1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:06,520 Speaker 1: Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeart Radio, Hey 2 00:00:06,600 --> 00:00:11,119 Speaker 1: brain Stuff, Lauren boglebom Here. A standard regulation sized golf 3 00:00:11,119 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: ball is a smidge smaller than one point seven inches 4 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:18,000 Speaker 1: that's four point three centimeters in diameter, or, for comparisons sake, 5 00:00:18,160 --> 00:00:20,799 Speaker 1: just a little larger than your garden variety ping pong ball. 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,759 Speaker 1: The standard round cup that snuggles into an earthen hole 7 00:00:24,840 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 1: on your run of the mill manicured green on any 8 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:29,600 Speaker 1: of the more than fifteen thousand golf courses in the 9 00:00:29,680 --> 00:00:32,520 Speaker 1: United States or the more than thirty three thousand throughout 10 00:00:32,560 --> 00:00:36,159 Speaker 1: the world, is by rule four point to five inches 11 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:40,680 Speaker 1: or ten point eight centimeters in diameter. Relatively small ball, 12 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: relatively big hole. So what's the problem, said no one 13 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,640 Speaker 1: who has ever swung a club at a golf ball 14 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,920 Speaker 1: in their life. Golf is hard, certainly harder than the 15 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:54,000 Speaker 1: professionals make it look. And for proof other than trying 16 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,560 Speaker 1: it for yourself, that is, the non golfer should consider 17 00:00:56,600 --> 00:00:59,840 Speaker 1: the holy grail of golf, the ever elusive, never foreseen, 18 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 1: always magical hole in one. If golf is hard, the 19 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:06,720 Speaker 1: quest for a hole in one is downright cruel. The 20 00:01:06,760 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: odds of it aren't quite hitting the lottery odds, but 21 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: they might as well be To be sure, Pros like 22 00:01:12,400 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 1: Bryson D. Shambo and Justin Thomas can pop an ace 23 00:01:15,160 --> 00:01:17,840 Speaker 1: every once in a while, and they have on the 24 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:20,279 Speaker 1: same day at the most prestigious tournament in the world, 25 00:01:20,319 --> 00:01:23,720 Speaker 1: the Masters, no less. But for your average golfer, let's 26 00:01:23,760 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: go to the scorecard. According to the National Hole in 27 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:30,039 Speaker 1: one Registry, somewhere north of one hundred and twenty eight 28 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,759 Speaker 1: thousand holes in one are registered every year, which sounds 29 00:01:33,760 --> 00:01:37,040 Speaker 1: like a lot, except golfers play somewhere around four hundred 30 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: and fifty million rounds of golf every year. That means 31 00:01:40,680 --> 00:01:43,360 Speaker 1: a hole in one is officially registered about once every 32 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:47,639 Speaker 1: three thousand, five hundred rounds around, generally being considered eighteen holes, 33 00:01:47,800 --> 00:01:50,920 Speaker 1: though the United States Golf Association sometimes accepts a hole 34 00:01:50,960 --> 00:01:54,520 Speaker 1: in one on a shortened round. So if you play 35 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:56,480 Speaker 1: a round of golf a day, it would take more 36 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,360 Speaker 1: than nine and a half years to get in three thousand, 37 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 1: five hundred ounds. If you played twice a week, it'll 38 00:02:02,080 --> 00:02:03,720 Speaker 1: take you more than thirty three and a half years 39 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: to get in that many rounds. Another business national hole 40 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,840 Speaker 1: in one insurance, which provides protection to golf courses that 41 00:02:09,880 --> 00:02:13,160 Speaker 1: give out prizes for holes and wondering competitions estimates that 42 00:02:13,320 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: for your average player, the odds of holding out in 43 00:02:16,120 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 1: one stroke are twelve thousand to one. A p G. 44 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:23,120 Speaker 1: A tour pro like d Hmbau or Thomas faces two thousand, 45 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,040 Speaker 1: five hundred to one odds on every chance at an ace. 46 00:02:27,520 --> 00:02:30,919 Speaker 1: These numbers undoubtedly are a little soft. The United States 47 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: Golf Association isn't exactly looking over every golfer's shoulder. Video 48 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:39,080 Speaker 1: proof is not required. A credible witnesses about all you need. Still, 49 00:02:39,120 --> 00:02:41,520 Speaker 1: as any weekend duffer who's gone at the pen on 50 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,840 Speaker 1: par three knows just about any ace flat out cheating 51 00:02:44,840 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 1: and Deover's nonwithstanding is a legit ace. Today's episode was 52 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: written by John Donovan and produced by Tyler. Playing brain 53 00:02:56,360 --> 00:02:58,640 Speaker 1: Stuff is a production of iHeart Radios How Stuff Works. 54 00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,200 Speaker 1: For more on this and lots of other improbable topics, 55 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:03,920 Speaker 1: visit our home planet how stuff Works dot com, and 56 00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,160 Speaker 1: for more podcasts for my heart Radio, visit the I 57 00:03:06,200 --> 00:03:08,880 Speaker 1: Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 58 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:09,680 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.