Swedish golf pro Daniel Chopra beats 67 million to one odds

[transplant99]

Two aces in the same round........at Pebble Beach no less.

http://ca.sports.yahoo.com/blogs/gol...074058766.html

[TurnedTheCorner]

Pretty fluky.

[transplant99]

Maybe.....but since that is the aim of every shot....exceptional job.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Nah, dumb luck.

[ricoFlame]

wow. crazy!

[Mean Mr. Mustard]

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Nah, dumb luck.

How is it dumb luck? He was trying to to get it in, and he succeeded.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

How is it dumb luck? He was trying to to get it in, and he succeeded.

Have you ever golfed a round in your life?

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

Have you ever golfed a round in your life?

Yes. Have you? Where are you trying to hit the ball when you tee up on a par three?

[Jagger]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Pretty fluky.

Hitting a passing seagull causing the ball to plop into the hole would be pretty fluky but I didn't see any mention of this occurrence leading me to believe that the golfer made two exceptional shots in this case.

[malcolmk14]

Originally Posted by The Big Chill

Yes. Have you? Where are you trying to hit the ball when you tee up on a par three?

To a part of the green that gives me the best chance to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible.

That's not always right where the hole is cut.

[The Big Chill]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

To a part of the green that gives me the best chance to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible.

That's not always right where the hole is cut.

So your argument for this feat being dumb luck is that you don't aim right at the hole every time? Surely there are a couple holes each round where the best chance at getting a low score is by aiming as close as possible to the pin then, no?

What he accomplished was certainly very difficult and rare, but seeing as how he was trying to do it, and has trained endlessly for this, I really don't see how it can be considered luck.

[Bobblehead]

Chopra must have used up all of his luck. After 4 holes he is +5 right now.

[Flabbibulin]

Alexander Ovechkin picking up a golf club for the first time and getting a hole in one is flukey (swear to Gaah)... Daniel Chopra, a veteran pro who has had 18 in his career, getting 2 in one round is mission accomplished.

[Flabbibulin]

A couple interesting points in this flukey vs. that was my objective argument:

The difference between getting a hole in one in a practice round vs. competitive round is huge- not so much because of the pressure, but because most pro golfers have the luxury of becoming pin seekers during practice rounds- something that is not likely to take place in a competitive round. In a competitive round, the tee shot on a par 3 is all about course management and playing to a spot on the green that fits in with multiple factors- pin position, wind, spin, your shot making ability etc. The pin may your general target line, it may not. In a practice round though where the consequences of a missed tee shot are minimal (often desired so you can practice scrambling), some golfers forego course management and go straight for the pin- classic risk/reward as pins are always protected. Regardless of all that- 2 aces in a single round is incredible.

As far as the holes in question-

Hole # 7 at Pebble Beach is one of the most famous, yet shortest, par 3's played in professional tours. The difficulty of the hole comes in the weekend front pin placement and with the ocean wind. If wind was non-existent on the hole, it would arguably be the easiest par 3 in golf as the majority of golfers would be hitting a Sand or Gap Wedge. When the wind picks up, which it always does on # 7, golfers are forced to hit a knock down short iron.

#17 is difficult regardless of the scenario- but it is exceptionally difficult if the pin is in the back section of the hourglass shaped green (I dont know where the pin was for Chopra). Interesting to note that Jack Nicklaus needed a 1 iron in the final round of the 1972 US Open to hit a ball stiff, while current tour players likely use anything from a 5-7 iron. (thanks technology)

I played Pebble Beach a couple years ago and was lucky to get a calm day. I don't recall what clubs I used on those two holes.

Sorry for that, but I live and breathe golf and jump at the chance to post in golf threads