poorer players, they'll have triple the opportunities to really screw up badly on a par 5 as compared to a par 3.  They'll be better off on the par 3 course if trying to shoot the best in relation to par.

Of course, if I'm shooting for the lowest actual number, I'll take the par 3s.  18 bogeys is 72, you need 17 birdies and an eagle to shoot 71 for all par 5 holes.  Yeah, I know you meant in relation to par, but you did say "lowest score".

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5 hours ago, chisag said:

... Here is another variable for better players and high index players when it comes to Albatross vs HIO. If shooting your lowest score was your goal, would you rather play 18 par 5's or 18 par 3's? I remember charting my rounds in LA back in the late 90's and was shocked to see how poorly I played the par 3's compared to the par 5's. I can't remember the exact #'s but it was something like 39 under on the par 5's and 21 over on the par 3's. Considering iron play was probably my greatest strength at that time, I was a little surprised by those #'s. Then I saw a stat and again can't remember exact #'s but for his career Tiger was something like 1,121 under on par 5's and 31 over on par 3's. 

... My wife is a good golfer that shoots in the mid to low 90's and she would always rather play a par 3 than a par 5.   

I play to a pretty high handicap.  For a long time I only played about 6 rounds a year and 4 of them were on my golf trip. I'm playing more now and becoming more consistent over time so I'm starting to do better on par 5's.  But for years, as a high handicap player par 5's were tough because I had to hit 3 decent shots in a row to get on the green in regulation.  That just didn't happen all that often.  With a par 3, all I had to do was hit 1 decent shot.  As I've played more over the last year and a half things have changed.  I'm starting to card GIR on par 5's more regularly (par 3's have improved some but not as much). In my case part of this is probably that I hit my driver and 4 wood (both Ping G15)  pretty well.

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Even the commentators only ask about hole in ones. When they asked their fallow commentators how many they had had. One said none, Ian Baker-Finch said 17!

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I have one Ace, and I have not had an Albatross.  That said, I would take the Ace, in spite of the almost legendary quality of a deuce on a par 5, or ace on a par 4.  As others have pointed out, you don't hear a lot of questions about how many albatrosses you have, but even non-golfers will ask about Aces.  

My ace happened last year on May 17, and I didn't see it go in, didn't get the tee box celebration.  It was a 206 yard hole and my then 55 year old eyes apparently don't always work from that distance as they may have in years past.  I *did* see the ball hit the green and release in the direction of the hole, but that was all I could see.  

Ironically, in my third round of this season, playing that same hole with the pin in the same location, I hit another shot that hit the green and released towards the hole, both me and my playing partner could see it all the way, tracking towards the pin, finishing 8 feet short.  I find it kind of funny I get to see the entire "hit it to 8 feet" result, but don't get to see my ace.  LOL

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I have two aces, and would rather a third over an Albatross.


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When I read  most of the comments, I feel like I see a lot of people say "I already have a hole in one" or "I have two hole in ones, so im going to say albatross". I think I saw a few people say they have an albatross or multiple albatross, but not a HIO. But I think the hole in one people without an albatross far exceed the albatross folk without a hole in one. 

With that being said, Is hitting a hole in one easier than getting an albatross?                   

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Albatross!  

In nearly 30 years of playing the game, I have witnessed both but never had one myself.  Witnessed several holes in one but only one albatross.  A local high school kid I was playing with holed out a 3-wood from well over 250 yards.  Hole plays downhill.  He landed it short of the green.  The ball took the slope and funneled all the way to the back right pin position, slammed the flag stick pretty hard and dropped straight down. 

Starting to think it's never going to be my time!

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On 4/29/2020 at 4:29 PM, yungkory said:

Hole in one only because I'm very unlikely to see an albatross go in. I wanna see that sh*t go in so I can Tiger fist pump from the tee box. Maybe do a cartwheel or two, or maybe even:

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The only hole-in-one/albatross I had was on a short par 4.I didn't see it but my teammates and opposing team did. So yeah, I feel cheated out of the celebration as it isn't as exciting to walk up to the green looking for your ball to then have a teammate casually tell you it went as it would have been to see it go in. Still cool though.

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I’ll take another albatross, please! Mine was holed from 190 yards out, and I was lucky enough to hear it hit the flagstick and watch a group enjoying the 19th hole erupt when it went in. Since I hit the flagstick on the fly with no bounce or roll, it was definitely a lucky shot.

I find par 5’s much easier than par 3’s, but I’m definitely jealous of all my friends that have HIO’s: but none of them have an albatross...

 

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10 minutes ago, Micah T said:

I’ll take another albatross, please! Mine was holed from 190 yards out, and I was lucky enough to hear it hit the flagstick and watch a group enjoying the 19th hole erupt when it went in. Since I hit the flagstick on the fly with no bounce or roll, it was definitely a lucky shot.

I find par 5’s much easier than par 3’s, but I’m definitely jealous of all my friends that have HIO’s: but none of them have an albatross...

 

... I am guessing more than a few lucky enough to card an Albatross didn't see it go in. I did not see either of mine. Both from more than 250 out but downhill on mountain courses in Asheville NC. First one went over a little rise in front of the green and we could not see the bottom of the flag but we heard/saw the guys in the cart screaming from up on the cart path and they waited for us to get to the green to congratulate us. The second was moving pretty hot landing short of the green and rolling on but again, we could not see the flag and when we got to the green and didn't see ball we started looking over the green. Greg said "might as well look in the hole" and then started laughing, picked my ball out of the hole and threw it at me LOL. He was my partner for the first one too. So really good golf shots no doubt but waaaaaaay more luck than skill to find the hole from over 250 yds landing short both times. 

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On 5/12/2020 at 9:56 AM, MALyons31 said:

When I read  most of the comments, I feel like I see a lot of people say "I already have a hole in one" or "I have two hole in ones, so im going to say albatross". I think I saw a few people say they have an albatross or multiple albatross, but not a HIO. But I think the hole in one people without an albatross far exceed the albatross folk without a hole in one. 

With that being said, Is hitting a hole in one easier than getting an albatross?                   

I don’t want to say getting a hole in one is necessarily easier, but the luck factor plays more into getting a hole in one than an albatross. Anything can happen on your tee shot on a par 3. For example, you might shank it but hit the cart path and then somehow find the green and role in. To get an alabatross, you have two hit two pretty good shots or one good shot and a lucky shot. So to answer your question, I guess in theory, getting a hole in one would be easier.

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I had an albatross last year. Par 5, 30 mph wind. Hit a 6 iron and it flew forever. Ball hit the green, bounced once, and rolled into the cup like a putt.  I've never had a hole in one.

Here's what I learned: skull a sand wedge on a 100 yard hole, skip it over water, nail the pin, and drop in the cup and everyone celebrates. Hit two perfect shots and complete a hole three under par and.....crickets. 🤣

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Having not had either. I'm gonna go with a hole in one.
That'll live forever in print somewhere lol


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On ‎5‎/‎13‎/‎2020 at 12:34 PM, Micah T said:

I’ll take another albatross, please! Mine was holed from 190 yards out, and I was lucky enough to hear it hit the flagstick and watch a group enjoying the 19th hole erupt when it went in. Since I hit the flagstick on the fly with no bounce or roll, it was definitely a lucky shot.

I find par 5’s much easier than par 3’s, but I’m definitely jealous of all my friends that have HIO’s: but none of them have an albatross...

I think par 5s are easier than par 3s too. I would much rather have a Albatross as well just because you have to put a good shot out there off the tee and then most likely hit 180-200 yard approach shot to even have a chance. Congrats on yours BTW!

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Speaking of which... I was 1cm away from my 2nd HIO today... elevated tee, over water, about 165 yards.

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I'll take the Hole In One. Even though it's "easier" I just feel it carries more prestige with the masses. 

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Speaking of which... I was 1cm away from my 2nd HIO today... elevated tee, over water, about 165 yards.
IMG_20200517_064203841.thumb.jpg.abe046a351f5013bd065fb456c66b808.jpg

That's like being one number away from winning the lottery.


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On 5/17/2020 at 5:44 AM, Kanoito said:

Speaking of which... I was 1cm away from my 2nd HIO today... elevated tee, over water, about 165 yards.

IMG_20200517_064203841.thumb.jpg.abe046a351f5013bd065fb456c66b808.jpg

But did you make the putt?! 😆 

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I have one hole in one, but have always thought the albatross was cooler.  Sure, most golfers ask about number of hole in ones.  The people who truly get it understand how much more rare and difficult it is to have an albatross.  

Put it this way, how about just combining the two and get a hole in one on a Par 4.  Happy Gilmore had one.  It's just so much easier than putting, I should try to get the ball in one hole every time.

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2 hours ago, MALyons31 said:

But did you make the putt?! 😆 

No man! It hit the stick and bounced out 😇

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Since I have never had a hole in one, I have to go that route. I could see if you had a few already then the albatross would be tempting. 

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I would take a hole in one because that is what I am attempting to do.  I feel like an albatross just happens as a result of being able to reach the green in two.  When I am 240-255 out, my intent is not getting an albatross. My intent is to get it on the green for an eagle or easy birdie.  I dont have one yet either though...😢

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  • 4 weeks later...

I had my first ever decent chance at an albatross the other day. Was 160 yards out from the green on my second shot on a 468 yard par 5.

My approach in felt great! Felt like I struck it really well and it looked like it was tracking right for the stick. I thought "OH BABY, its going to be right on it!" Then out of nowhere, it just fell out of the sky and was 20 yards short...Still not sure what happened. It was deflating lol

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Hole in One... as much as both carry shots carry luck, the likelihood of holing out with a mid-high lofted club with skill far outweighs the sheer luck with that off a 3wood-mid iron.

What if your albatross was holed with a 9 iron from 170 yards out?

Now that I finally have a hole in one, I’m still more proud of my albatross: it required a 335 yard drive and a well struck, perfectly aimed 9 iron.


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On 6/16/2020 at 3:25 PM, Micah T said:


What if your albatross was holed with a 9 iron from 170 yards out?

Now that I finally have a hole in one, I’m still more proud of my albatross: it required a 335 yard drive and a well struck, perfectly aimed 9 iron.


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Exactly, that’s what I’m sayin!

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Having had both, my preference is an albatross. I have seen plenty of lucky holes in one, and there probably are lucky albatrosses, but at least one shot of an albatross has to be pretty good.

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