Guaranteed HIO or Guaranteed Bogey Golf?

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

Hypothetically, you find a claret jug tucked in the rough of your favorite course.  You pick it up and accidentally rub it, and a genie that looks suspiciously like Old Tom Morris pops out and grants you a wish:  You can either have a guaranteed hole-in-one in every round you play for the rest of your life, with the caveat that the rest of the holes are back to your normal skills...or, you're guaranteed to never shoot more than 1 over on any hole for the rest of your life, with the caveat again that each hole is your normal skill level and you have the possibility of shooting as good as you possibly can.

 

Would you rather take the hole-in-one guarantee, or the "never shoot more than bogey" guarantee?

[Springsteennut]

I already play a little better than bogey golf so I’d take the HIO.

[dugue4]

Do I get to pick when the HIO happens?

[bazinky]

Not a contest. The HIO every time. Winning a skin in every competition I play in? Yes, please!  

 

I've never had a HIO, but many of my rounds have nothing worse than a bogey. If the decision was between a HIO and never making a score worse than par, then you might actually having something to think about.

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

42 minutes ago, dugue4 said:

Do I get to pick when the HIO happens?

Yes

[BombinJim]

Hole in one for sure!!!! I would play every scramble that had large prizes for hole in one win something every time. Can’t do that playing bogey golf…

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

11 minutes ago, bazinky said:

If the decision was between a HIO and never making a score worse than par, then you might actually having something to think about.

That's the whole reasoning behind having your current skills intact:  The worst score you'll ever get is 18 over, knowing that magically (by the power of Genie Tom) that bogey shot, from wherever on the course, *will* find the hole.  If one could guarantee that, one might alter their playing style to something a little more aggressive.  Or, in other words, with your current skills intact, you'll still play as good as you currently are...but there's a guaranteed safety net.

 

Skins?  Why not a novelty bet?  I'll bet you $100 that I can shoot precisely 18 over using nothing but my wedge.

[Shilgy]

18 minutes ago, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

That's the whole reasoning behind having your current skills intact:  The worst score you'll ever get is 18 over, knowing that magically (by the power of Genie Tom) that bogey shot, from wherever on the course, *will* find the hole.  If one could guarantee that, one might alter their playing style to something a little more aggressive.  Or, in other words, with your current skills intact, you'll still play as good as you currently are...but there's a guaranteed safety net.

 

Skins?  Why not a novelty bet?  I'll bet you $100 that I can shoot precisely 18 over using nothing but my wedge.

And with that bet you can win money….buying a round of drinks for everyone every time you play would get mighty expensive!🙄

Edited May 4, 2022 by Shilgy

[dugue4]

26 minutes ago, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

Yes

Then hole in one on the longest par 5 every time!

[JungleJimbo]

2 hours ago, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

Hypothetically, you find a claret jug tucked in the rough of your favorite course.  You pick it up and accidentally rub it, and a genie that looks suspiciously like Old Tom Morris pops out and grants you a wish:  You can either have a guaranteed hole-in-one in every round you play for the rest of your life, with the caveat that the rest of the holes are back to your normal skills...or, you're guaranteed to never shoot more than 1 over on any hole for the rest of your life, with the caveat again that each hole is your normal skill level and you have the possibility of shooting as good as you possibly can.

 

Would you rather take the hole-in-one guarantee, or the "never shoot more than bogey" guarantee?

Does getting a HIO for you at your club = mandate you to buy a round of celebratory drinks 🍾🍻for everyone at the clubhouse, following the round? (Sometimes partially-offset/covered by HIO insurance... but presumably Not, if you're guaranteed a HIO every round? That could get expensive! as @Shilgy mentions too! )

Instead of that "Old Tom Morris" genie in a bottle (nor Will Smith)
... could we opt for a more-photogenic genie(s)?
🧞‍♀️😬🧞‍♂️ 
 

Edited May 4, 2022 by JungleJimbo

[Roejye]

Especially at my current level, bogey golf. It still leaves the possibility of a hio, but it also would allow me to try work on different shot shapes. Hopefully I'll be able to improve to the point where I wouldn't really need the genie.

[Blaiser]

I think a hole in one is only precious because it's so rare.

 

One per round would be overkill. 

 

Take away all my doubles and I'm a happy golfer forever.

[HappyGilmoresBoots]

7 hours ago, JungleJimbo said:

Instead of that "Old Tom Morris" genie in a bottle (nor Will Smith)
... could we opt for a more-photogenic genie(s)?

I mean, it's your genie.  If he says "HIO every round or never shooting higher than bogey," and you say "Nah, son, I want you to look like Barbara Eden," that would use up your wish.

[Roody]

I'd take the bogey golf guarantee. If I had a HiO every round it would become very expensive to play golf. And it would cheapen the thrill of getting a HiO (which I still have yet to do in my lifetime)

[Ty_Webb]

6 hours ago, Blaiser said:

I think a hole in one is only precious because it's so rare.

 

One per round would be overkill. 

 

Take away all my doubles and I'm a happy golfer forever.

 

I'm with you - not to mention that if you got a HIO every round you played, there would be some serious notoriety that came with that. People would think you were cheating somehow. I don't really want that sort of attention, so I'd take the no more than bogey. 

[Myherobobhope]

11 hours ago, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

Hypothetically, you find a claret jug tucked in the rough of your favorite course.  You pick it up and accidentally rub it, and a genie that looks suspiciously like Old Tom Morris pops out and grants you a wish:  You can either have a guaranteed hole-in-one in every round you play for the rest of your life, with the caveat that the rest of the holes are back to your normal skills...or, you're guaranteed to never shoot more than 1 over on any hole for the rest of your life, with the caveat again that each hole is your normal skill level and you have the possibility of shooting as good as you possibly can.

 

Would you rather take the hole-in-one guarantee, or the "never shoot more than bogey" guarantee?

I'd probably get kicked out of my club... we have a HIO payout, so this would be ALOT of store credit and free drinks... 

 

One HIO a year on command would probably be worth more financially than never worse than bogey golf... 

 

From a pure scoring perspective, the bogey golf is better. 

 

A 1/4 chance of winning a car at every scramble I played in would both have me playing more scrambles and would basically be my job... 

 

You could also start playing in pro ams and fleecing tour players... "Hey Max, I'll give you $10,000 if you make a hole in one, if you'll give me $250,000 if i make one"... 

[MtlJeff]

I'd go with the hole in one. It's essentially being spotted 2 extra birdies in every round. It's rare i will make more than one double in a round and if i do that round is a waste anyway. So the 2 extra shots has more value to me in my average round.

[Twism86]

Never worse than bogey? Ill take that all day long! A HOI every round would get old.... However, I do play golf with some friends who's scorecard never show worse than a bogey and they never found a genie! 

Edited May 4, 2022 by Twism86

[NJBigFish22]

I would ask my genie for 1 HIO a season and never shoot higher than 9 over.  

[Naptime]

Guaranteed no worse than bogey for me.

[T2WIN]

Hole in one. Anything over par sucks at least for me so I'm taking the HIO...

[j.b.newton]

Why is everyone assuming it has to happen on a par 3?  Per OP's post, there is not a stipulation on what hole.  If you take it on a par 5, thats 4 shots better than par.   Like @dugue4 said - take the par 5 HOI and run....

[7ironDave]

I’d take nothing higher than a bogey, removing the blow up holes would make me a pretty good golfer.  
 

I would try to negotiate my wish to 1 HO1 every 2 years and nothing higher than a 7 on my card every round because there always seems to be a few of those that blow up my round. 

[Umpire Strikesback]

On 5/4/2022 at 9:31 AM, Markrip said:

I already play a little better than bogey golf so I’d take the HIO.

What about the 60% of rounds that don't contribute to your handicap?

[isaacbm]

I take the no doubles. A hole in one every round is too expensive and on top of that we could finally resolve once and for all whether a scratch golfer could shoot 90 or lower on masters Sunday! 

[GHIN n Juice]

A hole in one every round would get really expensive in my circle.  

[BigEx44]

On 5/3/2022 at 10:43 PM, HappyGilmoresBoots said:

Yes

 

Make sure you pick a long par 5 for the HIO.......

[phil75070]

Holes-in-one are overrated. They are as much about luck as they are about skill. On top of that, they are costly since you have to buy drinks for everyone else. I'll take the "no worse than bogey" option.

[braincramp52]

On 5/3/2022 at 10:07 PM, Shilgy said:

And with that bet you can win money….buying a round of drinks for everyone every time you play would get mighty expensive!🙄

Damn it Shilgy!! You HAD to go think of that! Ruined my answer. 🤣

[Shilgy]

2 hours ago, phil75070 said:

Holes-in-one are overrated. They are as much about luck as they are about skill. On top of that, they are costly since you have to buy drinks for everyone else. I'll take the "no worse than bogey" option.

Yes but…..individually they are as much luck or skill as you stated.  But better players do tend to have more due to having near proximity more often.