Fourteen is a limit, not a requirement.
A player may carry fewer than 14 clubs. Rule 4 governs the limit, adding clubs and permitted exceptions.
Read the source
The game beyond the scorecard · by ARQS
GolfCompass
Would you like to view the Compass fleet? →
ARQS brings you Golf Intelligence Software.
Rare shots. Surprising rules. The numbers behind those “you had to be there” moments. Welcome to the curious side of golf.
Take the eight-question challengeDiscover the factsFourteen is a limit, not a requirement.
A golf ball has a minimum diameter.
There is a maximum ball weight, too.
The search clock matters.Drops start at knee height.Match play counts holes.An ace does not have one universal probability.An albatross and a condor are different.Explore the providerGolfCompass · Golf IntelligenceA golf ball has a minimum diameter.There is a maximum ball weight, too.The search clock matters.Drops start at knee height.Match play counts holes.An ace does not have one universal probability.An albatross and a condor are different.Explore the providerGolfCompass · Golf IntelligenceRare does not mean impossible.Your next round starts here
How well do you know the game?
Eight questions. One point per correct answer.
Ready to play?
What are the chances?
Rare does not
mean impossible.
Explore a simplified model of getting at least one success over repeated attempts. Every attempt is assumed independent, with the same probability.
The default one-in-12,000 is a published amateur hole-in-one estimate, not your personal forecast. Change it to explore a hypothetical scenario. An attempt means one shot on a suitable hole—not one round.
PGA of America: the hole-in-one estimateThe knowledge club
Good golf stories start with good facts.
A golf ball has a minimum diameter.
The Equipment Rules set the minimum diameter at 42.67 mm (1.680 inches).
Read the sourceThere is a maximum ball weight, too.
A conforming ball may weigh no more than 45.93 grams (1.620 ounces).
Read the sourceThe search clock matters.
A ball is lost if not found within three minutes after the player or their caddie begins searching. Rule 18 explains identification and other details.
Read the sourceDrops start at knee height.
Under the standard Rule 14 dropping procedure, the ball is released straight down from knee height. Modified rules can apply for players with disabilities.
Read the sourceMatch play counts holes.
Opponents compete by holes won, lost or tied. Regular stroke play instead compares total strokes, including penalties.
Read the sourceGross and net are different scores.
Gross counts strokes, including penalties. Net applies the player’s handicap strokes.
Read the sourceA concession belongs to match play.
In match play an opponent may concede the next stroke, a hole or the match. A clearly communicated concession is final.
Read the sourceAn ace does not have one universal probability.
A PGA of America article gives an illustrative estimate of one in 12,000 for an amateur hole-in-one. Player ability, distance and conditions matter.
Read the sourceAn albatross and a condor are different.
An albatross is three strokes under par on a hole; a condor is four under. Precise universal odds are not established by this page.
Read the sourceSources checked October 24, 2026. Consult the current Rules and competition conditions for play.
Go deeper into the course
The Stracka connection.
StrackaGolf and StrackaLine provide course, scorecard, GPS and green-slope data through the Golf Intelligence API. Course geometry is a different kind of golf knowledge from trivia and shot probabilities.
Explore the provider
Visit Stracka’s own course-data information. GolfCompass does not currently serve a licensed Stracka data feed.
Explore StrackaGolf