Here to help you out, Chris! I would say hole-in-one for me. It's an elusive achievement that people new or veteran to the game can appreciate, as well as the casual golf fan.

Fun topic, thanks for sharing!

-Abby

I would say a hole-in-one if it were en route to a course record! Seriously though, I holed my first bunker shot the other day and you would have thought I won the Powerball! Great topic.

Thank you Abby! I appreciate it....

And you're so right about the appreciation.. My wife is not a golf fan at all BUT when I told her about my hole in one, she was VERY excited and happy for me. She actually took the time and asked me how it happened. Which is VERY rare.
Of course now when I bring it up, I get the response "Again?"

If I had broken the course record, her response would've been "Why did it take you 5 hours to play today?!?!?"

Thanks again for the help.

Definitely a hole in one. It is the most elusive item for golfers to achieve.

I'd take the course record any day. A hole-in-one is really rare, yes, but it's mostly about -luck-, and gets you a little blurb in the local paper, whereas a course record reflects a great deal of -skill- (with -some- lucky bounces, maybe) and shows that of all the people who have -ever- played said course, only YOU shot that low. A plaque on the wall, a line in the history books, etc.

I know several people who rarely break 120 who have lucked into a hole-in-one, and I suppose for -them-, a course record is forever out-of-reach, and a hole-in-one lets you feel like a pro for a day, and of course, once you have one, no one can ever take that away from you!

Got my first HIO last week. Still on cloud nine.

For me it would be a course record. Got my first hole in one a few years back but took me 40 plus years to get it!!!!!!!!!!

I've held 2 course records, both for about 20 minutes......LOL. Seriously!!......Both great rounds, and ironically, the same guy (a friend) in the next group knocked me out. As for hole in one's, I've had a few, but I know a guy with 3 that has never broke 100. But he's had more than the pro at his home course......

Ace, there will always be a better golfer to take the record and make you a 'has been'!

I got my first hole in one two years ago after playing golf for over 35 years. For me though, I would choose a course record. Let's be honest, having some skill increases your chances for a hole in one, but really, there is a lot of luck in getting one. How many times have you heard a story about someone who only plays occasionally skullling one off the tee and having it go in? Anyone can get one. But a course record is something only a select few can claim. As a single digit handicap, I can confidently say I will NEVER come close to having a course record. But for a short period of time (or maybe longer) to know that you are the absolute best at a course - that is something special.

As great as having a course record would be, like others have said, eventually someone will beat you. I also think what course you do it on would factor in as well. For example, setting the course record at Pinehurst #2, Pebble Beach, St. Andrews, or Augusta National would mean a lot more than on the local muni down the street. For me, I'd rather have a hole-in-one than a course record at a local course. But I'd rather have a course record at an "elite" course than a hole-in-one.

Since I have had two HIO, I would have to say a course record. The HIO's were nice, but I think a course record is a greater accomplishment with more skill involved.

Let's not forget the hole in 1 is forever regardless of how many you have. The course records are made to be broken and they eventually will. Just my 2 cents.

What a great question! Anxious to see how the results come out...I think though a Hole in One might be more common potentially than shooting par....!