About Golf Hole-in-One Records
The coveted hole-in-one is one of the grandest personal achievements in sports. The combination of luck and skill are invariably involved in the process. The possibility of scoring one comes into play in the mind of every golfer every time he steps onto the golf course.
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Potential
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The odds of scoring a hole-in-one are more than formidable. According to "Golf Digest," the odds of a professional golfer hitting a hole-in-one are one in 3,708 tries. For an amateur to achieve the feat, the numbers climb exponentially to one in every 12,750 attempts. Some other sources for hole-in-one odds put the odds up to one in 45,000 attempts.
History
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The professional record for holes-in-one is held by Mancil Davis. Davis has recorded 51 aces and has achieved the feat with every club except his putter, sand wedge and pitching wedge. By comparison, many notable professional golfers are not even close to Davis' record. Jack Nicklaus has only hit 20 holes-in-one. Arnold Palmer and Gary Player have each dropped 19 holes-in-one. Tiger Woods is close behind, having recorded 18 holes-in-one.
Expert Insight
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According to "Golf Digest," Norman Manley is the national amateur hole-in-one record holder. At age 75, Manley has thus far recorded 59 holes-in-one.
Types
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The hole-in-one has many record holders for various categories. Among the most notable is Harold Stilson, who ranks as the oldest man to hit a hole-in-one at 101 years of age. At 102 years old, Elsie McLean is the oldest woman to hit a hole-in-one. The longest hole-in-one was recorded in 2007 by Bret Melson. Melson put one in from 448 yards out on the 18th hole at Ko'olau Golf Club in Hawaii.
Significance
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It is not uncommon to see a number of holes-in-one during major professional tournaments. However, the 1989 U.S. Open was witness to an extraordinary feat. Doug Weaver, Mark Wiebe, Jerry Pate and Nick Price all aced the sixth hole, thus beating the 1982 U.S. Open record of three set by Johnny Miller, Tom Weiskopf and Bill Brodell. Even more shocking: The 1989 Open saw the four holes-in-one happen in less than a two-hour span.
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