The odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one on a par 3 are 1 in 12,500 – close to as mathematically rare as being struck by lightning.
You would think this out of the ordinary feat would be accompanied by a reward, but instead, our game’s tradition stipulates that the lucky player foots the bill for as many lucky patrons as happen to be in the clubhouse bar at the time.
According to the international Golf Digest community, perhaps this tradition should be retired. Golf Digest asked its readers and staffers the question: “Should golfers who make a hole-in-one have to buy everyone drinks?” Here’s their responses:
Team “Yes”: 31 percent 
Stuart Franklin
Michael Sneeden, Supervising Producer: A resounding yes, of course. To eschew this time-honoured tradition is to not understand it at all. You have just hit upon an incredible fortune that, odds are, 99 percent of the people that you are treating have never, and will never, experience. It is then dictated by the Golf Gods/karma/common human decency that you share in your good fortune. The new father passes out the cigars, does he not? Your wedding guests don’t pay a cover charge to get in, right? Why then would you, the luckiest golfer on the course, not be the one footing the bill? Consider the post-round celebrations an impromptu celebration for you – a party you’ve been waiting for your entire golfing life – and treat your guests accordingly.
Mark Ohlson, GD+ Member: “Yes, at least drinks. I took my foursome and all the wives out for a steak dinner that night.”
Frank Hann, GD+ Member: “If you don’t buy drinks for everyone when you’re this happy, then you’re probably someone who would never buy a round of drinks.”
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Shane Ryan, Contributing Editor: You’re going to get a lot of “nos” on this one, the sheeple bleating “but but but, they should be buying HIM the drink!” These people don’t understand the value of a good paradoxical tradition. I don’t know why it came about that the guy making the hole-in-one has to buy the drinks, but I don’t care – it’s cool, and it’s funny, and it’s a great way to recognise the feat while also conveying the “f*** you” that the rest of us feel for the lucky SOB who pulled it off. It’s another unique little slice of golf life that we should honour, not whine about. The people who want to do away with this are the same villains who want to get rid of words like “dormie” and “halved.” Keep Golf Weird, baby.
Ross Jardine, GD+ Member: “It’s tradition and breaking this one is sure to invoke the wrath of the golf gods on your game. Not worth the risk for a few bucks of booze.”
Greg Gottfried, Web Producer: I hope to be caught in this conundrum one day, and when that day comes, drinks on me. Who cares about my bank account? It’s never going to get much better, and I just got a hole-in-one. It kinda reminds me of the Shopping Cart Theory. You can do this thing that you know is right, or you can just pretend like it didn’t happen. And for what? Don’t you want to celebrate? Don’t you want to remember that ace fondly? Unless you’re lucky as hell, it’s probably not going to happen again. Maybe I’ll put a card limit, but I’m buying drinks. And I’ll just deal with the repercussions tomorrow. That’s Future Greg’s problem.
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Team “No”: 40 percent
E. Michael Johnson, Equipment Editor: I’ve written four installments of the 13 Dumbest Things in Golf. Know what the first one was of the first installment? This one. Pure lunacy, no matter how you look at it. Screw that cute USGA ad from years ago that showed the kid dropping a couple coins in the drinks machine to buy the witness a beverage. The old man should have been buying. I know of no other life achievement where the person being celebrated foots the bill (don’t tell me weddings – the gifts usually make up for it and the parents often foot the bill). There’s nothing like a three- or four-figure bar bill to put a damper on that ace. EIE (that’s enough is enough, as the kids would say).
Photo and Co
Michael Jefferson, GD+ Member: “After my first hole-in-one, I was happy to accommodate a sparsely populated clubhouse that genuinely acted as though they could appreciate the feat. However, after the second hole-in-one, it was apparent that the onlookers and barflies were only happy about the reoccurrence of another free drink. The third hole-in-one to a nearly full bar was more depressing than celebratory.”
David Peters, GD+ Member: “Heck, no. It’s like winning the Super Bowl, and the team needs to buy everyone in the stadium a beer. On second thought …”
John Bridges, GD+ Member: “No. One of the worst things in golf is when you hit a great shot and get penalised. That’s exactly what this tradition is. Everyone should buy the hole-in-oner drinks.”
RELATED: Does a hole-in-one on a par-3 course count? Here’s your final answer
Team “It Depends”: 29 percent
Drew Powell, Associate Editor: In what other scenario do you have to buy insurance in case something good happens? Insurance, of course, is there to bail us out in case something terrible occurs – not to cover the four-figure tab your entire Wednesday night league rang up after you jarred one. Defenders of this tradition argue it’s a golfer’s way of sharing his or her good fortune. That’s cute in theory, but when that good fortune comes at such a high personal expense, it’s time to rethink. Having to buy drinks for everyone in your own group? Now I can get behind that. Sensible reforms.
Matthew Maxey/Icon Sportswire
John Dunagan, GD+ Member: “This should be something that the golfer can configure to his economic status.”
Jeromy Romfelt, GD+ Member: “Only if they want to. It’s a very cool tradition, but if someone doesn’t have the financial means to do so, they shouldn’t feel pressured.”
Zack Hunter, GD+ Member: “Everyone in the group they are playing with? Yes. Every single person at the course or anyone hanging out at the 19th hole? No.”
