First Time Golfing ⛳️

Heck, if I ever get a hole in one, I’ll buy drinks wherever I go for a week! Live it up!

I came really close three times when I was regularly playing golf. They all ended up being “gimme” birdies. Twice the ball just lipped out of the hole.

I was with someone who got one once. He literally jarred it on the fly. Did some pretty decent damage to the front of the cup too.

I’ve gotten a couple of eagles on par 5’s. My brother got an albatross on a par 5 once. He holed out from over 200 yards.

gimruis wrote:

My brother got an albatross on a par 5 once. He holed out from over 200 yards.

Albatross’s to me seem more rare than a hole in one.

KP wrote:

Alnatross’s to seem more rare than a hole in one.

For sure. Par 3’s aren’t usually as long as a second shot on a par 5.

I think a 300 game in bowling is pretty impressive. Anyone can swing a club once and get lucky.

Almost holed one in Sartell… it was early morning, dew on the grass yet and my shot rolled just right of the cup by 2 inches and about 3 inches past… the trail in the dew really made it hurt more seeing how close I came

I got an albatross once. Course was really flooded so the hole was rerouted cause tee box was under water so the par 5 was only about 140 yards. Score card still said par 5 on it so it counts to me.

big_g wrote:

Almost holed one in Sartell… it was early morning, dew on the grass yet and my shot rolled just right of the cup by 2 inches and about 3 inches past… the trail in the dew really made it hurt more seeing how close I came

I did nearly the same. Shot was straight East and you couldn’t see the ball. Once we got on the green and saw my track and the ball sitting a foot past the hole it was really something.

Lipped out an Albatross once after a perfect drive and 3 wood. Did end up getting the Eagle.

CaptainMusky wrote:

Sharon are you going to be the next big name golfer to sign with LIV?

You never know!! 😂😂 I better improve my game quick though!

My ace was on hole 8 on Orono golf course around 1980. 185-yard uphill par 3. Tee shot with a 3 iron was straight as an arrow. I knew the ball got on the green on the fly. Got up to the green and didn’t see it. Went behind the green and didn’t see it. Walked up to the hole and there it was. Orono golf course was founded in 1924 and was the first public golf course in Minnesota with grass greens. The old timers said it was the first hole in one on that hole.

buck-slayer wrote:

I think a 300 game in bowling is pretty impressive. Anyone can swing a club once and get lucky.

I would bet there are far more 300’s is bowling than there are hole in 1’s in golf. I know a fair # of people who have bowled a 300 game and only a few golfers who have a hole in 1

I also think with enough practice, one would have a better chance of bowling a 300, before getting an ace… and once you bowl one 300 game, more can follow. I have uncles who have multiple 300’s in bowling.. and no aces. Granted, it is easier to get lucky hitting 1 ball, than throwing 12 perfectly.

Although rare, I think 300 games are more common. A lot more margin for error to bowl a strike from 60 feet, although you need to do 12 in a row. The ball can cross over and hit the opposite pocket, get some weird pin ricochets, etc. For a hole in one it needs to end up in a 4 1/4 inch hole from 90+ yards away. A lot more can go wrong like wind and bad bounces.

I love golfing, and I love bowling.
I’ve bowled a 298, 279, and a 278. That’s after bowling 6 nights a week in league for 20 years.
I actually feel like I’d get a hole in one golfing, before a 300 bowling.
But A friend who owns a local bowling alley has well over 100 300 games in league has never hit a hole in one. 🤷‍♂️

Those are some awesome scores. What pins did you leave on the last ball of the 298?

Netguy wrote:

Those are some awesome scores. What pins did you leave on the last ball of the 298?

A 4-10 split on a light pocket hit.

I had actually rolled 18 straight strikes until that ball.

Pailofperch wrote:

A 4-10 split on a light pocket hit.
I had actually rolled 18 straight strikes until that ball.

Dang that stinks!

You out hitting the links today @sharon ? Just wanna make sure I’m far enough away I don’t get hit!

Attachments:

1. 

   IMG_20220803_084959925-scaled.jpg
   

LOL I wish I was out golfing today! I gotta work on my drive to hit it farther!

55 years of golfing and no hole in ones. Two that landed in on the fly but popped out – doesn’t count. Got a birdie and a par on those…….
One Albatross same as some others. Dew on the green and couldn’t find the ball anywhere so I followed a trail ( weren’t the first group off that morning ) and sure enough there it was.
Dad started golfing when he was in his late 30’s . Got his first hole in one in his late 40’s and we played 7 days a week, minimum 18 holes a day. Got all 6 of his on the same hole. THat’s where we spread some of his ashes. Shot his age into his late 70’s. THe Mankato Golf club so not a short executive course either.
He also hit a second shot on a par 5 into a tree – TWO balls came down!! That was weird!

Sharon wrote:

I gotta work on my drive to hit it farther!

Swing hard in case you hit it! That’s always been my motto for golf and baseball/softball

BigWerm wrote:

Swing hard in case you hit it! That’s always been my motto for golf and baseball/softball

That’s just it… I can hit a moving softball, pretty much where I wanted to.. but the little white ball that’s not even moving.. not so much

Got out last weekend while the weather was nice and I’m LOVING my new clubs! I’m still hitting straight and working on a longer drive.

For my fellow IDO golfers in the Twin Cities area – where are your favorite courses? I’d like to check out other locations!

Attachments:

1. 

   20230830_085638-scaled.jpg
   

Way to go Sharon! I think golf can be an intimidating game to get into so great job doing it! I golf quite a bit. Im close to Stillwater so I play Loggers Trail and Oak Glen quite a bit. But this year Ive been playing The Refuge in Oak Grove and Victory Links at the Blaine Sports center. All nice courses.

If you like being secluded and no homes and out in the middle of the woods. Hidden greens is my favorite course. I just played Ridges of sands creeek in Jordon last weekend not too bad. I’ve played some really nice courses country clubs and stuff but just like the feel of the smaller courses better. Hidden, Bellwood , Gopher hills.

Cannon falls still one I really like ,check out River Oaks in Cottage Grove. There are just so many and everyone has there favorite. Glad you are still hitting them Sharon.

Right in your area you can try that small 9 hole Arbor pointe also.We have our so called golf league there. Not too bad for being right in town. Little tougher then Invers Exec 9.

Mahtofire , Oak Glen I really like use to have a league there when i was younger playing with my old man.

My hole in one came last year at hole number 2 at Purple Hawk in Cambridge. Happened during a huge tournament. Cost me about $400. It was worth it!!!

And IMO bowling an 800 series is way harder and more impressive then a 300 game.

Unfortunately, I have never done either!

Clifton Highlands and CLifton Hollows between Prescott and River Falls are low pressured, reasonable affordable courses.

Have my membership at Clifton Hollows really nice and easy going people.

Been golfing a fair amount this summer. Sadly my game has been all over the place. I had my best score of the year followed by one of my worst scores on back to back outings recently. Its a crazy maddening game- That’s for sure. We have our fall Canada trip From 9/8-9/16. There is a Really nice gold course there that we normally play a few times when the winds are to strong to fish or just when we want a break. We normally get in a few rounds while we are there. Really looking forward to it. Almost never anyone else out on the course while we are there.

Working evenings makes it easy to get out on the course early in the mornings before people are out there. It definitely is nice when it’s not busy. I’m typically in the 80s on most courses in the Twin Cities. Used to be better when I was playing in leagues regularly but that all ended with kids. Decent trade off….