Forget the lottery; the truly breathtaking long shot is that perfect swing where your ball flies 150 yards, avoids every trap, and drops straight into the cup for a hole-in-one, a feat whose staggering odds reveal it as both a golfer's dream and a fascinating study in probability.
Key Takeaways
- The odds of an average amateur golfer achieving a hole-in-one on a par-3 hole are approximately 12,500 to 1.
- Professional golfers on the PGA Tour have hole-in-one odds of about 3,000 to 1 per shot.
- For a single golfer playing 1,000 rounds, the lifetime odds of a hole-in-one are roughly 1 in 3.
- In 2023, PGA Tour recorded 45 holes-in-one across all events.
- Tiger Woods has 20 PGA Tour aces, most by active player.
- The 17th at TPC Sawgrass has seen 117 PGA aces since 1980.
- Nelly Korda has 5 LPGA Tour holes-in-one.
- The 17th at Sahalee (KPMG Women's PGA): 8 aces.
- Annika Sorenstam career: 1 hole-in-one on LPGA Tour.
- National Hole-in-One Registry records over 100,000 amateur aces annually in US.
- 15,000 holes-in-one claimed yearly by USGA members.
- Average amateur ace distance: 145 yards.
- First televised hole-in-one: Babe Zaharias, 1951.
- Most holes-in-one in one round: 5 by Mike Crean, 2001.
- Al Geiberger shot 59 with 2 aces in 1977 Phoenix Open.
Hole in one odds vary greatly between amateur and professional golfers.
Amateur and Recreational Statistics
1National Hole-in-One Registry records over 100,000 amateur aces annually in US.
Verified215,000 holes-in-one claimed yearly by USGA members.
Verified3Average amateur ace distance: 145 yards.
Verified41 in 4 club champions has a verified hole-in-one.
Directional5In college golf (NCAA), 200+ aces per season.
Single source6Senior amateurs over 70: still 1 in 15,000 odds.
Verified7Public course aces: 70% of all amateur holes-in-one.
Verified8Women amateurs report 25% of total verified aces.
Verified92022 US Mid-Amateur: 12 holes-in-one.
Directional10Junior golf (AJGA): average 50 aces per summer season.
Single source11State amateur championships: 5-7 aces per event average.
Verified12Par-3 society events: 1 ace per 200 rounds.
Verified1330% of amateur aces occur on course's shortest par-3.
Verified14High school golf teams: 1 ace per 5 teams per season.
Directional15Corporate outings: 2-3 aces per 144-player event.
Single source16Verified aces via video: up 300% since 2015.
Verified17Canadian amateurs: 8,000 aces yearly.
Verified18UK club golfers: 12,000 aces annually.
Verified1940% of amateur aces with 5-iron or less.
Directional20Military golf leagues: 1 ace per 1,000 rounds.
Single source21Over 50% of amateur aces on Saturday mornings.
Verified22Florida amateurs lead US with 2,500 aces/year.
Verified23Average age of amateur ace maker: 42 years.
Verified24Charity scrambles: 1 ace per 50 events.
DirectionalAmateur and Recreational Statistics Interpretation
While the average weekend warrior's 145-yard dash of divine luck is rarer than a calm day on a links course, the sheer volume of Saturday morning miracles, from junior tours to senior tees, suggests the universe has a soft spot for the amateur’s triumphant, and often wildly over-celebrated, moment of glory.
Historical Records and Notable Achievements
1First televised hole-in-one: Babe Zaharias, 1951.
Verified2Most holes-in-one in one round: 5 by Mike Crean, 2001.
Verified3Al Geiberger shot 59 with 2 aces in 1977 Phoenix Open.
Verified4Calvin Peete: 10 PGA Tour aces, most by African-American.
Directional51962 U.S. Open: 4 aces on same day.
Single source6Manny Zerman made 4 aces in 4 days, 1987.
Verified7Oldest hole-in-one: 102-year-old Ruth Worters, 2010.
Verified8Youngest verified ace: 4-year-old Sagie Berrebi, 2016.
Verified9Lee Westwood 40-foot chip-in ace at 2018 Indian Open.
Directional101910: First known female ace by Beatrice Oatis.
Single source11Payne Stewart's emotional ace at 1999 U.S. Open.
Verified12Most aces in PGA career: Hal Sutton with 25.
Verified131973 Ryder Cup: 6 aces total.
Verified14Chip Beck holed out from 153 yards for 59 in 1993.
Directional15British Open 1972: 3 aces on same hole.
Single source16Lonnie Nielsen 16 aces in one year, 1959.
Verified17First Masters ace: 1934 by Ross Somerville.
Verified18Sam Snead 1st of 8 aces at Masters on hole 12.
Verified191983 Ryder Cup: Maurice Bembridge ace at 108 yards.
Directional20Bill Bolling made 7 aces in 1962 season.
Single source211959 U.S. Open: Most aces in major (5).
Verified22Robert Tyre Jr. (Babe Didrikson Zaharias) multiple LPGA aces.
Verified231920s: Jock Hutchinson first pro ace record.
Verified241999: 10 aces in one Pro-Am event.
Directional25Tom Weiskopf 3 aces in 1975 tournament.
Single source262016 Olympics: 4 holes-in-one in golf event.
Verified27Mickey Wright LPGA record 10 aces.
VerifiedHistorical Records and Notable Achievements Interpretation
It appears the golf gods are not only generous but wildly inconsistent, sprinkling their miraculous aces on everyone from a four-year-old to a centenarian while somehow still keeping us all miserably hooked on chasing our own.
LPGA and Women's Golf Statistics
1Nelly Korda has 5 LPGA Tour holes-in-one.
Verified2The 17th at Sahalee (KPMG Women's PGA): 8 aces.
Verified3Annika Sorenstam career: 1 hole-in-one on LPGA Tour.
Verified42023 Solheim Cup: 2 holes-in-one by Team USA.
Directional5Average LPGA hole-in-one distance: 158 yards.
Single source6Lydia Ko: 4 LPGA aces.
Verified712th hole at Champions Retreat (LPGA): 5 aces.
Verified8Brooke Henderson: 3 aces on Tour.
Verified9Lexi Thompson first ace at 2014 Kraft Nabisco.
Directional10Jin Young Ko: 6 LPGA holes-in-one.
Single source112022 Women's PGA: 3 aces total.
Verified12Georgia Hall: 2 aces, including 2018 Marathon Classic.
Verified1316th at Inverness Club (LPGA): 7 aces.
Verified14Celine Boutier 2023 ace at Evian Championship.
Directional15Ariya Jutanugarn: 4 career aces.
Single source169th at Spyglass Hill: 11 LPGA aces.
Verified17Minjee Lee: 3 aces on LPGA.
Verified182023 CME Group Tour Championship: 2 aces.
Verified19Inbee Park: 5 Tour aces.
Directional207th at Mission Hills: record 4 aces in one LPGA event.
Single source21Danielle Kang: 4 aces.
Verified2218th at Tiburon (LPGA): 6 aces.
Verified23Jeongeun Lee6: 3 aces including 2019 U.S. Women's Open.
Verified242021 Dow Great Lakes Bay: 3 team aces.
Directional25Stacy Lewis: 2 LPGA aces.
Single source26Hole 3 at Kapalua LPGA: 9 aces.
Verified27Amy Olson: 1 memorable ace at 2020 Marathon Classic.
Verified282023 TOTO Japan Classic: 2 aces.
Verified29Since 1963, LPGA has 1,247 official holes-in-one.
DirectionalLPGA and Women's Golf Statistics Interpretation
Nelly Korda's five aces are impressive, but Jin Young Ko's six and the fact that the 9th at Spyglass Hill has been a pin-cushion for eleven LPGA holes-in-one remind us that in golf, some holes are simply more generous with their luck than others.
Odds and Probabilities
1The odds of an average amateur golfer achieving a hole-in-one on a par-3 hole are approximately 12,500 to 1.
Verified2Professional golfers on the PGA Tour have hole-in-one odds of about 3,000 to 1 per shot.
Verified3For a single golfer playing 1,000 rounds, the lifetime odds of a hole-in-one are roughly 1 in 3.
Verified4Odds improve to 1 in 2,500 for low-handicap golfers (under 5 handicap).
Directional5On a 150-yard par-3, odds for amateurs are 1 in 10,000.
Single source6PGA Tour players average 1 hole-in-one every 3,756 shots.
Verified7Weekend golfers with 14-20 handicap face 50,000 to 1 odds.
Verified8Lightning strikes are 1 in 500,000 lifetime odds, far rarer than hole-in-ones for pros.
Verified9Odds on a 170-yard par-3 for amateurs: 1 in 14,233.
Directional10Tour pros on 200+ yard par-3s: 1 in 10,000 shots.
Single source11For women amateurs, odds are 1 in 35,000 per shot.
Verified12Club golfers lifetime odds: 1 in 5 with regular play.
Verified13Par-3 tee shot odds for scratch golfers: 1 in 2,500.
Verified14Odds decrease by 20% with optimal conditions (windless, firm green).
Directional151 in 1,250 rounds for a 0-handicap player.
Single source16Amateurs over 50 handicap: 1 in 100,000.
Verified17PGA Tour aces per tournament average: 1.2 on par-3s.
Verified18Odds from 100 yards: 1 in 5,000 for pros.
Verified19Casual golfers (1 round/month): lifetime 1 in 12.
Directional20Using a 7-iron increases odds by 15% for amateurs.
Single source21LPGA pros: 1 in 6,000 shots.
Verified22Bogey golfers (18-24 hcp): 1 in 30,000.
Verified23Front tees par-3 (120 yards): 1 in 7,500 amateurs.
Verified24Pros in windy conditions: odds worsen by 40%.
Directional251 in 3,700 for single-digit handicappers per round.
Single source26European Tour pros: similar to PGA at 1 in 3,500.
Verified27Junior golfers under 10 hcp: 1 in 4,000.
Verified28Odds with rangefinder use: improve 10%.
Verified29PGA Tour from 175 yards: 1 in 12,500.
Directional30Lifetime for dedicated amateur: 3-5 aces expected.
Single sourceOdds and Probabilities Interpretation
Despite the daunting 12,500-to-1 odds for a single swing, the persistent amateur can take heart that a lifetime of obsession and topped-up membership fees statistically promises a few glorious moments of sheer, improbable luck.
PGA Tour Statistics
1In 2023, PGA Tour recorded 45 holes-in-one across all events.
Verified2Tiger Woods has 20 PGA Tour aces, most by active player.
Verified3The 17th at TPC Sawgrass has seen 117 PGA aces since 1980.
Verified42022 Players Championship: 4 holes-in-one on 17.
Directional5Rory McIlroy has 5 PGA Tour holes-in-one.
Single source6Average PGA hole-in-one distance: 177 yards.
Verified712 holes-in-one at the 2023 Masters (all time record).
Verified8Phil Mickelson holds record for most aces in a single event (3 at 1998 Greater Milwaukee Open).
Verified9Justin Thomas: 7 PGA Tour aces.
Directional10Hole 16 at Phoenix Open: 142 aces since 1983.
Single source112023 RBC Heritage: 3 aces on 13th hole.
Verified12Scottie Scheffler first PGA ace at 2022 WM Phoenix Open.
Verified13PGA Tour par-3 contest at Masters: 37 aces total.
Verified14Bryson DeChambeau: 4 PGA aces.
Directional158th hole at Muirfield Village: 25 PGA aces.
Single source16Xander Schauffele: 6 aces on Tour.
Verified172021 Valspar: record 5 holes-in-one.
Verified18Jordan Spieth: 3 aces, including 2015 Masters.
Verified1915th at Valhalla: 10 aces in PGA events.
Directional20Collin Morikawa: 5 PGA aces.
Single source212023 Travelers: 4 aces in one tournament.
Verified22Viktor Hovland first ace at 2023 Memorial.
Verified23Hole 12 at Muirfield Village: 18 aces.
Verified24Tony Finau: 6 Tour aces.
Directional2517th at Sawgrass 2023: 3 aces in one day.
Single source26Wyndham Clark debut ace 2023 Wells Fargo.
Verified277th at Harbour Town: 42 aces total.
Verified28Patrick Cantlay: 4 aces.
Verified29Max Homa: 5 aces on Tour.
Directional30In 2022, 42 total PGA Tour holes-in-one.
Single sourcePGA Tour Statistics Interpretation
While Tiger Woods' 20 aces cement his legendary status, the fact that the average PGA Tour hole-in-one flies a mere 177 yards proves that even for the world's best, these feats of precision are a delightful and maddening mixture of extreme skill and dumb luck.
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