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The Impossible Shot: Unpacking Mike Crean's 517-Yard Hole-in-One, Golf's Rarest Feat

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The name Mike Crean may conjure images of a college basketball coach for some, but in the world of golf, it belongs to a man who accomplished what is arguably the most improbable feat in the sport’s history. As of today, December 24, 2025, the story of Michael J. Crean’s 517-yard hole-in-one remains one of the most astonishing and enduring legends, a verified record that has stood for over two decades. This shot was not merely an ace; it was a "condor," a four-under-par score on a single hole, a rarity so extreme that its probability makes hitting the lottery seem common.

The significance of this single swing extends far beyond a lucky bounce. It represents the longest hole-in-one ever recorded in golf history, achieved by a man whose professional career was spent in academia, not on the PGA Tour. The details of the event—the course, the date, and the man—are essential to understanding why this particular Mike Crean’s name is permanently etched into the annals of golf folklore.

The Academic Golfer: A Full Profile of Michael J. Crean

The 'Mike Crean' who achieved this legendary feat is Michael J. Crean, a distinguished figure in academia and a passionate amateur golfer. His professional life was dedicated to education and real estate, not athletics, which only adds to the mystique of his world-record shot.

  • Full Name: Michael J. Crean
  • Primary Profession: University Professor (Real Estate and Finance)
  • Alma Mater: University of Pennsylvania (Degrees in Economics and Finance)
  • Academic Career: Professor at the University of Denver’s Daniels College of Business.
  • Tenure at DU: 1975 to 2014
  • Key Role: Full Professor and Director of the Burns School of Real Estate and Construction Management (1995–2012)
  • Residency: Denver, Colorado
  • Historical Golf Feat: Longest hole-in-one in history (517 yards)
  • Date of Feat: July 4, 2002
  • Location of Feat: Green Valley Ranch Golf Club, Denver, CO

Crean’s career at the University of Denver was marked by his dedication to students, serving as a pillar of the Daniels College of Business for nearly four decades. His retirement in 2014 concluded a long and impactful tenure, but his legacy in golf remains an unexpected, incredible footnote to his life story.

The Condor: Breaking Down the 517-Yard Miracle Shot

The term "hole-in-one" (or "ace") is common, but what Michael Crean achieved is known as a Condor. This score is four strokes under par (a quadruple eagle), the rarest scoring event in golf, making it even more improbable than the famed Albatross (three-under-par, or a double eagle).

The Unbelievable Details of the Record

The shot took place on July 4, 2002, a memorable Independence Day for Crean. The location was the Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colorado, a course known for its challenging layout near Denver International Airport.

  • The Hole: The 9th hole
  • The Par: Par 5
  • The Distance: 517 yards
  • The Score: 1 (a Condor)

For context, a par-5 hole of this length is typically designed to take a professional golfer three shots to reach the green. Crean, an amateur, accomplished it in a single swing. This remarkable distance immediately cemented the shot as the longest hole-in-one in golf history, surpassing all known records, amateur or professional.

The sheer length of the shot suggests that a combination of factors must have been at play. The 9th hole at Green Valley Ranch has a significant elevation drop and is known to be downwind on certain days, which would have provided a massive boost to the ball's flight and roll. However, even with optimal conditions, the precision required to land the ball on the green and have it roll into the cup from over 500 yards is almost unimaginable, a true statistical outlier.

Why the Condor Remains Golf's Rarest Entity

The infrequency of the condor is what gives Michael Crean's feat its legendary status. While a standard hole-in-one on a par-3 is rare (estimated odds are around 12,500 to 1 for an amateur), the condor is in a league of its own. It requires a golfer to achieve an ace on a par-5 hole, which is extremely uncommon because par-5s are designed to be too long to reach from the tee box.

Achieving a condor typically requires one of two scenarios:

  1. An exceptionally long drive on a short par-5, often aided by a strong wind or a massive downhill slope.
  2. Cutting a severe dogleg corner on a longer par-5, effectively shortening the hole to a manageable distance.

Crean’s shot is noted to have occurred without cutting over a severe dogleg, meaning the ball traveled the full 517 yards, making it an even purer and more remarkable drive. The shot’s rarity is often compared to a "condor" being a once-in-a-lifetime, or perhaps once-in-a-history, event.

The official validation of the shot by the US Golf Register and other golf history sources confirms its standing as the longest on record. While some sources have occasionally misreported the date or hole number, the consensus on the 517-yard condor at Green Valley Ranch on July 4, 2002, remains the gold standard for golf's most elusive record.

Michael Crean's incredible drive serves as a powerful reminder that in golf, the impossible is always just one perfect, lucky swing away. It is a story that continues to captivate golf enthusiasts and provides a benchmark for the sheer potential of the amateur golfer.

mike crean hole in one
mike crean hole in one

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