Queanbeyan Golf Club's Incredible Hole-in-One Streak Defies Astronomical Odds
Is there something special in the water at Queanbeyan Golf Club? If so, golfers worldwide might be lining up to buy it. This New South Wales course has become the epicenter of an extraordinary run of holes-in-one, with five recorded in just 23 days—a statistical marvel that has left the golfing community buzzing.
A Remarkable Concentration on the 12th Hole
The frenzy began with the 12th hole, which saw four aces in a mere 15-day period. Andrew Beauman and Jason Huntly kicked things off on January 24, each sinking a hole-in-one on that par-three. They were followed by Jo Crooks on February 3 and Dat Huynh on February 7, completing an unprecedented quartet.
Not to be outdone, the 17th hole joined the action when Tony Mander aced it on February 15, bringing the total to five holes-in-one in under a month. For any golfer still chasing their first ace, this might be the perfect reason to pack their clubs and head to Queanbeyan.
The Staggering Statistics Behind the Streak
The odds of an average golfer making a hole-in-one on a par-three are approximately one in 12,500. But the probability of four aces on the same hole within 15 days? Given that around 1,080 competition rounds were played at Queanbeyan during that fortnight, the odds skyrocket to about one in 433,000—or roughly two in a million.
This makes the club's recent streak a genuine rarity in the sport, highlighting just how exceptional this run has been.
Personal Stories from the Golfers Themselves
For Jo Crooks, this was his second hole-in-one at Queanbeyan, having previously aced a hole on Easter Sunday last year. "I don't know. It just seems to be the hole of choice at the moment for people," Crooks remarked. "I'm lucky if I land on the green at the best of times, let alone a hole-in-one. I don't think it's an easy hole at all."
The four golfers who aced the 12th hole have varying levels of experience with this feat. Dat Huynh leads the pack with four holes-in-one—all on the 12th—followed by Andrew Beauman with three, Jo Crooks with two, and Jason Huntly with a unique tally of one-and-a-half.
The Tale of the 'One-and-a-Half' Hole-in-One
Huntly's story is particularly intriguing. About 18 months ago, he teed off on Queanbeyan's 17th hole but shanked his first ball out of bounds into the greenskeeper's yard. After taking a penalty stroke, he teed up again and flushed his second shot directly into the hole. While it was technically a par due to the penalty, his friends have been teasing him about it ever since.
"My mates have been giving it to me for 18 months, but this has silenced everybody, which is good," Huntly said, referring to his legitimate ace on the 12th.
Secrets to Success on the 12th Hole
Dat Huynh, a 46-year-old golfer with a handicap of one and 27 years of experience, described his latest ace as a slam dunk. "It slam dunked—went straight in. No divots, no nothing," he said. "That's my fourth one on it. I've had four and that's my fourth one. A lot of people play all their lives and they don't even get one. I wish it was on a different hole, but, you know what, I'll take whatever I can get."
Golfers at Queanbeyan have identified two primary strategies for conquering the 12th hole:
- Hit it straight: A clean, direct shot to the pin.
- Use the bank: Take advantage of the slope on the right side of the green, allowing the ball to roll down toward the hole.
Andrew Beauman, a 58-year-old public servant, employed the latter technique for his third career hole-in-one. "Actually, it's one of the holes I never play well," Beauman admitted. "I always hit it up to the right-hand side and it comes down off the hill, and that's what happened on the hole-in-one. It was the same old bad shot, but it bounced down off the hill and ... into the hole."
As Beauman counts down to retirement, with plans to play more golf, he and his fellow golfers have given Queanbeyan Golf Club a moment in the spotlight—a testament to skill, luck, and perhaps a little magic on the course.
