Most holes-in-one come on par-3 holes, obviously—those are the shortest holes on a golf course. A few aces have even been scored on longer par-4 holes (making them double-eagles as well as aces). But has anyone ever aced a par-5 hole?

Yes, it's happened at least several times, once even with a 3-iron! We'll go over each of them below, but first let's answer another question:

What Is a Par-5 Ace Called?

Personally, we would just call it "a par-5 ace," as in, "I just aced that par-5!" Because your golf buddies will freak out. But, technically speaking, a hole-in-one on a par-5 is a score of 4-under par, so it could, in theory, be called a "double albatross" or a "triple eagle." Those just sound goofy, though.

So, sticking with the avian theme of golf's scoring terms (birdie, eagle, albatross), a par-5 ace is called a condor.

The Longest-Known Hole-in-One

Sixty-percent of the par-5 aces we know about happened on holes with severe doglegs, or even horseshoe-shaped holes, that allow a golfer to cut the corner. But not the longest-known hole-in-one. It happened on a mostly straight par-5 hole.

On July 4, 2002, a golfer named Mike Crean teed off with a driver on the 517-yard No. 9 hole at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colo. And not only—in the high, thin air of the "Mile High City"—did he drive the green, but when he and his playing companions reached the green, his ball was in the hole.

We said the hole was "mostly" straight: It did have a slight dogleg, but not the type that could remotely explain an ace on a par-5. It should be noted that nobody actually saw the ball roll into the hole. They discovered the ball in the hole when they got to the green. Crean was a 4-handicapper at the time, he was using a Callaway Big Bertha driver, and he and his three playing partners swore affidavits attesting to the hole-in-one. It is recognized by the U.S. Golf Register, a hole-in-one clearinghouse.

Another Straight Par-5 Ace

On July 4, 1973, Dick Hogan (no relation to Ben) aced the par-5, 456-yard No. 8 hole at Piedmont Crescent Golf Course in Burlington, N.C. At the time, Hogan was a scratch golfer playing college golf at North Carolina State. One of his playing partners that day later became a golf professional at Southern Pines Golf Club in Pinehurst, N.C.

However, Hogan, he told a newspaper in 2013, has never been 100-percent convinced it was a legitimate ace. There is no evidence it wasn't, he's just always wondered if someone could have played a practical joke on him. (If they did, it's never been admitted.)

'Cut the Corner' Aces on Par-5s

Since almost nobody—even with today's supercharged equipment—can hit a 500-yard drive (at least not without help: high tailwind, at altitude, etc.), the best place to look for par-5 aces are on those par-5 holes that are severe doglegs, or are even a bit horseshoe-shaped. On such holes, an intrepid long-hitter can attempt to cut a corner or clear trees or other hazards in order to go straight at the green, rather than playing around the dogleg in a normal fashion.

There are three holes-in-one on par-5s known to have been made by cutting the corner: