Three Holes in One in one group?

[donh]

What are the odds? Astronomical. But three aces can be a real, cool hand ...

By Steve Pajak
SACRAMENTO BEE

April 26, 2005

ANTELOPE – Tell people that you've won the lottery and, chances are, they won't believe you. At least you have a little piece of paper and a big check if you're telling the truth.

Tell people that you're one of three golfers who just made a hole-in-one on consecutive swings and there's no chance they're going to believe you. And all you have is a crumpled scorecard and your good word.

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Bob Fleming, Marc Arcuri and Dan Condie say they made back-to-back-to-back ones last week at the 15th hole at Antelope Greens, north of Sacramento. Their feat is going to inspire both awe and skepticism from golfers around the world.

"They all hit great shots," said Dave Schumacher, the one member of the foursome not to make an ace and forever to bear the burden as "the witness."

"It's something that I'll never see again."

It's something that no one has likely seen before. The odds of an average golfer making a hole in one are 12,700 to 1, according to the National Hole in One Association. Golf Digest pegs the odds of two players in the same foursome acing the same hole at 17 million to 1. When three players on an Australian course made aces within 10 minutes, HoleInOne.com said the feat was 27 trillion to 1.

The Hills Country Club, Austin, Texas Pete Ames, the assistant manager at the Antelope course, said he has heard of one player making two holes in one in a round at the short course that features 14 par 3s and four par 4s. But nothing this crazy.

"If it was your average Joe coming in, I'd say you guys are full of it," Ames said. "But I happen to know these guys and have played a lot of golf with them. I'm 100 percent positive about it."

Fleming, 55, and Condie, 46, often shoot near par and have Northern California Golf Association handicap indexes of 1.7. They compete in high-profile regional events – Fleming has been around the amateur scene for decades and won the senior division of the Sacramento Valley Match Play Championship last weekend at Diamond Oaks. Arcuri, 52, estimates his handicap index is 5.

Fleming acknowledges the skepticism. His brother didn't believe him at first. That's what happens when you accomplish something that Tiger Woods, Vijay Singh and Annika Sorenstam couldn't if they hit balls 24 hours a day for three years.

"I said to my brother, if we were trying to scam somebody, the fact that it's gone to the 'Today' show would have been a bad thing," Fleming said. "The fact of the matter is, we're all honest guys."

The four players are among a group of about 15 who regularly play together in low-stakes games. They said they selected the pitch-and-putt course because it was late in the afternoon and they wanted to play 18 holes.

Schumacher had the honors on the 15th tee. But his shot to the hole – playing about 100 yards to a front-left pin – was short of the green.

Fleming hit a sand wedge, which landed just short of the hole, spin-checked for a bounce and disappeared for his sixth career hole in one – and second at this hole.

Arcuri hit a low pitching wedge that landed a few feet short of the green, hopped a little to the right and dived into the hole with some speed. The shot wasn't particularly well struck, but it resulted in his fourth hole in one.

"We were flabbergasted," Fleming said.

Despite all the ensuing whooping and hollering, Condie said it never dawned on him that following consecutive aces would carry any special significance.

Condie lifted a high sand wedge that hit softly and started trickling toward the hole. "It was kind of like Tiger's chip (at the 16th hole) at the Masters, slow motion toward the hole," Condie said.

Then it went in. Career ace No. 3 made it three in a row for the group.

"When it went in, I just said, 'Oh, my God,'" Condie said. "I put my hands up, and everybody came running over.

"I turned to those guys and I said, 'I think we just did something that's never been done before.' You don't know how big this is. We just made golf history. It was like a dream."

Their story will live on for years. It isn't some fish tale, they swear, but the details of one of the most magical, if unlikely, minutes in the history of the sport.

Or the hoax of a lifetime, some will insist.

"It happened," Fleming said. "I was there."

[dbleber]

If its true, that is one amazing story!
Denny

[donh]

Well, I actually got a shorter version from a buddy (Thx faldo!) and traced the story to a newspaper site.

Cheers,
D

[EDSGOLF]

"That's incredible"

[covanant]

Hard to believe!

[broken27]

Well, I actually got a shorter version from a buddy (Thx faldo!) and traced the story to a newspaper site.

Cheers,
D

A newspaper has no way to verify if it's true, but it does lend a BIT of legitimacy to the story. I'm not entirely sold on it, but then again I have no reason to not believe it could happen... Just a hellova day for odds!

Dan

[faldo]

Thanks for the acknowlegement don.........

And of course GOLFERS never lie so it's totally legit!

[donh]

No worries George!!!

But -- and I like to do this. What if all four players get a hole in one and no one sees i it? Think of those hidden hole locations where you can't see the actual hole and the green is somewhat isolated from other holes. Imagine four golfers looking for their balls -- only to find them in the hole.

Hey! The weekend looks great (for a change!) Enjoy!!



Don

[Eldred]

The paper did mentioned the three passed lie-detector test and spent over $3000 of their own money.

We'll see if this will a chat topic in Grey Goose 19th Hole this week.

["Richard"]

they should have taken a voice stress test... its more accurate than a lie detector.

[Eldred]

Won't be much of a problem if they in sales and wearing plaids

Sorry, kinda gotten carried over from the "should your hat matched your shirts" thread...

[Shivas Irons]

It's something that no one has likely seen before. The odds of an average golfer making a hole in one are 12,700 to 1, according to the National Hole in One Association. Golf Digest pegs the odds of two players in the same foursome acing the same hole at 17 million to 1. When three players on an Australian course made aces within 10 minutes, HoleInOne.com said the feat was 27 trillion to 1.

The Hills Country Club, Austin ... 14 par 3s and four par 4s. Bu

These odds change dramatically when you consider there are 14 par - 3's on this course.
Hate to burst the bubble but hole in one's made on "pitch & putt" or "executive" courses are not considered true aces.
In addtion, holeinone.com says the aces occured on 2 different holes, not in 3 consecutive swings as this article suggests.
Smells like B.S.to me

[HiG4s]

The odds of an average golfer making a hole in one are 12,700 to 1,

Hmmm,, 4 par 3s per course, 20 rounds a year, 28 years 2,240 attempts. Seeing as I now play around 50 rounds a year, I should get a hole in one by the time I'm 111 no problem.

[broken27]

These odds change dramatically when you consider there are 14 par - 3's on this course.
Hate to burst the bubble but hole in one's made on "pitch & putt" or "executive" courses are not considered true aces.
In addtion, holeinone.com says the aces occured on 2 different holes, not in 3 consecutive swings as this article suggests.
Smells like B.S.to me

I was hesitant from the get go in terms of believing the story "as reported"... I can believe that three guys would "ace" in a round where you shoot 14 par 3s... I can believe that it may happen to two guys on the same hole... I can't wrap my brain around 3 shots in a row going in.... Not a freakin' chance...

Polygraphs are useful and all, I guess, but only if you know what specific questions were asked. Personally I believe I could pass a polygraph if I was only telling a minor lie. Hell, I could do it in a golf context no problem I'd say... Just like fishing!!!

Cheers,
Dan

[Shivas Irons]

Polygraphs are useful and all, I guess, but only if you know what specific questions were asked. Personally I believe I could pass a polygraph if I was only telling a minor lie. Hell, I could do it in a golf context no problem I'd say... Just like fishing!!!

Cheers,
Dan

I bet you could too.
Polygraph's can be beaten by biting your tongue, or having a thumb tack in your shoe, or otherwise causing yourself pain when you are being questioned. This throw's the result of the polygraph off.
Or so I've been told...

[flagolfnut]

I bet you could too.
Polygraph's can be beaten by biting your tongue, or having a thumb tack in your shoe, or otherwise causing yourself pain when you are being questioned. This throw's the result of the polygraph off.
Or so I've been told...

Simply amazing!