Tell us about your ace or heartbreak

General Discussion
#21

December 2018. My mate turns 40. Gets a copy of Dave Pelz Short Game Bible. Gives it to me - can’t learn golf from a book he says.

Friday night before Christmas my wife is on a work night out so I get stuck into the book. I churn thro about 4-5 chapters.

On the weekend I head up to my par 3 course. Go round playing 6-7 balls trying out Dave’s quiet hands short game swing. Worked great.

The 9th is about 100yds. The pin is tucked behind a bunker and one of my 6 or so balls hits the top of the bunker and rolls over. I thought, that was a good line. I walk up and that ball is in the hole! No witnesses, not a real match. Hey ho on the Monday I told everyone I knew and many people didn’t know. WhatsApp’d the news to most people in my address book :laughing:

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#22

Yes, this year, got tee shot right on the green, short par 3 forward tees. And then proceeded to 3-putt it. There is room for improvement, LOL

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#23

The only one I had was solo, of course, so it doesn’t really count. It was about 25 years ago on a long (in those days) par 3 over water. It was about 190 and I hit a 5 wood, which back then was about the size of a current hybrid head.

These days, I routinely have 6 - 8 per year either hit the pin or stop within a couple inches of the hole. I will get one with a witness one of these days

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#24

If it went in, it counts. I’m sure some people have lied about it, but if it happened, it happened. Count it!!

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#25

Kind of an empty feeling though. I personally consider it an ace but don’t boast about it since nobody saw it but me.

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#26

My first and only ace was about 30 years ago. It was on the 16th hole. The most memorable thing about it was that a thunderstorm quickly moved in. I was determined to finish the round and played up 18 basically on the run in a downpour with lightning all around. It was reminiscent of the Caddyshack Bishop scene.

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#27

The way I see it is it’s all yours and that’s pretty cool, too. Your achievement. Your moment. We share so much of ourselves with so many other people, it’s cool to have some things be all ours.
Nobody seeing it doesn’t make it any less awesome.

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#28

Glad you survived!! We always think the heavy stuff isn’t coming down for a while.

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#29

Ha ha. I knew it but wanted that scorecard on the plaque with the golf ball.

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#30

Back in 1995 a mate and I would sneak onto the local public course at the 2nd hole and play a 16 hole match. Hit a 7i just landed just right of the hole and spun left in. Celebrations and I won the hole. He won the match. At my current course the 4th 161m from the back. Tee forward hit a 9i that landed pin high 1ft to the right and finished pin high 1ft to the left. Also 16th 127m landed on the lip of the hole, hit the pin and bounced back 10ft

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#31

I have two and a half holes in one. First was in the British Universities at Headingley GC. Around 7 or 8 I think. 4 iron from 188. I got horribly stuck and managed to save it. I hate that shot so much. Damn thing went in the hole after two bounces. I was like “no! It’s not supposed to be like that!” I had bogeyed the first par three. Parred the third one so I had a 1, 3 and a 4. Made a 2 on the last par three knowing I needed to for the full set. Quite proud of that.

Second one was in a tournament about 3 months later at Bognor Regis. My playing partner on 10 hit it straight down the throat of it. He said “no! Don’t go in! I can’t afford the bar bill” it lipped out and wound up 6 inches away. I hit mine. I’m pretty sure it hit his pitch mark which nudged it on line and it went in. That was basically a perfect shot. Ecstatic about that one.

The half was a 80 yard hole on the pitch and putt course at turnberry. I yanked it 15 yards left of the hole. It hit a bank on the side, kicked sideways right and slammed straight into the hole.

Three other stories. One is perhaps the best shot I ever hit. At Royal Cinque Ports. 4th hole and the wind is howling into. It’s about 145 and I hit a three quarter feathered 3 iron. It started 6 feet right and drew 6 feet. Landed 6 inches in front of the hole, bounced up, nuzzled the flag and dropped down an inch away. It was so perfect in every way.

Two is a buddy of mine who has been a UK scratch or better for 30 years. Never had one. The closest he’s been was a blind shot. He hit it straight at it. Gets up there and his pitch mark is 6” in front of the hole dead on line. The ball is hanging half over the back lip and perfectly in line with the pitchmark and the flag.

Three a kid at school. Short par four and it’s a winter tee at the front of the regular tee. He hit 1 iron. We get down there and his ball is one inch short of the hole on line. He was on his hands and knees, clubs on his back pounding the ground repeating “one more roll! Just one more roll!!” Over and over.

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#32

I love “completing the set” that may be the ultimate golf accomplishment that nobody had ever heard of!

#33

Heartbreak…

He in the UK we are officially adopting the WHS from Nov 2nd. At the beginning of this year I had a handicap (UK term) of 12.0. I regularly play two courses, in old terms one was a Par 66 and the second Par 72, in competition I received 12 shots at both. My goal for the year was to reduce down to single figures (9.4)

Now both courses have the new Slope rating, and I have just seen my new handicap index… I will be getting 16 shots on the shorter and 18 shots on the other… that’s a massive 9 shots worse off than my target.

I know there will be many who would love to get that number of shots back, but I honestly want to reduce my index :cry:

#34

Had (almost) the same thing many years ago. Somehow, I had the day off when everyone else didn’t; thought I’d ‘sneak’ in quick round at the club. 8th hole, 180yds over water, ball rolling right at the pin. I’m screaming like a maniac “don’t go in!” ‘cause no one around to see it. It rolled 4” from hole.
Turned out there were witnesses on next tee box. They thought I was nuts yelling for it not to go in!

Btw, I did get an ace months later, same course, #11. Foggy, saw the ball headed for green. As I picked up my tee, buddy’s are shouting “I think it went in!” Sure enough, there’s my ball resting happily at the bottom of the cup. Never saw it!

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#35

Thought this fit here.

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#36

I saw a hot-take on Twitter the other day that you shouldn’t be allowed to mount/frame your hole in 1 ball unless you finish your round with it.

I played an extra 3 holes with mine and nearly lost it twice before storing it safely away!

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#37

I hit my next tee shot with mine and realized halfway into my backswing. Couldn’t stop and almost hooked it into a pond. :man_facepalming:t3:

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#38

I have feared that result on a holed out "mulligan… but it has never happened!

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#39

I have a holed out par from 186 one time. I drove into the rough, hit my second shot from 186 out of bounds, dropped one and hit it in with a 6 iron. Just had to laugh!

#40

As mentioned in my Advice for Competitive Golf thread, here was my tee shot on the 16th, 140yd downhill pitching wedge:

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Definitely the highlight of the not so great round.

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