A Golfer's Lifelong Dream... There Is a 'Myeongdang' for Hole-in-One Spots

Korean Golf Association Counts 88 Member Golf Courses
Asiana CC Tops with 144 Hole-in-Ones Last Year
Bora, Laviebel, Lakewood, and Korea Also Exceed 100

A hole-in-one is a dream many golfers aspire to achieve. It requires not only skill but also a stroke of luck to experience it in a lifetime. If you play at a golf course known for a higher probability of hole-in-ones, your chances of experiencing one may increase.

According to the Korea Golf Association on the 30th, out of 88 golf courses affiliated with the association last year, a total of 2,017 hole-in-ones were recorded at 44 locations. Although this does not cover all golf courses nationwide, these records provide an indication of places with relatively higher hole-in-one probabilities.

Asiana CC Clubhouse

The golf course that produced the most hole-in-ones annually is Asiana Country Club (CC) in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, with a total of 144. Since 2013, when records became available, Asiana CC has consistently ranked first or second among golf courses known for frequent hole-in-ones. Including last year, it has ranked first eight times.

Asiana CC operates 36 holes with East and West courses. The hole with the most hole-in-ones is the 11th hole on the East Course, where 27 hole-in-ones were recorded last year. Regarding this hole, Asiana CC advises, "It is a relatively short par-3 hole, and the out-of-bounds (OB) area lies behind the green on both sides, so players should carefully select clubs based on precise distance calculations to target the green."

Following the East Course 11th hole, the West Course 5th hole saw 24 hole-in-ones, and the West Course 13th hole had 23. Additionally, the West Course 8th hole (16 times), 16th hole (15 times), East Course 6th hole (14 times), 16th hole (13 times), and 8th hole (12 times) each recorded more than 10 hole-in-ones.

The golf balls used for hole-in-ones at Asiana CC were led by Titleist with 54, followed by Volvik with 22, Callaway with 16, Srixon with 10, Saintnine with 9, Bridgestone with 7, Honma with 5, TaylorMade with 4, XXIO with 3, Big Yard with 2, and Kirkland with 2.

The golf course with the second-highest number of hole-in-ones last year was Bora CC in Ulsan, with 113. This was followed by Ravie Belle CC in Chuncheon, Gangwon Province (102), Lakewood CC in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province (100), and Korea CC in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province (100), all recording over 100 hole-in-ones. In January 2023 alone, 20 hole-in-ones were recorded across 10 golf courses. Jungmun CC in Jeju leads with a total of 4 so far.

The Korea Golf Association issues official certificates to all golfers who record a hole-in-one at member golf courses. The association explained, "This is to celebrate the luck achieved by golfers who pursue mental and physical cultivation through golf and a healthy lifestyle, and to share the joy with all golf enthusiasts."

Meanwhile, according to the National Hole-in-One Registry in the United States, the probability of an amateur golfer making a hole-in-one on a par-3 hole is about 1 in 12,000. For single-digit handicap golfers, the odds improve to 1 in 5,000, and for tour professionals, it is about 1 in 3,000.