Hole in 1 vs Albatross

[Noble 90 golf]

What is harder to get? Albatross or a hole in one?

[Middler]

Albatross for sure. A par 4 is longer than a par 3 and it’s very rare for a par 3 to be longer than a par 5 second shot (almost unheard of IME). I’d much rather have an albatross than another HIO. YMMV

[chisag]

... Well, I have two Albatross and I will say this. Yes it takes two really good shots but I was certainly not aiming at the flag, just trying to roll it on the green and they both went in the hole. Didn't see one of them, just the guys in their carts up on the cart path screaming and they stuck around to congratulate me. If you can't even see the green that would fall squarely in the luck category. 2nd was over a drop off tier and while I could see the flag and the green I couldn't see the hole. We looked over the green and finally Greg told me to look in the hole and sure enough there it was. 

... OTOH many times I am taking dead aim at the pin on a par 3 so no luck involved, just a really good shot needed. I have slam dunked it twice the ball coming back out both times and damaging the cup, hit one that backed up and bounced off the pin and I have had 2 sit on the lip about 1/4" from going in. The last not so funny joke from the golf gods was I spun a wedge off a short par 3 green and back into the water, re-teed and hit it just past the flag and it came back a few inches and in the hole for a ... par. Still no HIO. 

[funkyjudge]

Allegedly, it is an albatross that is more difficult (far more difficult, according to the published odds); however, I have had an albatross (August 8, 1993 at Great Gorge C. C., formerly known as the Playboy Club, in northern NJ). It was on the 8th hole of the Quarry Nine, a par 5 hole of about 525 yards, on which I used a matching Golfsmith driver and 3-wood shafted with SWIX shafts (I built the clubs for myself).

In nearly 37 years of playing golf, I have never had an ace, although I have been within a foot at least a half dozen times, most recently in May of this year at the Legends Resort in Myrtle Beach (17th hole of the Heathland Course). I hit it to 4” using a 7-iron on an uphill hole that was listed as being 181 yards from the tees we were playing, although I shot the distance at 174 yards using my laser rangefinder. Two months later, I was very close to making a hole in one at Royal Troon in Scotland (5th hole, 182 yards, 6-iron). The ball looked like it was going in and as we walked towards the green, none of us nor our caddies could see my ball. My caddie said that it must be in the hole, but as we got closer, we saw a ball directly behind the pin a couple feet past the hole. These types of things have happened to me many times over the years, and once in 1991 I hit the flagstick on a par-4 after hitting my tee shot with a 3-wood. If that one had dropped in, I would have had both an albatross and an ace on the same hole.  As it was, I was happy making an eagle on that 263 yard par-4.

Edited December 19, 2022 by funkyjudge

[funkyjudge]

40 minutes ago, chisag said:

... Well, I have two Albatross and I will say this. Yes it takes two really good shots but I was certainly not aiming at the flag, just trying to roll it on the green and they both went in the hole. Didn't see one of them, just the guys in their carts up on the cart path screaming and they stuck around to congratulate me. If you can't even see the green that would fall squarely in the luck category. 2nd was over a drop off tier and while I could see the flag and the green I couldn't see the hole. We looked over the green and finally Greg told me to look in the hole and sure enough there it was. 

... OTOH many times I am taking dead aim at the pin on a par 3 so no luck involved, just a really good shot needed. I have slam dunked it twice the ball coming back out both times and damaging the cup, hit one that backed up and bounced off the pin and I have had 2 sit on the lip about 1/4" from going in. The last not so funny joke from the golf gods was I spun a wedge off a short par 3 green and back into the water, re-teed and hit it just past the flag and it came back a few inches and in the hole for a ... par. Still no HIO. 

Sam,

Your story regarding the albatross that you didn’t see go into the hole is eerily similar to mine. I couldn’t see mine go in because the green was slightly elevated with a large bunker in front of it. I actually thought that my approach shot with the 3-wood was in that bunker, but I heard yelling from two of the guys in my foursome who were already in their cart headed for the hole, plus the foursome on the 9th tee. That’s when I realized that it was probably on the green, but I never imagined that it was in the hole. I only realized that was the case when someone from the other foursome called out to the two of us as we got closer to the green “who hit last there?”  When I said that it was me, they told me that my ball was in the cup.

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, chisag said:

... OTOH many times I am taking dead aim at the pin on a par 3 so no luck involved, just a really good shot needed.

Many years ago I was playing and hit a shot on a par 3 that ended up about an 1" from the hole.   I walk up to the next tee and there is an older gentleman on the next tee who asks how close the shot was.   When I told him he said that Ben Hogan once told him that a shot that finishes next to the hole is all skill and making a hole in one is luck.   The person was former PGA professional Chandler Harper.  Because of that, I view a HIO on a par 3 as complete luck.

[chisag]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Many years ago I was playing and hit a shot on a par 3 that ended up about an 1" from the hole.   I walk up to the next tee and there is an older gentleman on the next tee who asks how close the shot was.   When I told him he said that Ben Hogan once told him that a shot that finishes next to the hole is all skill and making a hole in one is luck.   The person was former PGA professional Chandler Harper.  Because of that, I view a HIO on a par 3 as complete luck.

 

... Good point. Hitting it right where you are aiming takes skill and the ball tumbling in a 4.25" diameter hole in the ground certainly takes luck. But aiming right at the hole and hitting it the exact distance you intended is putting yourself in a very good position to get lucky. Yet I have played with high index players that rarely hit a green in regulation and have multiple HOI's. 

[Middler]

1 hour ago, cnosil said:

Many years ago I was playing and hit a shot on a par 3 that ended up about an 1" from the hole.   I walk up to the next tee and there is an older gentleman on the next tee who asks how close the shot was.   When I told him he said that Ben Hogan once told him that a shot that finishes next to the hole is all skill and making a hole in one is luck.   The person was former PGA professional Chandler Harper.  Because of that, I view a HIO on a par 3 as complete luck.

A well struck shot that finishes 1” from the hole essentially requires the same skill as a HIO. And a mishit could finish 1” from the hole or as a HIO - many of us have seen fortuitous mishits more than once. To call one “complete luck” and the other “all skill” doesn’t make sense. 

[Noble 90 golf]

Interesting point to consider. 
 

an amateur who has never played before can get a hole in one. I don’t see that happening with an albatross.

Edited December 19, 2022 by Noble 90 golf

[funkyjudge]

19 minutes ago, Noble 90 golf said:

Interesting point to consider. 
 

an amateur who has never played before can get a hole in one. I don’t see that happening with an albatross.

Absolutely true! An albatross is much rarer than an ace, and it requires much greater skill, IMO.  A beginning golfer has such a miniscule chance of even reaching a par-5 in two, or a par-4 with his or her tee shot that it makes the likelihood of an albatross virtually impossible.

[GolfSpy_APH]

I don't have either so they both must be awfully difficult! haha

[colglfr]

I felt it was a albatross to a hole in one.  Between the distance on the second shot and you are hitting this second shot without a tee the albatross is harder.   When I made one I did not get the chance to see it go in (uphill approach).  It was a great feeling but generally no one cares except real golfers.  Hole in ones get a the flash and easier to understand.

[Siamese Moose]

I've had an albatross three times. I'd trade them all for my first hole in one. 

[DaveP043]

I'll pile on, an albatross is much more difficult.  To start, the opportunities for an albatross are significantly fewer.  Consider your average player, how many par-5 holes can he reach in two, how many drivable par-4s?  Maybe 1 or two chances per round, maybe none?  Yet pretty much every par-3 hole is reachable by most players.  So I'd estimate that a player has 2 to 5 times as many chances at an ace.  Second, the albatross requires two shots, a poor drive eliminates the chance.  Last, the distance for the shot to hole is generally less on a par-3.  

I certainly can believe that some players may have multiple albatrossi (I made that word up, can you tell?) and no aces, odds and statistics are funny things.  I've had 3 aces over 50+ years of playing, and a whole bunch of close calls, but I'd guess I've only come close to an albatross maybe a half-dozen times.

Edited December 19, 2022 by DaveP043

[PhilG]

I love Albatrossi!!! 3 Albatross and zero HIO. 2 Ab I saw, one I did not. I have been within one more roll to going in 6 or 7 times. God I love this game!

[jolter1]

Never had a hole in one in over 30 years but have holed out for a two, four times from the fairway. Just dumb luck on my part.

[RobyM]

10 hours ago, Noble 90 golf said:

Interesting point to consider. 
 

an amateur who has never played before can get a hole in one. I don’t see that happening with an albatross.

I am 48yrs old and currently a 3 hcp with no HIO.  32 years ago when I was a beginner golfer, borrowing my uncle's clubs and probably a 20 hcp, I thinned a 3 iron 225yds (par 5) for my first and only albatross.  The ball never got over 4ft high, rolled the last 30yds of the fwy up across the green to a back pin and IN. And I still probably shot a 44 for those 9holes. I can't even hit a 3 iron anymore!! 

[Kenny B]

10 hours ago, funkyjudge said:

Absolutely true! An albatross is much rarer than an ace, and it requires much greater skill, IMO.  A beginning golfer has such a miniscule chance of even reaching a par-5 in two, or a par-4 with his or her tee shot that it makes the likelihood of an albatross virtually impossible.

Very true!  I've had 3 aces, but unless I play a course with really short par 5's, I won't ever get an albatross.  At my course I can't reach any of our 5 par 5's in two shots... even from the senior tees!!  My only chance would be on the risk/reward par 4 #14, but then it would also be another ace!  I have driven the green a few times, but haven't even made an eagle putt; I did pitch in for eagle once though.  

[smjPenn91]

I've never been a really long hitter but when I was in my mid 30's I could still get into the high 280's or so.  At that time, I actually made a hole-in-one on a par 4 for my albatross.  It was a 275 yard hole that played straight uphill from the tee with about 70 feet of vertical change.  The green was shallow (35 ft) but wide (80 ft) with two long deep bunkers protecting the whole front of the green and not at all visible from either the tee or fairway.  Only the top of the flag was visible.  The fairway sat at about a 40 degree angle so laying up in the summer could lead to the ball backing down the hill 20-30 yards from where it landed so you might as well go for it and risk the bunker shot.  I hit my drive and lost sight of it as it came down near the bunkers.  I was looking for it in the bottom of both bunkers initially and had started looking for it to be plugged under the lip when my playing partner found my ball in the hole.  It must have hit in the perfect spot between the bunkers and bounced onto the green.  It is definitely the favorite of my four aces even though I didn't get to see it go in.

[in3948]

Having had two albatrosses and three aces, I vote for albatross. However, both ace and albatross take luck.   The albatross requires distance and position off the tee shot and, if from a par 5, then yet another shot/swing probably longer than the ace to get the ball into the hole.  

[Bag Ratt]

A hole in one …

had 1 hole in one… never played with any one who had either… 

[Redhawk]

I've had 4 H.I.O. but never an albatross!! Closest I ever came to one of those was on a par 5 where I went driver, 3 wood to 18 inches, I did make the eagle however!!

[Bulldog]

I know a good handful of players, including myself, who had a hole in one. I’ve seen three holes in one happen. I don’t know anyone who’s had an albatross. I know one guy who has seen one.

[Hosel Head]

I'd have to say an albatross is more difficult. I've had four holes in one and zero albatrosses. I've come close to many additional holes in one but really have only come close to one albatross (1/2 a roll short from 250). Also, now that I've aged considerably I still have four opportunities a round for a hole in one and about four opportunities a month for an albatross ( even after moving up tees). 

[Dodgersfan33]

I think that the albatrosses is tougher but in terms of the thrill I think the hole in one is best. Most of the time you can't see the green or the ball going into the hole on a par 5 vs everyone standing on the tee box watching the ball go in the hole on a par 3. 

[JeremyD]

Dr. Google said HOI are 12500 to 1 odds with Albatross being 1000000-6000000 to 1. Never been close to seeing an albatross, but have witnessed both of my holes in one.

[Bob Pegram]

6 hours ago, DaveP043 said:

I'll pile on, an albatross is much more difficult.  To start, the opportunities for an albatross are significantly fewer.  Consider your average player, how many par-5 holes can he reach in two, how many drivable par-4s?  Maybe 1 or two chances per round, maybe none?  Yet pretty much every par-3 hole is reachable by most players.  So I'd estimate that a player has 2 to 5 times as many chances at an ace.  Second, the albatross requires two shots, a poor drive eliminates the chance.  Last, the distance for the shot to hole is generally less on a par-3.  

I certainly can believe that some players may have multiple albatrossi (I made that word up, can you tell?) and no aces, odds and statistics are funny things.  I've had 3 aces over 50+ years of playing, and a whole bunch of close calls, but I'd guess I've only come close to an albatross maybe a half-dozen times.

Agree completely. I can still hit the ball accurately and can hit a few shorter par 5s in two (about 515 yards or less). That gives me the opportunity for a HIO on almost all par 3s, but only a few par 5s. Could hit it 550 or more in 2 shots when I was younger.

[CarlH]

No doubt in my mind that the albatross is by far the more elusive trophy to get, requiring 2 good shots as opposed to 1 (whether it's skill or luck, whatever!).  I've seen some bizarre HIO shots from mishits to well struck shots.  Most interesting one was from a 24 handicap player who hit it into the trees, where it bounced around like a plinko ball before falling onto the green and rolling into the hole.  My only HIO was a well struck 8 iron that found the hole.  I was unable to actually see it because the pin was tucked behind a bunker.  I have come close to an albatross on one occasion, but that's about as far as I can claim.

[Middler]

Instead of anecdotes…

Quote

• According to the National Hole-in-One Registry, the odds of the average golfer making a hole-in-one are 12,500 to 1. 
• The Double Eagle Club, which touts itself as, "the worldwide registry for double eagles scored," features a story from former longtime Golf World writer Bill Fields, that states the odds of an albatross are an estimated 6 million to 1.
• It's a "1" on a par 5, which believe it or not, has actually happened a handful of times. As of late, there have been 5 recorded condors in history. A condor is so uncommon in golf that bookmakers don't even offer odds on such a feat.

https://www.pga.com/story/odds-of-a-hole-in-one-albatross-condor-and-golfs-unlikely-shots

[heavygolffeels]

Albatross for sure. Statistically much more difficult.