WEBVTT - How Unlikely Is a Hole-in-One?

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to brain Stuff, a production of iHeart Radio, Hey

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<v Speaker 1>brain Stuff, Lauren boglebom Here. A standard regulation sized golf

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<v Speaker 1>ball is a smidge smaller than one point seven inches

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<v Speaker 1>that's four point three centimeters in diameter, or, for comparisons sake,

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<v Speaker 1>just a little larger than your garden variety ping pong ball.

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<v Speaker 1>The standard round cup that snuggles into an earthen hole

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<v Speaker 1>on your run of the mill manicured green on any

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<v Speaker 1>of the more than fifteen thousand golf courses in the

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<v Speaker 1>United States or the more than thirty three thousand throughout

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<v Speaker 1>the world, is by rule four point to five inches

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<v Speaker 1>or ten point eight centimeters in diameter. Relatively small ball,

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<v Speaker 1>relatively big hole. So what's the problem, said no one

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<v Speaker 1>who has ever swung a club at a golf ball

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<v Speaker 1>in their life. Golf is hard, certainly harder than the

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<v Speaker 1>professionals make it look. And for proof other than trying

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<v Speaker 1>it for yourself, that is, the non golfer should consider

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<v Speaker 1>the holy grail of golf, the ever elusive, never foreseen,

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<v Speaker 1>always magical hole in one. If golf is hard, the

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<v Speaker 1>quest for a hole in one is downright cruel. The

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<v Speaker 1>odds of it aren't quite hitting the lottery odds, but

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<v Speaker 1>they might as well be To be sure, Pros like

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<v Speaker 1>Bryson D. Shambo and Justin Thomas can pop an ace

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<v Speaker 1>every once in a while, and they have on the

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<v Speaker 1>same day at the most prestigious tournament in the world,

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<v Speaker 1>the Masters, no less. But for your average golfer, let's

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<v Speaker 1>go to the scorecard. According to the National Hole in

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<v Speaker 1>one Registry, somewhere north of one hundred and twenty eight

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<v Speaker 1>thousand holes in one are registered every year, which sounds

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<v Speaker 1>like a lot, except golfers play somewhere around four hundred

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<v Speaker 1>and fifty million rounds of golf every year. That means

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<v Speaker 1>a hole in one is officially registered about once every

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<v Speaker 1>three thousand, five hundred rounds around, generally being considered eighteen holes,

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<v Speaker 1>though the United States Golf Association sometimes accepts a hole

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<v Speaker 1>in one on a shortened round. So if you play

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<v Speaker 1>a round of golf a day, it would take more

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<v Speaker 1>than nine and a half years to get in three thousand,

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<v Speaker 1>five hundred ounds. If you played twice a week, it'll

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<v Speaker 1>take you more than thirty three and a half years

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<v Speaker 1>to get in that many rounds. Another business national hole

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<v Speaker 1>in one insurance, which provides protection to golf courses that

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<v Speaker 1>give out prizes for holes and wondering competitions estimates that

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<v Speaker 1>for your average player, the odds of holding out in

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<v Speaker 1>one stroke are twelve thousand to one. A p G.

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<v Speaker 1>A tour pro like d Hmbau or Thomas faces two thousand,

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<v Speaker 1>five hundred to one odds on every chance at an ace.

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<v Speaker 1>These numbers undoubtedly are a little soft. The United States

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<v Speaker 1>Golf Association isn't exactly looking over every golfer's shoulder. Video

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<v Speaker 1>proof is not required. A credible witnesses about all you need. Still,

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<v Speaker 1>as any weekend duffer who's gone at the pen on

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<v Speaker 1>par three knows just about any ace flat out cheating

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<v Speaker 1>and Deover's nonwithstanding is a legit ace. Today's episode was

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<v Speaker 1>written by John Donovan and produced by Tyler. Playing brain

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<v Speaker 1>Stuff is a production of iHeart Radios How Stuff Works.

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<v Speaker 1>For more on this and lots of other improbable topics,

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