Hole in one

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This article is about a golf shot. For other uses, see Hole in one (disambiguation).

In golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one (also known as an ace, mostly in American English) is when a player hits the ball directly from the tee into the cup with one shot. This is normally only possible on a 3-par hole, as the length of most 4- and 5-par holes are beyond the range of most golfers.

Aces are relatively rare, and while it depends largely on the golfer's skill, many instances have been recorded when a ball has caromed off a tree, a bird in flight, or even a passing car, before settling into the hole.

Occasionally special events host a hole-in-one contest, where prizes as expensive as a new car, or cash awards sometimes reaching $4 million are offered if a contestant records a hole-in-one. ^[1] Usually such expensive prizes are backed by an insurance company who offers prize indemnification services. Actuaries at such companies have calculated the chance of an average golfer making a hole in one at approximately 12,700 to 1, and the odds of a tour professional at 3,700 to 1. ^[2]