Shot you remember years later?

[xflex]

Usually the stupid ones that i shouldn't have attempted but somehow pulled off. Rope hooks from the trees usually

[mdgboxx]

March 25, 2009

My first HIO, and only! 166yds, moderate head wind, 5i. Landed ±10 ft from the pin, rolled in.

 

Shot I remember years later?

 

Following day, same hole, same back pin, SAME BALL, strong head wind causing sharp ripples on the surrounding lake. Used a 3i, barely made it to the fringe, rolled 60+ ft, lipped out and came to rest less than a foot behind the pin.

 

Same playing partners on both days. They are still talking about it, more than the HIO.

[elwhippy]

Playing with my late father. North Berwick's famous Redan par 3. 3 iron to 3 inches. Annual match versus our closest rival club. Chipped in from flower beds to win match.

[munichop]

Many come to mind- all 4 of my HIO's of course.

But 2 shots stick out- both fairway woods (one metal). The best part is I had no idea on the distance of either shot.

 

The first one I was 18 and playing with my Dad. I had been trash talking him all day about how I was going to beat him. By the 17th tee I realized I was 3 down with 2 to play. I birdied 17 to go 2 down and hit an okay tee shot on 18- a 3 tiered green par 5. He had laid up for a wedge but I had to go for it to have a chance. I pulled out my Mom's persimmon 2 wood with a loose winding. Water right, pin on the middle tier I swung at hard as I could- It bent left to right around the trees and I never saw it finish. We get to the green and it is 20 feet from the hole. He wedges to 15 feet. I make and he leaves his birdie putt on the lip-we tie! I never trash talked him in golf again...

 

The second was 1999 on Prestwick- long par 4 back into a quartering wind. I had lost confidence with the driver so I hit 3 metal off the tee. This was when the tri-metal super shallow woods were popular. I had a maraging component head that had a hot face. I popped it up on the tee shot and it didn't go far. When I reached the ball I asked my Scottish caddie how far we were. He simply says "it's all ya' got in yer bag". I pull the same club and look at the two some on the green and ask if I should wait- Caddie replies "swing away". The ball lies on a slight down slope and the stance is uneven. My only swing thought is stay down on it. I swing and absolutely nut it- looking up I see a low bullet about 15 feet off the ground going right at the green. It somehow bounces straight thru the moguls and rolls on the green while they are putting - to the back hillock then back to the hole 4 feet for birdie. My caddie looks at me with amazed wide eyes and says "What a shot!" then yells at my friend's caddie and says "Brian, did you see that shot? It was Maagic!" Of course I missed the putt...

[UCBananaboy]

A few years ago I was playing at one of the RTJ courses in Alabama.

 

I was way left off the tee and near a creek. 195 under some trees to an elevated green. I had no line of sight and the other cart in my group was ahead down in the fairway. I ask my cart buddy for a line and he says "you see Dan? that's your line".

 

I proceed to flush a 4iron with a nice hook on it; it came off perfect. Well, the ball flew about 4 feet head-high past my "target" [friend] and it seemed to fly in slow motion. It really felt like that shot took a minute to happen and I thought I was about to witness Dan dying from my 4-iron. Luckily, it missed him, and the ball ended up about 30 feet from the hole for a nice little 2-putt par.

[Tcann32]

I have a few, but three stick out the most:

 

#8 at TPC Twin Cities. Par 3, 170 yards. It was starting to storm and we hadn't heard the horn yet and had already played the back side, so we were just finishing up the last couple holes. It was pouring rain, but it was a hot day, and honestly if the storm were further out, I would've kept playing since it was just kinda fun to be out. I was set up to hit my tee shot and the horn sounded, and a big thunder clap and a crack of lightening came right then and my buddy says: "Oh Sh*t, did you see that lightening?!" At the top of my back swing I said "yeah, hole in one lightening!" and hit the shot. Rattled the flag but didn't go in. It was just a funny event with the timing and almost calling an ace.

 

#10 at Hazeltine: At least, it was 10 when I played it this summer before the Ryder cup. I hit a 3w to the corner before the big dog leg left that goes down the hill and then hit a pitching wedge with a slight pull (I'm a lefty) to the sand trap just off the right of the green. The pin was in the front, and there was all of 10 paces behind the cup before the water, which meant the shot could travel no more than about 30 yards. By my calculation, a bladed sand shot travels an easy 150 yards, but ya know.. don't let that thought scare you.. ha. I hit the perfect shot and it just landed and stopped a solid inch from the cup. It was just kinda fun hitting that and knowing that it was a shot that some of the Pro's would be in that spot in a few weeks, and knowing they'd pay a lot of money for that result. I went to the practice rounds for the cup and saw Phil hit a practice spot or two from that spot, knowing it's the last place he'd want to be, albeit a likely one for lefty, and I got to reflect on executing something that he would've been proud of.

 

The last was at a local course in a little tourney we have every summer. It's a par 5 that goes hard right at about 240. At the time, I wasn't all that fond of hitting a fairway wood, but could still hit a fade, so I went for that. I double crossed it and went through the fairway into the trees on the right. I either had to punch it out, or gamble and hit a hook. I'm not one to shy away from hitting most shots, but there was houses across the fairway and they were well under 200 yards away, on the left side, so a failed attempt was going to equal something bad. I took aim at the corner of this house that was at about a 30* angle, closed the club face, and took a hard swing it. I made perfect contact, the ball took off right at this house, the playing partners were immediately scared for the home owner, besides my friends dad, who seemed to see what was happening the whole time. He immediately just started saying over and over as the ball was flying "now that is a golf shot, Tommy. That's a real golf shot." The ball was mid flight and just as it was running out of room before reaching their back yard, it started to hook, and landed in the fairway and was rolling hard, and rolled up just short of the green and I made a birdie. Our friends dad was playing with us and he still talks about it being one of the best golf shots he had ever seen in person.

[Dr Rangelove]

When I was about 11 years old, I was playing a par 3, alone, across the street from where I lived. I sliced the ball into an area where they were building new houses, still in the framing stage. I got all pissed immediately, slamming my club into the ground and cursing (I'm not the same angry young man any more) and slamming the club back in the bag. When I finally finished pissing and moaning, and grabbed my bag, I looked up and my ball was about 2 inches from the cup. Somehow it had rattled and careened around within the construction site and bounced back onto the green. And it was after hours and no workers were around. What a silly game.

[jbsg02]

My first win as a junior, was barely 14 years old. I remember mostly the up and down I made for par on 16 from about 70 yards after hitting it in the hazard and the 6 iron approach to the middle of the green on 18 to two put and win by one (or two?) shot

[Fiddy3]

Club championship (2nd flight) driveable par 4 15th, 260ish yards. Stuck my drive 4 ft from the pin, made eagle and won the flight.

[Fader2103]

I was having a terrible round about 10 years ago. Just one of those rounds you want to forget. I was shooting a 9 on a Par 5. Had about a 40 foot putt in front of me. I knew i wasn't going to make it, so i one handed the putt with legs crossed over one another because I didn't care anymore. It rolled in, couldn't believe it. Threw my putter in the air and it came down on my nose. Broken nose. Will never forget that one.

[chilllwave]

Par three at my most frequented course, dead straight about 180-190. It was the second round of my life and I somehow manage to hit this green. I get up there and see that I was about 5 feet away. This would be the first time I ever actually had an opportunity for a single bogey, let alone a 5 footer for birdie. Nerves killed me and I rolled it by on the right, 3 footer for par. That par is what got me hooked on golf.

[Bonneville85308]

The only shots I really remember are the 3 times I've made an eagle in my life, plus the longest drive I ever hit by far on a certain hole at my home course. It is a hole on a par 5 where if you hit the ball far enough to crest a slight hill, you can see an otherwise hidden green. It is the only time I ever was able to see that green while setting up for my second shot.

[Tcann32]

I was having a terrible round about 10 years ago. Just one of those rounds you want to forget. I was shooting a 9 on a Par 5. Had about a 40 foot putt in front of me. I knew i wasn't going to make it, so i one handed the putt with legs crossed over one another because I didn't care anymore. It rolled in, couldn't believe it. Threw my putter in the air and it came down on my nose. Broken nose. Will never forget that one.

 

One of my greatest putts is a similar situation. My friends still talk about it when we go to the course. I was putting for a triple or quad, and had a solid 50' or more. I just walked up and hit it and it went in.

 

There is where I coined the phrase: You only make putts over 20' if it's for double or worse. Seems to be true thus far.

[bandrz]

short par 4. tried to lay up off the tee with a hybrid. cold topped it. kept the same club in my hands and hit the next shot to 2 feet and made birdie.

[RobNY22]

I blocked my second shot into a par 4 and it landed by a tree and right next to a tee box where 4 tour looking players were standing. When I pulled up, I see that my ball is behind the 20 foot tree. Going under the tree was not an option unless I wanted to fly the green into a water hazard. I was a 20+ handicap at the time and had no idea why I thought I should flop it over the tree onto the green. The group goes silent as I set up to hit this shot. With all my might I swing steep on the ball and launch it over the tree and it stops on a dime 2 feet from the hole. They all congratulated me. I missed the putt of course, but who cares at that point.

[PixlPutterman]

Played a lighted executive course at about 1 am after a shift waiting tables at Texas Roadhouse.

 

210 yards, slightly elevated par 3. I had some old Mizuno blades in the car as my emergency trunk set. A bit of helping wind and a 6 iron. Dunked it on the fly, broke the back of the cup and hopped out to the lip, leaving me an inch putt. Never been so pissed and happy at the same time.......

[madchens]

My two eagles from the fairway on par 4's. First one, 140ish out over a tree, dunked it but couldn't even see it go in. Buddy just said "I am pretty sure that went in", went up and looked, ball mark in front of the cup about 3 feet and ball in the hole.

 

130 yards out in the fairway, front pin on a back to front sloping green (pin was maybe 3-5 yards on the green), hit a perfect low trajectory shot that skipped once and rolled in.

[cardoustie]

I will ignore my ace and albatross

 

These 2 stick with me:

 

Both fairway wood shots:

 

1. Club C about 10 years ago. We are playing the tips. Round 1. #18 is 585. I cream one to 257 out (dry summer). After being egged on by my playing partners, pull my old excalibur tisi tec 5w (17* s2o hosel) and carry the lake in front and hit it to 20 feet). Jammed in the eagle. Thank goodness it hit the hole or I was 12 feet by

The course was so tough that day I was the only guy under 80 with a 78. 74.4 rating, greens running 14

 

2. Provincial university golf championships round 2. 4 guys score out of 5 each day. Day one I didn't count for the first time all season - gutted. Keep in mind my team has an undefeated season going and I have been playing as the #2 guy all year after winning an event ... and lots of top tens. I have a nervous start to round 2, 1 over after 5 and come to the 6th hole. A long arsed par 5 I haven't been close to in two yet. Not within 50 yards. I get a drop out of GUR and get a perfect lie. I absolutely crunch my old TM burner 3w (sandvik Ti shaft) to 3 feet somehow. (I don't love 3w off the deck). Make the eagle and go on a tear for the rest of the round and am inside the top 5 low scores day 2. We win the provincials. I still don't know how I hit that shot and none of my teammates could believe I was home in 2

[RecidivistGOLFER]

In life, I remember the ones I got wrong. For me, golf is just the opposite. I can remember the great shots much better than the bad ones. The one most frequently was problably my first really great shot. Holed an approach from 140 with an 8 iron into the sun. Looked for the ball for a good five minutes before something told me to check in the cup.

[darredondo09]

Just happened this past weekend, but I know I'll remember the 7 iron I holed for eagle on a par 5 long into the future, mostly because it happened in my first round after my daughter was born.

[fletcher6490]

Two that really stick in my mind:

 

I was around 17 and hole one was a 550 yard par 5. I bombed my drive just pushed it a little right. Just so happened to to hit the cart path, bounce and roll all the way down to the 100 yard marker. I had 110 to the flag, chunked my wedge twice and proceeded to make bogey.

 

Socond was during a scramble. On a shorter par 5 I hit a nice drive we ended up using. My second shot I hit 5 iron and stuck it within a foot. A couple other groups were close to that particular green and cheered real loud after the ball stuck by the pin. That shot felt pretty awesome.

[jayhawker]

It was a few years back when I first got into it and it was the first whole and my drive was good, I chunked the 7 iron and was about 60 yards out and I chipped it. The other was making the green on 2 on a par5 and was able to save par. I was drawing a little attention to myself and on the 18th the group ask what I shot. They laughed so hard at how proud I was making it to the green in 2 and walked away with a par. I haven't been able to do that again.

[scagnetti]

it was on the 12th Hole at Capital Hills in Quezon City, Manila, Phils. it's a total b****, undulating with a giant tree that hangs over the elevated green, two greenside bunkers that bleed down into the valley before the hole, OB on each side of the narrow fairway with houses on your right and urban wilderness on the left, where the easiest part of it is that its short, only a 220 yard par 4...

 

I lofted a soft 3W from the tee, with a baby fade straight to within 5 feet... It was everything that I had wanted to do on that shot. EVERYTHING. and I go on to 3-putt to make par.

[KillerPenguin]

First and only eagle. Par 5 third hole at Mamala Bay Golf Course on what is now Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. I hit a frozen rope 250 yards (GPS verified) with my three wood to hole high on the collar (back pin placement), 18 feet from the cup (walked the distance off after the putt to verify). Sank the putt for the eagle. I can still picture the shot in my mind's eye. From my vantage point, the ball never got more than 25 feet above the ground which was not unusual for that horrible, horrible three wood (Titleist 904F), but boy did it work out well just that one time.

 

I am an incredibly bad golfer but that's one hole of golf I will put up against anyone when they play the big highlight reel in heaven (or hell). As an epilogue, if I remember correctly, on the very next tee shot, I shanked the ball about 70 yards left and lost it.

[SwooshLT]

Closest to double eagle..... 6th at The Champ (Honda Classic home) plays as a 5 par for Members and resort guests.... uphill and into the fan from 225 out , I striped a 3i that never left the flag....we get to the green and my ball is resting less than an inch from going in! UGH....not sure how to feel even to this day.

 

 

Watching former Tour player Mike Sposa shoot 29 on the back nine of the same course.....AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2 STROKES LOWER!

 

 

 

Same course the 15th hole; 1st of the Bear Trap.....front pin an aspiring club Pro friend hits a tremendous looking shot.....it FLIES in the cup, bounces out and into the water! Stunned silence engulfs the group.....he heads to drop zone and hits an equally good looking shot....THAT FLIES in the cup ,bounces out and into the water..... cursed is this guy....passed away while flying to the Bahamas.

 

 

Last one..... in a scramble, we've got 110 to the pin which is in the back of the green...... I strike a sw and it's tracking....hits the absolute TOP of the flag.....yes, not a deflection but perfect decent angle on TOP of the flag and caroms into the water hazard directly behind green some 20yds.....

[caniac6]

I hit an all world shank on the 18th of a local course. The clubhouse was on the right, and there were four guys standing behind a picture window. These four guys hit the deck, and the ball hit about two inches below the window. The guys stood up, and I tipped my hat, and finished the hole. I've hit a lot of good shots, but that is the one I always remember.

[ablewalker]

I'll always remember I birdied the 6th hole par 3 at Torrey Pines North course. Gorgeous day at a famous course that my friend had to book months in advance. I haven't played many courses the pros play but a few LPGA and Champions tour courses for sure so I wanted to play a solid round at Torrey Pines. Hit the green and had probably a 25 foot uphill to the left putt and it curled and tumbled in as it ran out of speed. I shot 103 that day but I played well and it was only my chipping and one bad par 3 on the back that messed up my score card.These places are shrines to Golf and it's a great feeling to get things even a little bit right when you play them.

[Hankshank]

1. My first birdie, 1982. I hit it into the morning fog, thought i hit it thin so I mumbled some strong Swedish. But when we came up to the hole it was like 3 inches from the hole. What are you whining about, my golf buddys reaction. I muttered something but wasn't too angry.

 

2. My first eagle last year. A shortish par 4. (I have been below hcp 15 for like 30 years but I am not a long hitter). A guy walking his dog had stopped to observe my approach, and greeted me cordially when i came up to the green.

 

3. 1981, one of my first rounds. I had not quite learned how far I could hit each club and for the first time I really got hold of my iron 8. Flew over the green, took one bounce and hit a guy on the next tee on his leg. One of the more embarrassing moments in my golfing career.

 

4. No hole-in-one so far, but I hit the flagstick, like BAM straight on and the ball stopped half an inch in front of the hole. Closest so far.

[mdgboxx]

Closest to double eagle..... 6th at The Champ (Honda Classic home) plays as a 5 par for Members and resort guests.... uphill and into the fan from 225 out , I striped a 3i that never left the flag....we get to the green and my ball is resting less than an inch from going in! UGH....not sure how to feel even to this day.

 

 

Watching former Tour player Mike Sposa shoot 29 on the back nine of the same course.....AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN 2 STROKES LOWER!

 

 

 

Same course the 15th hole; 1st of the Bear Trap.....front pin an aspiring club Pro friend hits a tremendous looking shot.....it FLIES in the cup, bounces out and into the water! Stunned silence engulfs the group.....he heads to drop zone and hits an equally good looking shot....THAT FLIES in the cup ,bounces out and into the water..... cursed is this guy....passed away while flying to the Bahamas.

 

 

Last one..... in a scramble, we've got 110 to the pin which is in the back of the green...... I strike a sw and it's tracking....hits the absolute TOP of the flag.....yes, not a deflection but perfect decent angle on TOP of the flag and caroms into the water hazard directly behind green some 20yds.....

 

 

Some golf stories, although true, are as hard to believe as fishing exploits. LMAO

 

I once bladed from the green side bunker, my ball got tangled in the flag and dropped in the cup...for birdie.

[CarterHM]

Second shot into a par 5 from about 225 or so. Hit a low-fade 3-wood that chased up to the green (pretty similar to Rory's at Valhalla now that I think about it). The hole was cut just on the other side of a ridge that ran across the middle of the green so I couldn't see the very bottom of the pin from where I was hitting. As the ball rolled up, it disappeared over the ridge directly in line with the flag from my point of view. I'm sure you all know exactly how excited I was, thinking I had made an albatross. Alas, got up to the green to find my ball about 15 feet from the hole and proceeded to lip-out what would have been my first eagle. Still one of the cooler shots I've ever hit, even if it was a bit of a tease.

 

Others that come to mind: holing out PW for a 2 for my first ever eagle about a month later. I also recall the "purest" shot I ever hit: 5 iron from 176 to about 8 feet. I've hit plenty of approaches closer than that, but this one stands out in my mind when I try to visualize the perfect swing/contact/ball flight. One of those shots where everything came together.