Hole-in-one witnesses

[2underpar]

I've had three -- first with no witnesses -- I was like the kid in the USGA commercial except that there wasn't even anybody even close.
the second on a blind shot that I didn't see go in but my playing partner found the ball in the hole. I was looking left of the green.
the third flew into the cup -- I can't see a lick, so I didn't see that one go in but my three playing partners did.
I'm not even sure where the golf balls are that I made them with.
I have never tried to get any free shirt for them, othewise pencil deck would probably rummage through my bag and steal the free balls.
I don't see the big deal about whether to print the witnesses or not -- it's usually three more names to type. In the time it takes to complain about it, a person could have them typed in and be back reading worthless posts on SportsJournalists.com.

 

[SCEditor]

What about people who shoot thier age?

I got a long ways to go before I'm 110 years old.

 

[SF_Express]

When I made mine, I was actually disappointed that my local paper didn't print 'em anymore. But I had three witnesses and was able to register it on the PGA of America site, and that seemed good enough.

A sadder tale: I was on the tee after the exact same hole one time, and all of the sudden, we heard this guy yelling from the previous green: "Hey, did any of you see that??!!"

It was a single, he was fishing his ball out of the hole -- and no, nobody saw it. Felt bad for him.

Finally, I'm painfully aware that there are a lot of cheaters on the golf course -- including, unfortunately, in the money game I play every week -- but I really doubt that 99 percent of players would say to their playing partners, "Hey, that ball almost went in, let's say it was a hole in one." A) You risk looking like a real dirtbag, especially if one or more of those guys don't want to go along and B) I honestly think -- still naive at 50? -- that few would get any satisfaction from reporting a near miss as the real thing.

 

[ChicoTheMan]

I've had three -- first with no witnesses -- I was like the kid in the USGA commercial except that there wasn't even anybody even close.
the second on a blind shot that I didn't see go in but my playing partner found the ball in the hole. I was looking left of the green.
the third flew into the cup -- I can't see a lick, so I didn't see that one go in but my three playing partners did.
I'm not even sure where the golf balls are that I made them with.
I have never tried to get any free shirt for them, othewise pencil deck would probably rummage through my bag and steal the free balls.
I don't see the big deal about whether to print the witnesses or not -- it's usually three more names to type. In the time it takes to complain about it, a person could have them typed in and be back reading worthless posts on SportsJournalists.com.

That's where I come in, eagle. If the biggest problem facing your section is a few agate lines a couple times a week, then you're working at a pretty damn good paper. I would guess we all have bigger issues to tackle than fretting over whether to add 3 names in agate type for hole in one witnesses.

 

[Freelance Hack]

I've never come close to a hole-in-one, but I was in a group where a playing partner came within two inches of an ace. It was a good, airborne shot that slowly rolled toward the hole. Guy was shirtting himself in anticipation, only to see it stop a full rotation from the cup.

Best shot I ever hit was from the rough on a par 4, whacked it over the trees and on line with the stick. Rolled to within inches of the cup. Sure fire birdie, right?

Nope, I pulled a Scott Hoch and two-putted for par.  :-[

 

[Knighthawk]

I'm a horrible golfer - I can sometimes break 130 on a short course - but I would have needed witnesses for my only career near-ace, which came in my second career round.

"Knighthawk aced the 100-yard par 3 7th at Cow Pasture Golf Course with a driver."

I was scuffling around, and two guys in their 80s or 90s offered to let me join them. I got to the 7th tee and pulled out my driver. They were like "Um, you probably don't want to hit that here." I was like "Yeah, I probably do."

I hit a screaming worm-killer than banged into the bank of the elevated green, popped about 20 feet into the air and rolled across the green. Missed the edge of the cup by about an inch, and left me with a two-foot birdie putt.

My two partners just stared at the green for a while and then one of them said "That was either the greatest shot in golf history or the worst, and I have no idea which."

I then missed the putt.

 

[SCEditor]

I'm a horrible golfer - I can sometimes break 130 on a short course - but I would have needed witnesses for my only career near-ace, which came in my second career round.

"Knighthawk aced the 100-yard par 3 7th at Cow Pasture Golf Course with a driver."

I was scuffling around, and two guys in their 80s or 90s offered to let me join them. I got to the 7th tee and pulled out my driver. They were like "Um, you probably don't want to hit that here." I was like "Yeah, I probably do."

I hit a screaming worm-killer than banged into the bank of the elevated green, popped about 20 feet into the air and rolled across the green. Missed the edge of the cup by about an inch, and left me with a two-foot birdie putt.

My two partners just stared at the green for a while and then one of them said "That was either the greatest shot in golf history or the worst, and I have no idea which."

I then missed the putt.

I'm pretty sure we're related, because you sound like you're about as bad a golfer as I am. I realize this is about aces, but I'll always remember my best hole. I was playing at a nice, local course in NE Tennessee and I'm a on par-5. I hit the driver about 220 yards down the middle. Prettiest shot I've ever hit. Second shot, I hit the driver again, because I have this idea that lightning can strike twice. Hit another beautiful shot that nails the pin and the ball lands five feet from the whole. I'm staring at an eagle opportunity (I'm so bad, I can count how many birdies I've had in my life on one hand). I three-putt for par.

 

[publicenemy]

there is one rule i stick to on par-3s, regardless of how well (sometimes) or how badly (more often) i am playing: i never pull a club on a par-3 that would cause me embarrassment if the shot went in the hole and had to be reported in the paper.

Public Enemy aced the 124-yard par-3 13th hole with a 3-iron. Witnesses were laughing too hard to give their names.

 

[bydesign77]

Knighthawk,

eeirely, my ace was similar to your situation. I was playing in front of my dad that day, got pissed at my brother at the turn and told him to wait and play with dad.

I was walking up No. 12 when I met a threesome. Joined them on the green and aced No. 13.

 

[playthrough]

Hole-in-one reports are one of my favorite things in a newspaper. And yes, you've got to run the witnesses.

I agree on both counts. Any paper that just refuses to run ace reports is pathetic. I wonder if they don't run birth announcements either.

It's fair to require them from the courses. Every paper I worked for collected hole-in-one reports via fax from the courses. I always called to verify the spellings, knowing for sure it would be clipped and in someone's scrapbook. Well, that and the fact I couldn't read the darn things. I think all the local club pros write with the little pencils.

I'm still looking for my elusive ace. My Dad has an ace, and a hole-in-three: he hit his first shot in the lake, then reloaded from the tee and flew it right in the cup. Nice par. If that happened to me and I didn't have an ace already to my name I'd be PISSED!

 

[finishthehat]

Finally, I'm painfully aware that there are a lot of cheaters on the golf course -- including, unfortunately, in the money game I play every week -- but I really doubt that 99 percent of players would say to their playing partners, "Hey, that ball almost went in, let's say it was a hole in one." A) You risk looking like a real dirtbag, especially if one or more of those guys don't want to go along and B) I honestly think -- still naive at 50? -- that few would get any satisfaction from reporting a near miss as the real thing.

I was thinking more in terms of four semi-sloshed a-holes deciding they want to see their names in the paper as a big goof.

 

[SF_Express]

I was thinking more in terms of four semi-sloshed a-holes deciding they want to see their names in the paper as a big goof.

You know what, that's a damn fine point, and one taken.