Making a hole-in-one

Where aces happen

Almost every ace comes on a par 3. A nine usually has two or three of them, and they range from about 132 to 214 yards — short enough to reach with one swing of anything from a wedge to a 4 iron. Holing out from further away, on a par 4 or with an approach, is possible but much rarer.

The cup is generous by design. Holing out from off the green is meant to be a rare delight, not an impossibility, so a ball that runs over the hole at a sensible speed has a real chance of dropping.

Land short, run it in

The green rolls out about twice as far as fairway, so a ball that pitches on the front of the green keeps running. The best ace chances come from landing short of the pin on the right line and letting the roll take it to the hole, not from flying the ball straight at the flag.

That changes club choice. Rather than the club that carries all the way to the pin, pick one that lands a little short and runs. A slightly softer strike with a clean line is often better than a full pure hit, because a full hit runs on past the hole.

Line beats power

Distance can be forgiven by the roll; line cannot. A ball that finishes two yards short on the right line can still go in, while one that is perfectly paced but a yard wide never will. That makes the pure band valuable here even on a part swing — a pure strike is much straighter.

Read the wind before you tap. A crosswind on a 180-yard par 3 can move the ball five or more yards, which is the difference between the hole and the fringe. Aim into it.

Aces count for more than bragging

Every hole-in-one in a ranked daily round is saved to your profile. Your first one earns the Ace tag, which you can wear next to your name on the leaderboard. Three of them unlock the Comet trail, one of the hard challenge rewards. Aces in practice rounds are fun but do not count.