Golfer makes albatross twice on the same hole at well-known Los Angeles golf course
Golfer makes albatross twice on the same hole at well-known Los Angeles golf course
Jack Nicklaus made his professional debut at the Los Angeles Open in 1962 at Rancho Park. Arnold Palmer made the 18th hole at Rancho famous a year earlier when he signed for a 12 after pumping four balls OB from the tee.
Enter Joel Okmin, who had his own way of making the par-5 closing hole at this venerable city course memorable. In the span of two months, Okmin made an albatross not once but twice on the 18th hole. Getting one in your lifetime is a rarity. Two? That's something not even Okmin, a retired TV producer and writer, could have scripted.
The two big birds came on March 19 and May 21. Both times, Okmin drilled his drive and then had a shot from about 170 yards. Both times he used his trusty 7-iron.
"I never holed out, really, from more than 100 yards. I've had eagles but most of my eagles are from putting," said Okmin.
If you're starting to doubt this story, be assured that there were witnesses. Fellow Rancho Park Senior Golf Club member John Given was there for both, in fact.
"The first time he didn't have [an angle], I had an angle where I was certain from the beginning it was one bounce and in," he said. "The second time, you could tell that it bounced and was rolling towards the hole but until we got up to the hole, you couldn't see anything."
Those were the first albastrosses that Given had ever witnessed.
"I heard what the odds are for an albatross compared to a hole-in-one, and then to get two!" he said. "That's some serious odds."
Odds of a hole-in-one are generally accepted to be 12,000-to-1. Odds of an albatross are reportedly about a million-to-one.
As far as the albatross vs. double eagle debate, Okmin makes it clear which term he prefers.
"Double eagle doesn't make sense to me," he says. "Even though that's the American version and it does sound sexier. If you think of a double eagle, an eagle is 2 under par and double that is 4 under par. So, it makes no sense. If you talk to non-golfers, they don't know what you're talking about. It's way sexier to have a hole-in-one. They don't understand that an albatross is much more difficult."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NBC Sports
18 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Ilhee Lee leads crowd at ShopRite LPGA as U.S. Women's Open champ Maja Stark misses cut
GALLOWAY, N.J. — Ilhee Lee shot a 3-under 68 on Saturday in the ShopRite LPGA Classic in a round delayed by rain in the afternoon to take a one-stroke lead over four players into the final round. Tied for the first-round lead with Elizabeth Szokol after a 63, Lee rebounded from a double bogey on the par-4 eighth with a closing birdie on the par-5 ninth. The 36-year-old South Korean player had an 11-under 131 total on Seaview's Bay Course. 'Today was totally different day, completely different day, and I knew it was going to be completely different day, so I didn't have any expectations,' Lee said. 'Just like I did yesterday, I was just playing golf. Have fun out there. Made some birdies on first nine. ' She won the 2013 Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic for her lone tour title. 'Now I know how fun this game is, so I'm just enjoying golf,' Lee said. Szokol had a 69 to drop into a tie for second in the 54-hole event with fellow American Jennifer Kupcho (64) and Japanese players Mao Saigo (65) and Ayaka Furue (66). 'Just trying to stay patient all day,' Szokol said. 'Didn't quite have things go as great as yesterday but still playing really good golf.' Kupcho birdied the final two holes in her late afternoon round. 'I think a little bit of improvement to be made tomorrow,' Kupcho said. 'Wasn't hitting the ball super great off the tee, but at least out here it's manageable out of the rough or fairway bunkers. Was just really giving myself opportunities.' Second-ranked Jeeno Thitikul shot her second 68 to get to 6 under, while No. 1 Nelly Korda was 5 under after a 66. 'Very happy with how I played today, the past two days,' Korda said. 'It's a tricky golf courses. Keeps you on your toes all the time.' Maja Stark, the U.S. Women's Open winner last week at Erin Hills, missed the cut with rounds of 70 and 75. Defending champion Linnea Strom also dropped out, shooting 72-75.
Hamilton Spectator
42 minutes ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Athletes Unlimited Softball League opens with high hopes and support from MLB and USA Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Athletes Unlimited Softball League made its debut after a year of buildup and a recent collaboration with Major League Baseball. The Bandits beat the Talons 3-1 in the first game Saturday in Rosemont, Illinois. The Volts were set to play the Blaze in Wichita, Kansas later in the day. 'I kind of feel like we blinked and it was here,' Cat Osterman, general manager of the Volts, said. 'But then there were moments where it felt like we weren't ever going to get here either because it took a whole year of process. We're all excited.' Athletes Unlimited has featured softball since 2020, when it unveiled a unique format that crowned an individual champion. The organization that focuses exclusively on women's sports now has launched a traditional four-team softball league in a traveling format. The Blaze, Volts, Bandits and Talons will play 24 games each, touring to 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the best-of-three AUSL Championship from July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. MLB said last month that it is making a strategic investment in the league . It will include an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility. It will market the AUSL and its athletes during its All-Star Game, throughout the postseason and during broadcasts on the MLB Network and streams on . USA Softball executive director Craig Cress likes the fact that a league with MLB's backing exists for players to join after their college careers. He sees it as an opportunity to keep the top American players facing elite competition so Team USA will be ready for Olympic softball that will be played in Oklahoma City in 2028. Japan has won the past two Olympic gold medals in the sport. Cress said he hopes the AUSL emerges as something comparable to Japan's well-established softball leagues. 'We have a great respect and a great rivalry,' Cress said of the history with Japan. 'But this Olympics on our home soil is our gold medal. We need to go get it. So from that standpoint, I know we've got a long way to go, but that's the end goal.' Cress said it was smart for Athletes Unlimited to add former MLB executive Kim Ng as commissioner and to seek out the league as a partner. He hopes the AUSL can catch fire the way the WNBA has the past two years with Caitlin Clark. 'The WNBA is now starting to really do some things with the star power they have coming in,' he said. 'But what got them to the point to be able to keep their athletes from going overseas to play? It was the involvement of the NBA.' There are indicators that this league could last longer than those that have come and gone over the years, starting with the well-structured support system, stability and the experience Athletes Unlimited had with the sport before launching this league. 'I think that one thing you hear about Athletes Unlimited from anybody that's been around it is we've done what we said we were going to do,' Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said. 'We've been around now for five years.' Bri Ellis, who was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for Arkansas this season, played for the Talons on Saturday after being the No. 2 overall pick in the AUSL draft last month. She said she's thrilled about the timing of the league's rollout. 'It was kind of this relief that I don't have to be done now,' she said. 'I can keep going and keep playing and there's still a story to be written for me in my career, and so I'm just really grateful for everyone that's come before me and has worked their tails off to get the sport to where it is now.' ___ AP sports: Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Athletes Unlimited Softball League opens with high hopes and support from MLB and USA Softball
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Athletes Unlimited Softball League made its debut after a year of buildup and a recent collaboration with Major League Baseball. The Bandits beat the Talons 3-1 in the first game Saturday in Rosemont, Illinois. The Volts were set to play the Blaze in Wichita, Kansas later in the day. 'I kind of feel like we blinked and it was here,' Cat Osterman, general manager of the Volts, said. 'But then there were moments where it felt like we weren't ever going to get here either because it took a whole year of process. We're all excited.' Athletes Unlimited has featured softball since 2020, when it unveiled a unique format that crowned an individual champion. The organization that focuses exclusively on women's sports now has launched a traditional four-team softball league in a traveling format. The Blaze, Volts, Bandits and Talons will play 24 games each, touring to 12 cities. The top two teams will compete in the best-of-three AUSL Championship from July 26-28 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. MLB said last month that it is making a strategic investment in the league. It will include an undisclosed amount for operational costs and a commitment to help it gain visibility. It will market the AUSL and its athletes during its All-Star Game, throughout the postseason and during broadcasts on the MLB Network and streams on USA Softball executive director Craig Cress likes the fact that a league with MLB's backing exists for players to join after their college careers. He sees it as an opportunity to keep the top American players facing elite competition so Team USA will be ready for Olympic softball that will be played in Oklahoma City in 2028. Japan has won the past two Olympic gold medals in the sport. Cress said he hopes the AUSL emerges as something comparable to Japan's well-established softball leagues. 'We have a great respect and a great rivalry,' Cress said of the history with Japan. 'But this Olympics on our home soil is our gold medal. We need to go get it. So from that standpoint, I know we've got a long way to go, but that's the end goal.' Cress said it was smart for Athletes Unlimited to add former MLB executive Kim Ng as commissioner and to seek out the league as a partner. He hopes the AUSL can catch fire the way the WNBA has the past two years with Caitlin Clark. 'The WNBA is now starting to really do some things with the star power they have coming in,' he said. 'But what got them to the point to be able to keep their athletes from going overseas to play? It was the involvement of the NBA.' There are indicators that this league could last longer than those that have come and gone over the years, starting with the well-structured support system, stability and the experience Athletes Unlimited had with the sport before launching this league. 'I think that one thing you hear about Athletes Unlimited from anybody that's been around it is we've done what we said we were going to do," Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jon Patricof said. 'We've been around now for five years.' Bri Ellis, who was named the USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year for Arkansas this season, played for the Talons on Saturday after being the No. 2 overall pick in the AUSL draft last month. She said she's thrilled about the timing of the league's rollout. 'It was kind of this relief that I don't have to be done now,' she said. 'I can keep going and keep playing and there's still a story to be written for me in my career, and so I'm just really grateful for everyone that's come before me and has worked their tails off to get the sport to where it is now." ___
