High fives, chest bumps, hoots, and hollers—post-ace celebrations can get wild.
What is an ace in golf, and is it worth all that hype?
To score an ace, a golfer needs to get the ball directly to the hole with a single stroke. Read on to learn all about the rules, the odds, the proper terminology, and the best scoring tactics.
What Is Ace in Golf? Hole-in-One Scoring Rules and Terminology
A legit ace or hole-in-one needs to be USGA-abiding. Any violations that would be grounds for a disqualification cancel the ace.
So, before you rush and celebrate the shot, check out these general rules:
- Shots after a mulligan or a penalty don’t count.
- Practice rounds with two or more balls don’t count.
- Ideally, you won’t be playing on a temporary green or a golf simulator.
- You should be playing a main course hole, not a bonus one.
Ace on a Par 3 Is an Eagle
If you complete a par 3 hole in one stroke that’s both an ace and eagle since you’re two shots under par for that hole.
Of course, that’s assuming that the par 3 hole is part of a larger round on a regulation course with a mix of ratings (par 3, 4, and 5).
What if you’re playing on a par-3 course (one where all holes are par 3)? Well, opinions are split on whether a smooth hit off the tee and into the hole should count as a legitimate ace in this case.
Some golfers believe this shot is worth celebrating but isn’t an official ace. Others go with more relaxed rules and consider any hole completed in one stroke to be an ace as long as it’s part of a submittable round.
So, it’s up to you whether you want to count your par-3 course hole-in-ones as legit aces.
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Ace on a Par 4 Is an Albatross
Hitting an ace on a par 4 is trickier than on a par 3. You’re more likely to be struck by lightning than you are to score an ace on a par 4!
I’ll go over the odds in a minute. But, for now, you need to know that an ace on a par 4 is better known as an albatross or a double eagle.
Ace on a Par 5 Is a Condor
If an albatross is rare, then the ace in a par 5 (four shots under par) is almost unattainable.
After all, the longer the distance between the tee and the hole, the harder it is to complete it with a single strike.
The hole-in-one, in this case, is called a condor. Yes, the terminology follows a bird theme!
The Odds of Hitting an Ace
A few golf registries and clubs track aces, but getting accurate stats is always tricky. After all, no registry (that I know of) requires video proof—a witness is all a golfer needs to submit their ace record.
Yet, it’s fair to say that eagles, albatrosses, and condors are all pretty rare.
Even pro players have trouble scoring aces—so much so that the odds of a pro golfer making a hole-in-one are 2,500 to one. In any given PGA Tour, there’s an average of 1.32 holes-in-one per tournament.
Meanwhile, the odds for amateurs are about 12,500 to one.
And if you do score a hole-in-one, you most likely won’t be able to hit another one in the same round. The odds of this happening are 67 million to one!
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Note that even a single albatross is so rare that the odds are around a million to one. To put things into perspective, the odds of being struck by lightning once in your lifetime are 15,300 to one.
What about condors? Only a handful of condors (six or so) recorded over the last 60 years.
With all this in mind, I’d like to share some interesting insights into ace scorings:
- On average, a golfer makes their first hole-in-one when they’re 45.3 years old.
- Only 10% of those who make a hole-in-one end up making another one.
- For some reason, hole-in-ones are more common in August.
How to Score an Ace
Scoring aces requires a lot of practice and a decent dose of luck.
I can’t help you with the latter, but I can offer a few tips to boost your odds:
1. Approach Every Par 3 as an Opportunity
Since aces on par 3s are easier than albatrosses and condors, you have to approach every par 3 hole as an opportunity.
2. Sharpen Your Aim
Never wing your first shot. You need a plan for every par 3 hole.
Look around and ask yourself how high and fast the ball needs to go to land in the cup right away. It usually helps to visualize the path.
Of course, sharpening your aim is easier said than done. If you have trouble identifying issues with your swings, try practicing with an ace-trainer golf mat.
Image source: Pinterest
3. Don’t Get Carried Away
If you do score an ace, you’ll want to celebrate and brag all day. But you shouldn’t let this achievement get into your head and throw off the rest of your game!
You also have to be mindful of how loud (and obnoxious) your celebration gets. When you’re done, don’t forget to take out your Ace of Golf Clubs scorecard holder and note down the ace.
Final Thoughts
Scoring an ace in golf is usually a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.
If you even get lucky enough, do you think you’ll keep the ball as a memento?
Or will you just toss it away? That’s what Rory McIlroy did, by the way, and I sort of get it. Not all golfers are sentimental, after all!
