Famous Holes in One
The most famous holes in one include Young Tom Morris's ace at the 1868 Open, Gene Sarazen's at the Postage Stamp aged 71, four players acing the same hole at the 1989 US Open, Tiger Woods at the 1997 Phoenix Open and Andrew Magee's par 4 ace in 2001. Each one is well documented, and each has a story beyond the ball dropping.
Famous aces at a glance
| Year | Player | Event | Hole |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1868 | Young Tom Morris | The Open, Prestwick | 8th |
| 1973 | Gene Sarazen | The Open, Royal Troon | 8th, the Postage Stamp |
| 1989 | Weaver, Wiebe, Pate and Price | US Open, Oak Hill | 6th |
| 1997 | Tiger Woods | Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale | 16th |
| 2001 | Andrew Magee | Phoenix Open, TPC Scottsdale | 17th (a par 4) |
| 2016 | Louis Oosthuizen | The Masters, Augusta National | 16th |
Young Tom Morris, 1868
At the 1868 Open Championship at Prestwick, Young Tom Morris holed his tee shot at the 8th. It is recognised as the first recorded hole in one in a championship. He won that Open too, at the age of 17, and remains the youngest winner of a major championship.
Gene Sarazen, 1973
Gene Sarazen had won all four of golf's modern majors over his career. In 1973, aged 71, he returned to the Open at Royal Troon and aced the 8th, the tiny par 3 known as the Postage Stamp. It's one of the best-loved moments in Open history. For more on that hole, see famous par 3 holes.
Four aces on one hole, 1989
During the second round of the 1989 US Open at Oak Hill in New York, Doug Weaver, Mark Wiebe, Jerry Pate and Nick Price all made a hole in one on the 6th, within a couple of hours of each other. Four aces on the same hole on the same day at a major is still talked about as one of golf's great coincidences.
Tiger Woods, 1997
The 16th at TPC Scottsdale is a short par 3 surrounded by grandstands, and it's the loudest hole in golf. In the 1997 Phoenix Open, a young Tiger Woods holed his tee shot there. The crowd erupted and the tee was showered with cups and drinks. The clip helped turn the 16th into the party hole it is today.
Andrew Magee, 2001
A par 4 ace is far rarer than one on a par 3. At the 2001 Phoenix Open, Andrew Magee drove the green at the short par 4 17th. His ball rolled onto the green, struck the putter of Tom Byrum, who was in the group ahead and still on the green, and deflected into the hole. It was the first hole in one on a par 4 in PGA Tour history.
Louis Oosthuizen, 2016
In the final round of the 2016 Masters, Louis Oosthuizen's tee shot at the par 3 16th rolled down the slope towards the pin, clipped J.B. Holmes's ball and dropped into the hole. Augusta's 16th is famous for final-round aces, because the slope of the green feeds balls towards the traditional Sunday pin position.
The ace's close cousin
Some famous shots are even rarer than an ace. At the 1935 Masters, Gene Sarazen holed his second shot on the par 5 15th for an albatross (three under par on a hole). It helped him force a playoff, which he won. Learn about other rare scores in what is a condor in golf?
Hole in one traditions
- Buy the drinks: in many clubs, the player who makes an ace buys a round for everyone in the clubhouse.
- Keep the ball: many golfers mount it with the date, hole and club used.
- Get a witness: clubs and competitions usually want someone else to see it.
For the chances of making one yourself, read hole in one odds.
Try it in Mashy
In Mashy, only a putt can drop: a tee shot that reaches the cup lips out. So the best you can do on a par 3 is a birdie 2, by finding the green and holing the putt. Closest to the pin mode is the next best thing to chasing an ace: one tee shot on each par 3, and the lowest total feet from the hole wins.
Frequently asked questions
Who made the first recorded hole in one?
Young Tom Morris is credited with the first recorded hole in one in a championship, at the 8th hole at Prestwick during the 1868 Open. He went on to win that Open aged 17, and he is still the youngest major champion in golf.
Has anyone made a hole in one on a par 4?
Yes, though it's very rare. On the PGA Tour, the first par 4 ace was made by Andrew Magee at the 2001 Phoenix Open, when his drive on the short 17th deflected off another player's putter on the green and into the hole.
How old was Gene Sarazen when he made his ace at Troon?
Gene Sarazen made a hole in one on the Postage Stamp, the 8th at Royal Troon, during the 1973 Open Championship, when he was 71. Coming from a former champion on the shortest hole on the Open rota, it became one of the most celebrated aces in the Championship's history.
Is a hole in one the same as an ace?
Yes. A hole in one and an ace mean the same thing: holing the ball with your first stroke on a hole. On a par 3 it is also two under par, so in scoring terms it counts as an eagle.
Can you get a hole in one in Mashy?
No. In Mashy only a putt can drop, so tee shots and chips that reach the cup lip out. The best realistic score on a par 3 is a birdie 2, and closest to the pin mode rewards the tee shots that finish nearest the hole.