Your best ever shot!

Keano

With the lack of golfing action likely to be happening it's time to look back and recall what you think might be your best ever shot no doubt we all have plenty of good ones!!!

For me it was on our 15 hole, par 4. Sliced my drive and was down the 18th fairway!! I wasn't playing great so just grabbed a 5i. The fairway is lined with lots of mature trees. With nothing to lose I just set up and let it rip, it was one of those shots you just know you have hit well. I could just see it landing on the green but when I got up it was about 10ft from the hole. Naturally, I didn't make the birdie...

dan_ep82

Chipped in to keep a matchplay semi final going and went on to win it from 4 down.

I've either holed out from a chip or came very close for the last few rounds ( holed out 7 times in last 9 rounds) but this was a great feeling and definitely was the turning point for the match.

My greatest average shots were obviously missing all those greens

Seve OB

i've hit some special shots over the years but there were 2 that will always stand out.
i remember the first time i ever played for my club. i was a junior about 14 probably off 25 or something! i was paired with a top quality golfer who was off about 5 at the time...... he was also a year younger than me.
we were drawn away from home in Delgany and it turned out we were playing on their captains day right after the main event, so we ended up with quite a sizeable crowd following us. nerves kicked in and i remember hitting a bad shot on the first, but then i really got a buzz from being watched and i recall people saying that i was the one who played like the low handicapper.

i nearly had a hole in one on i think the 8th hole, an uphill par 3 where you couldn't see the hole and my recollection is i played an 8 iron and it finished 1 inch behind the hole so likely rolled around the rim or hit the flag.

then another hole downhill is all i remember, i had a difficult chip to play, don't remember much more except it was a hard shot, but i pulled it off and stuck it to about a foot and got a huge round of applause from the crowd. i mean, they were cheering like i was shane lowry winning the open

willabur

My best ever shot was played was on the 15th on the Cashen Course in BallyBunion which is such an amazing hole on an amazing course.
It is a par 5 with an approach shot which takes you over a massive valley to a green perched 3/4 ways up the valley on the other side. You are pointed out to sea pretty much also so the wind was particularly strong. I was about 160 yards out and hit the sweetest 5 iron which stayed low and straight into the wind. The ball landed 3 feet from the pin. One of those rare moments where the shot matched the setting, of course my flucking playing partner was rooting in his bag when I hit it and didn't even acknowledge the shot until we got up to the green

blue note

I've a few memorable ones, not sure which is the best.

7th hole in tramore 4i from an uphill lie on the side of a bunker 170m into a strong wind was a memorable one though. It was rough, but the lie wasn't that bad. But it was still far from a fairway lie. And it was uphill and above my feet but not crazily so. But still my stance was far from perfect. And there was no real danger, my thinking was if I duff it I'll be left with a 7i from the fairway or something. That said, it was as clean a strike as you can imagine. It was like a dagger flying all the way to the middle of the green. My playing partner who was the junior convener when I was a junior gave me a slow clap in acknowledgement and in fairness it was deserved. From the fairway it would have been the shot of the day, but if someone hit that on the European tour it would still be a great shot.

Another I'll always remember was in elmgreen on about the 7th hole. Tee shot into trees on the left, bad lie, punching out was the only option. I managed to drill a 5i low with a snap hook on it to get over all the rough to the fairway, with enough bend on it to get it running up the middle of the fairway rather than into the rough on the other side all the way to the middle of the green. About 140m. Genuinely, getting the ball to the rough either side of the fairway would have been a good shot. Onto the fairway a great result. Onto the green was extraordinary (to the point that I'm thinking about it 12 years later). My playing partners were relatively new to golf and didn't realise how good the shot was. Don't think I even got a well done!

Rikand

I've had two hole in ones, but neither would feature in my top5.

Best shot I ever hit was in the club fourball final playing with my dad. We had a brilliant front 9 and we were 3 or 4 up after 9. But out of nowhere my game disintegrated and it was up to my dad to just keep us in the match after they rallied. We were level playing the 17th and dad made a brilliant par to win the hole for us and move us 1 up. I told dad walking off the green that he had done his bit and it was time for me to finally do something again. I ripped my drive up the middle of 18 onto the up-slope of the fairway which was a great shot, but the 8 iron I hit for my approach into 4 feet to the back right pin was undoubtedly the best shot I ever hit.

The purity of the strike at that moment, my dad looked at me to ask :: "is that okay?" and I just said "that's absolutely stone dead, I've never hit a better shot in my life". The green is blind to the fairway, so we couldn't see it but I just knew it was perfect! I then proceeded to make the handiest two putt in the world to close out the match.

Even now, I'm sitting here thinking about the shot, shaking with excitement and the emotions of it all coming back, I have a little tear in my eye. It was such a great shot.

Benicetomonty

Ive two that I vividly remember also. Both were in Lucan GC, my home track. I feel like context matters when it comes to defining a truly great shot and it's rare a club golfer will find him/herself standing over a really important shot that isnt in their own club setting imo. Inter club comps or a scratch cup maybe, but thats about it.

Anyhoo, my first was hit during a 36 hole junior scratch cup, all the way back in 2004. I played really well all day and figured I was there or thereabouts when I came to the 35th hole, the par 5 17th. In fact I figured there was a good chance I was leading; I was only +3 and in a Junior Scratch at that late stage, that was good going, even if the weather was kind that day.
Anyway, the mindset went from trying to win to trying not to blow it somewhere during the b9 and I was very nervous standing on the 17th. It's not a long par 5 but its tight with trees right and water and trees left. All I was trying to do was not go left and I surprised myself by driving it straight up the middle, which put me in a predicament as I hadnt planned to go for it in two. But I was well within range and decided, feck it, I'll give it a go. I had a Cleveland launcher 4wd in the bag at the time and I absolutely nutted it, straight into the middle of the green to about 40 feet. 2 putts later, it was a done deal. Still the only 36 hole event Ive ever won. I remember a few shots but none so vividly as that 4 wood.

My second was less impressive in almost every way except for the situation and nerves. Playing in the final of the club foursomes with my Dad, we were all square playing the 17th (same hole!) having lost the 16th. Our opposition had a shot on the last so we knew it was vital to get something out of the hole. I hit a poor drive, way right, and dad had to hit a very good second just to get us back in a half decent position, fairway, about 145 yards out. Our opponents had hit two good shots to within about 90 yards. I hit a good 8 iron and was disappointed to see it finish over the green, though not far from the hole. Opposition ended up in a v similar spot, and hit a weak chip, maybe 8ft short. Dad chipped it to 5 or 6 feet, and when they missed (thank f#*%), the door was open. As nervous as Iv ever been over a short putt, I somehow managed to coax it home.
We had another adventure up 18 to halve the hole and win the match, but that tiddler on 17 was probably my main contribution to our performance! Good times.

Beaulieu

I have 2 -played in succession. The 1st -a 148yd shot with a 7 iron from the fairway hit to within about 8 feet of the pin on 18 @ Tullamore GC.
The 2nd -making the putt...for a 79. The only time I have ever broken 80.

spacecoyote

Probably have 3 shots that stick in my memory. Don't know if they're the best shots I've ever hit, but they're the ones that are most memorable to me.

1 - Grange Castle, 14th hole. Hit a poor drive, weak pushy fade on a dogleg left hole. Left a long uphill approach, from behind a tree in the rough. Only way I could get to the green was to hit a high draw around the tree. At that point in time this was practically an impossibility to me, but I had been working hard to add that shot to my game. Hit a 6 iron perfectly high & around the tree to about 5 feet, and made the birdie. Was probably the most satisfying shot I've ever hit as it was the work paying off.

2 - 7th hole in Castlewarden. If you've ever played it, the green is an absolute beast if you're in the wrong position (or even in the right position!!!). they call it a natural green as it hasn't ever really been touched. Slopes massively back to front with hollows & undulations the whole way across. Anywhere above the hole, at times it can be difficult to hold the ball within 2-3 yards. On this day I had missed left & was above the hole. Had to throw a soft chip onto the top of a ledge in the middle of 2 undulations, and just hope it didn't run a mile away. Managed to land it on the exact spot required & it released perfectly, slowly towards the hole & in to the middle of the cup

3 - The Ryder Jug in Druids Glen. Played with Recycled on the day, and we were a fantastic team (if I do say so myself). We were up very early in the match and never took the foot off the gas. On the 8th hole, a cracking short par 3 both of their team hit the green so we knew that they had, at worst, a par on the card, & we both hit the balls in to the right greenside bunker. Was a tricky position relative to the pin. I managed to float a ball out nicely & release down to about 2-feet from the hole. Rolled in the putt for a par, and a half on the hole, which felt like a massive win. The smile on Recycled's face after it, said it all, and you could see the shoulders drop on our opposition who thought they were about to get a hole back. Was a great feeling, as I'd very little exposure to matchplay before that match

Golfgraffix

7th hole at Portmarnock Links in our weekly comp. Hit an ok drive into the wind, left with 205 yards from the rough. Hit a 5 wood, and I’ll always remember the sound of the ball hitting the flag before it dropped. With the wind it was slighted muted but there is no better sound in golf.

Went and scratched the next !!!

J

Stacksey

Hole in one on the 7th in Castleknock, straight in, didnt even hear the noise of the flag from the tee

RoadRunner

A memorable one was about 8 years ago before I was really into golf. On the left of the 6th hole near the train tracks hit a rock solid 3i into a strong wind over a greenside bunker. Never budged from it's line. As I was preparing to hit the shot I suddenly hear a train begin to approach. Too late the trigger was already pulled. Boom. The ball stayed in the air for ages and everyone on the train would have witness it too as the ball held up in the air as the train went by me and actually caught up on the ball.

Ashleigh1986

started at the 10th on a golf trip to portugal .
It was a par 5 .
Good drive .... Pulled out 5 wood .
Wasn't expecting to be able to make the green.
Came flush off the face .
From the minute it left the face I thought ... " I couldn't have hit it any straighter".
It flew and flew and handed just short of green and ended up 15 feet from hole .
I got the putt .
I can always say " I was 2 under on a golf course ".

FixdePitchmark

RoadRunner wrote: »

A memorable one was about 8 years ago before I was really into golf. On the left of the 6th hole near the train tracks hit a rock solid 3i into a strong wind over a greenside bunker. Never budged from it's line. As I was preparing to hit the shot I suddenly hear a train begin to approach. Too late the trigger was already pulled. Boom. The ball stayed in the air for ages and everyone on the train would have witness it too as the ball held up in the air as the train went by me and actually caught up on the ball.

What course is this ?

Sutton ?

FixdePitchmark

During Covid - enjoyed that read of thread - some great descriptions placing us on a course in the imagination - when badly needed at present.

It is a very hard question - we all hit great shots at some point. For years my only obsession was driving the ball and hit some fairly memorable ones (330 +) - but can a drive be a best shot - No. Maybe when you have to shape one left to right , right to left and pull it off - but they don't count like getting the shot that makes an eagle, Bird, wins something.

Looking back at some old posts - 5 years now :eek:, but my very last shot in a round was a holed bunker shot - just a mental day, when every single thing I did worked - holed everything , was 3 under for the round, never anywhere near that before or after. So will probably never do anything like that again. So for that reason a memorable one.

I had a hole in one - perfect 8 iron - combination of wind and green , side spin straight into hole.

130 to 170 is my best range and have holed out 3 times in this range in last 5 years - you always remember these ones - as you typically see every part of the shot.

But , my best shot is a 3 wood out of pine in Portugal. The people with me, a few beers in me, the weather , was 255 yards out from green but was sitting up and said I can get a 3 wood on that - not one of my best clubs. Just caught it so perfect - landed 10 feet from the pin.

So tough question - probably most were not in events that were that important, but memorable anyway.

One sad thing is, shots like them seem to be less and less lately , but we always have hope.

Deep Thought

Many years ago, when I was a lot, lot younger

Our 17th. Short par 4, OOB all along right HS up to the green.

Driver, out of bounds. Tee up again, Driver.. onto green and holed the putt, a nice par .

The Tetrarch

My best shot was in my teens in the late 1960s on the old short 9 hole course at Enniscrone, Co Sligo.
My only chance to play golf was during our holidays in the month of July.
My ambition was to break 40 for 9 holes, and I had shot 40 half a dozen times.
I was playing with my father. This day I parred the first five holes, all with a chip and one putt.
On the elevated 6th tee a storm started, driving rain and strong wind.
We could see all the twoballs and fourballs running from the course. Everyone abandoned. My father wanted to quit.
I said I would continue until I ruined my score.
I aimed my drive 20 yards left and the wind took it about 30 yards right, barely getting over the low sandhills.
The hole was only about 350 yards, usually a drive and short iron.
I found my ball in rough short of the fairway. It was impossible to see the green in the straight against driving wind and rain.
I hit a 4 wood, great contact, like an arrow low into the wind, and lost sight of it.
As we got near the green we finally saw a ball on the green past the flag.
It was about 12 feet from the hole. The green was covered in water, and there was about 5" of water in the hole.
I holed the putt for a birdie, no idea how hard to hit it on the waterlogged green.
The last three holes were played bogey, par, bogey for a one over 37.
The par on the par 3 8th was a skulled 7 iron about 20 yards into rough in a deep hollow, 9 iron that came out like a 2 iron, found the ball on the green, and holed a 25 footer.
A fourball that had abandoned was passing and one player said "that must have been important" as he saw my reaction. I said "level par"" and he looked shocked.

I must have played hundreds of rounds since but I can still play every shot of those last four holes in my head like a high definition video.
A couple of days later I shot 38, 40 and can't remember a shot.

Mushy

I remember a few over the years, dunno if were flukes or good shots though

Playing a junior inter club match, my first one, foursomes matchplay at home vs Delgany off mid-20s. 6th hole, put into bunker. Left my shot hanging over the hole (have only hit 1 good bunker shot since then).

Family trip to Ardmore, so played some local courses, was probably 10/11. Some par 3 I hit the green (Lismore). I was on top tier, pin all the way down the front...nailed it. Think may have been only birdie between myself, my brother and my dad that day.

Playing enniscrone last year. Par 4 10th (I think, after a par 3 which I actually got an hilarious par), huge wind came up so was playing third from about 120 out. Another half roll and it would have been a great birdie.

And they're why I still play golf. 3 shots in 20 years, I think the ratio is strongly against me

RoadRunner

FixdePitchmark wrote: »

What course is this ?

Sutton ?

Oh weird. I thought I entered it. No elmhall 9hole in cellbridge

spacecoyote

RoadRunner wrote: »

Oh weird. I thought I entered it. No elmhall 9hole in cellbridge

Never played the 9-hole golf there, but was in a pitch&putt society with a load of my uncles as a kid and we used to be based there. Were 2 nice little P&P courses on site at the time

Sultan_of_Ping

Best ever shot was a straightforward wedge.

Playing in an inter-club foursomes match a few years ago and myself and my partner were 5 down at the turn. And to make it worse, we weren't playing badly we just couldn't get a break whereas the lads playing us were nailing everything.

Anyway, long story, short we clawed our way back and by the time we walked off 16 we were 1 up. The opposition hit a solid, middle-of-the-fairway drive and I put ours into the trees.....or so I thought! It was so far left it was beyond the trees and we agreed that my partner would just get us back to the fairway and over to the right to facilitate an easy approach (we were hoping just to halve it and get out of jail).

Anyhoooooo.....the opposition hit the green in regulation, but it was two-tiered green and they were on the top shelf well above the flag.

My partner put us back on the fairway on the "good" side and by the time we walked over a small crowd had gethered (we were the second last game). I lasered the pin, and it came back at 112yds exactly - my wedge is 110 yards, all day every day when there's no wind. And I just hit - didn't feel any pressure, despite everyone there and being told we needed to win to keep the match alive and through the air the ball sailed before it announced its arrival on the green with a satisfying thunk!

As ordinary a wedge shot as you could imagine, but it was about 18 inches from the hole.......then the opposition took their only three-putt of the day, and my partner sunk ours.

All-in-all very memorable and satisfying!

Flukiest shot, was an overhit approach to a par-4 that looked like it was going way through (flat trajectory and hard greens), but it hit the fluttering flag and dropped in the hole!! My only eagle on a par-4 ever!

downthemiddle

I haven't played it yet.

blue note

I had another contender for this last week. I was playing rubbish and finally got a good drive away on par 5 16th in tramore having not hit a good one since the 7th. Couldn't find it on the fairway. It turned up in a fairway bunker. Grrr!

There's a lake in front the green in tramore. And it was a 190m carry over it anyway, so going for the green was out. Until you factor in my mood due to the rubbish golf I was playing! I was fed up and my lie was decent. I was a decent bit back from the lip of the bunker. So into the bunker I went with my 5w. And I nailed it. Cleared the water easily, left the ball on the middle of the green and had a handy par.

slave1

Twice I've put it in the hole from 100ys + out, 8th in Moate and 4th in Dooks. I was going for the flag both times but people say they were flukes, I don't get that

If I got those shots to 2 feet they were brilliant but if they go in the hole they're flukes??

CSWS101

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117925484#Comment_117925484

Hole in one at dooks? Nice hole to get one on.

Motivator

I played the most magnificent course in Orlando a few years ago, I’ve been rooting for the scorecard to get the name of the course but no joy yet. I got an invite to play and I was told to come early and enjoy the facilities and I’m glad I did. It was like playing a PGA Tour event. Everything from start to finish was just out of this world. Anyway, it was the monthly member guest stroke competition and the prizes were just insane. The course was the home course of one of the head men in the PGA Tour itself and his son was a rep for Titleist.

I was going well for the round without really realising it and copped on around 14th. Got to the 18th and I was +6 for the round. Hit a great drive and was left with the guts of 250 yards into the most beautiful setting I’ve ever seen on a hole. The clubhouse wrapped around the 18th green and first tee and with the day that was in it it was packed with all the members having drinks and food, so packed that i could hear the crowd back on the fairway. The guys playing with me said if I hit the green dinner was on them and if I hit the green and holed the putt then the whole night was on them. I took out the 3 wood, hammered and it stuck it to the flag. Think McIlroy in the Irish open in 2016. The whole balcony and patio in the clubhouse started shouting and applauding.

I holed the putt, got the dinner and the night paid for and I finished second in the competition. I got brought back the following day to be fitted up for a new set of Titleist clubs. Runner up prize was clubs to the value of $3,000.

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117926087#Comment_117926087

Unfortunately not, knocked down the first badly

coillcam

Not really playing long enough to have an amazing shot as I only started in the summer last year. My best shot though was a 70 yard SW to 2 feet for birdie on 18 which ended up as my first competition win (won on countback against one of my best mates). Also this was my lowest round ever.

The only other ones that I remember are reaching Par 5s in 2. Struck my 3 wood from 250yd in the rough, which chased about 30 yards up to the edge. Also a hybrid from 200yds to the green which is framed by a "U" shaped ditch/moat.

blue note

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117925484#Comment_117925484

I always think the difference between fluky and great shots is hilarious. To me - it's fairly straightforward. If you do what you intended to do, how you intended to do it it's a great shot. If you accidentally had a great outcome it's fluky.

The example I always give is when you have a big carry over a stream. It might be a 1 in 10 shot for you, but if you take it on and make it it's not fluky. It was a great shot. If you take it on and come up short and bounce over it - that's fluky!

To some people if you take on a low percentage shot and pull it off it's fluky. But look at the reverse side of it - if you have a relatively easy shot and fcuk it up; is that unlucky? No! It was a bad shot!

With a hole in one there's always an element of luck to it. I can't imagine you got down on your knees to check out the break around the hole. That said, it's 99% just a great shot. Well done!