The Bomb

The Bomb - the hole in one. I’ve never had one. I’ve hit the pin, stopped on the lip and rolled round the rim. In my golfing life I have only ever been witness to this remarkable event a single time, costing me a hole in the first round of the club champs.

I keep a board at home where I mark down a single line for every par 3 I have ever played. At last count I have played just over 2700 par 3s in my life.

I know many golfers, some excellent golfers who have played their whole life and never dropped a bomb. And I know many other golfers who have hit the perfect shot on more than one occasion.

I’ve read varying accounts on the odds of dropping a bomb. Companies that provide ‘hole in one’ insurance have a vested interest in the statistical information of these odds.

Most studies show that the average golfer has a 12,000 to 1 chance of scoring an ace. This drops to 5,000 to 1 for a low handicapper and about 2,500 to 1 for a tour professional.

Although unromantic it does make for interesting reading and I now know that I have only 2300 statistical par 3s to play.