Hole-in-One
A hole-in-one is a score of one on a single golf hole, made when a player’s first shot from the tee finishes in the cup without any further strokes. It is also called an ace.
What is a hole-in-one?
In golf, a hole-in-one happens when a player tees off and the ball ends up in the hole on that single shot. No second swing, no putting, no penalty drops in between. It is the only score of one possible on any hole of regulation golf.
The shot is also known as an ace, particularly in the United States. Both terms refer to the same achievement, and golfers use them interchangeably. A handful of conditions still need to be met for the shot to be official under the rules, but the core definition is straightforward: tee to cup, in one stroke.
What makes the hole-in-one special is its rarity. Most golfers play their entire lives without one, while a small number record several. According to data from the National Hole-in-One Registry, only one to two percent of golfers manage an ace in any given year. That rarity, combined with the simplicity of the moment, has made the hole-in-one the most recognizable score in golf.
Hole-in-one vs. ace, albatross, and condor
These four terms come up together because they all describe a single shot finishing in the cup. The difference is the par of the hole.
| Term | What it is | Score relative to par | Where it happens |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hole-in-one (ace) | A tee shot that finishes in the cup | Varies by hole | Almost always a par 3 |
| Albatross (double eagle) | Three under par on a single hole | -3 | Often a hole-in-one on a par 4, or a 2 on a par 5 |
| Condor | Four under par on a single hole | -4 | Almost always a hole-in-one on a par 5 |
A hole-in-one on a par 3 is two under par, which is technically an eagle, but no one calls it that. The more striking term wins out. The same logic applies to par 4 aces: by score, they are albatrosses, but most golfers still call them holes-in-one. A par 5 ace, the rarest legal score in the game, is a condor. Only five had been officially recorded as of January 2021, according to Wikipedia’s history of the term.
How a hole-in-one happens
Almost every hole-in-one happens on a par 3. These are the shortest holes on a regulation course, generally between 100 and 250 yards. From the tee, a well-struck iron or wedge can carry the green and find the cup directly.
The average length of a hole-in-one is 147 yards for men and 116 yards for women, according to figures from the National Hole-in-One Registry, also reported by GolfPass. The 7, 8, and 9 irons are the clubs most commonly used to make one.
Par 4 and par 5 aces do happen, but the green sits beyond the typical drive of all but the longest hitters. The few recorded par 5 aces have come on doglegged or horseshoe-shaped holes where the player cut the corner, or at high altitude where thin air carries the ball further. The longest verified straight-drive ace covered 517 yards on the par-5 9th at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, made by Mike Crean in 2002, per Wikipedia.
When a hole-in-one counts
The Rules of Golf do not formally define when an ace is “official.” Instead, the United States Golf Association (USGA) publishes recommendations on what should be recognized. The National Hole-in-One Registry lists the USGA’s guidelines:
- The shot is made during a round of at least nine holes
- The player is using one ball, not two or more
- The shot is attested by an acceptable witness
- The tee shot is played from the official teeing ground
Some scenarios disqualify a shot even though the ball ended up in the cup. A re-tee after a water hazard or out-of-bounds penalty produces a score of three or higher, not one. Practice rounds with two balls are excluded. Playing from the wrong tee box also voids the result. A 2019 Golf.com article catalogued 21 such scenarios, including the painful one where a playing partner marks a scorecard incorrectly, and the player signs it.
How rare is a hole-in-one?
Insurance actuaries who underwrite hole-in-one prize contests have settled on a working set of odds:
| Player type | Approximate odds |
|---|---|
| Average amateur golfer | 1 in 12,500 |
| Low-handicap player | 1 in 5,000 |
| PGA Tour professional | 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 |
These figures appear consistently across the National Hole-in-One Registry, GolfPass, and the PGA of America. Across the US, an ace happens roughly once every 3,500 rounds played. The average handicap of an ace-maker sits at 14, well above scratch and right around the level of most weekend club players. Sixty percent of all aces come from golfers aged 50 and over.
The odds get steeper from there. Two aces in the same round sit at 67 million to 1, according to the registry. Brian Harman beat those odds in the final round of the 2015 Barclays, becoming the third PGA Tour player to do so, as reported by GolfPass. In 2024, Frank Bensel Jr. went one rarer, acing back-to-back par 3s at the U.S. Senior Open at Newport Country Club.
A short history of the hole-in-one
The first recorded hole-in-one in competitive golf came in 1869, when Young Tom Morris aced the 166-yard 8th hole at Prestwick Golf Club during the Open Championship. By 1922, Time magazine reported that American golfers had collectively made 1,200 in a single year.
Tiger Woods made his first ace at age 6 in May 1982 at Heartwell Golf Course, a par-3 layout in Long Beach, California, per GolfPass. His official PGA Tour total stands at three, all from the 1990s, although his career total is around 20 across all play.
The career-aces record has long been contested. American Norman Manley is widely credited with 59, though documentation is patchy. Mancil Davis, a former PGA club professional nicknamed the “King of Aces,” recorded 51 and is often cited as the verified leader. New Jersey amateur Dan DeCando has claimed more than 80 aces, with about 60 of them coming during a stretch of 500 rounds in 2015 and 2016, according to a Golf Channel film and GolfPass coverage.
Hole-in-one tradition
In the United States and most of the English-speaking golf world, the golfer who makes an ace is expected to buy a round of drinks for everyone at the clubhouse. American clubs increasingly limit the obligation to the player’s foursome, but skipping it entirely is poor form.
Other countries take it further. In Japan and South Korea, an ace traditionally calls for a lavish celebration and gifts for friends and family. The expense has spawned a sizable hole-in-one insurance industry: GolfPass reports that roughly 40 percent of Japanese golfers buy annual policies costing $60 to $100 for coverage up to $5,000. Vending machines selling such policies sit on par-3 tee boxes at some Korean courses.
Related Golf Terms
- Ace — Direct synonym for hole-in-one, used mostly in American English.
- Condor — Four under par on a single hole. Almost always a hole-in-one on a par 5; only five officially recorded.
- Eagle — Two under par on a single hole.
- Birdie — One under par on a single hole.
- Double eagle — A score of three under par on a single hole (also called an albatross).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a hole-in-one called?
The most common alternative name is an ace, used interchangeably in the United States. On a par 4, the same shot can also be called an albatross or double eagle. On a par 5, it is a condor.
What is the difference between a hole-in-one and an eagle?
An eagle is any score of two under par on a single hole. A hole-in-one on a par 3 is technically an eagle, but golfers always use the more specific term. On a par 4 or par 5, a hole-in-one is rarer than an eagle and goes by its own name.
Do you need a witness for a hole-in-one to count?
Yes. The USGA recommends that a valid ace be attested by an acceptable witness. A solo round does not produce an officially recognized hole-in-one under standard guidelines.
Has anyone made a hole-in-one on a par 5?
Yes, but only a handful of times. As of January 2021, a condor on a par 5 had been recorded on five occasions. Most relied on cut corners or thin air at high altitude.
What are the odds of making a hole-in-one?
Roughly 1 in 12,500 for an average amateur, 1 in 5,000 for a low-handicap player, and 1 in 2,500 to 3,000 for a tour professional, according to the National Hole-in-One Registry and PGA of America.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Hole in one.” Accessed May 9, 2026.
- GolfPass. “The Hole in One: Stats, odds, stories and what to do when you get one.” Bill Irwin, September 24, 2024.
- National Hole-in-One Registry. “Facts and Feats.” Accessed May 9, 2026.
- PGA of America. “Odds for hole in one, albatross, condor.”
- Golf.com. “21 times a hole-in-one doesn’t count.” 2019.
- Golf Compendium. “What Is a Hole-in-One on a Par-4 Called?” Accessed May 9, 2026.
- Independent Golf Reviews. “What Is An Ace In Golf?” Accessed May 9, 2026.
