Whether you’re new to golf or you’re an experienced player, getting a hole-in-one can be seen as one of golfing’s unequivocal moments of greatness. A shot where everything goes just right and statistically speaking, a hole-in-one, or ‘ace’ as it’s also known, is only scored every 3,500 golf rounds, so it’s pretty rare.
Here at The Insurance Emporium, analysis of our claims data1 revealed that in 2025, seven policyholders were lucky enough to have scored a hole-in-one during a competition round of golf. This puts them in the 1-2% of golfers that hit a hole-in-one each year.
But what actually constitutes a hole-in-one, what are the rules if you do score one, and do you really have to buy the entire club a round of drinks?
Let’s take a closer look and find out more.
What Are the Odds of Scoring a Hole-in-One?
A recent article announced that not one, but two players hit a lucky strike on the same hole, defying the odds of 17 million to one to have both got a hole-in-one.
But what are the chances of just one player scoring an ace? We’ve done some digging to find out more about how the odds stack up compared to other rare life events.
| Event | Odds |
| Living to be 100 years of age | 1 in 4,200 |
| Becoming a Premier League footballer | 1 in 8,333 |
| Finding a four-leaf clover | 1 in 10,000 |
| Hole-in-one (amateur golfers) | 1 in 12,500 |
| Being struck by lightning | 1 in 33,000,000 |
| UK Lottery jackpot winner | 1 in 45,057,473 |
So, although it’s rare, you’re still in with more of chance of scoring a hole-in-one than winning the lottery or being struck by lightning (touch wood!).
Hole-in-One Rules: What Counts and What Doesn’t?
First of all, we can confirm that golfing on your own and saying you’ve scored a hole-in-one doesn’t count. It may not seem fair when it is such an amazing accomplishment, nonetheless it’s one of the basic requirements.
To have an official hole-in-one2 you need to:
- Play a round that has at least nine holes.
- Have a least one witness to attest your ace if playing casually, and for competition rounds you need two or more independent, non-playing witnesses.
- Complete the entire round. If bad weather forces you to abandon play after you got your ace, it won’t count unless you have completed the round of nine holes or more.
- Play the ball from the official tee off area.
And few reasons of why a hole-in-one doesn’t count:
- In a golf simulator or a pitch and putt.
- On a temporary green.
- After a Mulligan.
The Hole-in-One Golfer’s Duty
So, the stars have aligned and you score an ace – what now? Well, tradition dictates that if you do score a hole-in-one, upon your return to the clubhouse you would buy a celebratory round of drinks for everyone in the club at that point.
While it is an ‘unofficial rule’; many golfers are happy to oblige, while on other occasions, golfers simply buy a round of drinks for the group they were playing with.
The good news is that if you do manage to achieve one of life’s greatest sporting achievements, having golf insurance could mean you can still celebrate the win, and your tab could be taken care of.
Here at The Insurance Emporium, we have three policy types, all of which offer Hole-in-One cover3 as a standard benefit. Other standard benefits include Loss, Theft or Accidental Damage, New for Old; and Worldwide Cover, so why not swing on down to The Insurance Emporium to find out more.
All content provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. We make no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following any link on this site. We will not be liable for any errors or omissions in this information nor for the availability of this information. We will not be liable for any loss, injury, or damage arising from the display or use of this information. This policy is subject to change at any time.
We offer a variety of cover levels, so please check the policy cover suits your needs before purchasing. For your protection, please ensure you read the Insurance Product Information Document (IPID) and policy wording, for information on policy exclusions and limitations.
- Data referenced is from The Insurance Emporium’s golf policies between 01/01/2025 to 31/12/2025 ↩︎
- For hole-in-one insurance claims terms and conditions apply ↩︎
- The Insurance Emporium will pay (up to the amount shown in Your policy schedule) for the customary round of drinks You buy after You score a hole-in-one during a competition round at a Golfing Venue. You can make 2 claims in 365 days. Conditions 1. You must supply the following documentation; (a) a certified copy of Your score card countersigned by the Official Scorer and Your opponent; and (b) a letter from the Club Secretary confirming the date and name of the competition; and (c) a dated Golfing Venue bar receipt. ↩︎
