How Much Does Hole-in-One Insurance Cost? (And How It Works)

Hole-in-one insurance for a typical charity golf tournament costs roughly $150–$500 for a $10,000 cash prize with a field of around 100 players shooting from 150+ yards. Bigger prizes cost proportionally more — coverage for a $25,000–$50,000 prize or a new car generally runs $400–$1,200+. The exact premium depends on four things: prize value, shot distance, number of players taking the shot, and whether amateurs or pros are shooting.

Most events don't pay this out of the budget at all — they sell a hole-in-one contest sponsorship ($200–$500 is typical) and the sponsor's fee covers the premium, with the sponsor's name on the contest hole.

How hole-in-one insurance works

You're not really buying insurance in the homeowner's-policy sense — you're buying prize indemnification. A coverage provider charges a premium calculated from the odds, and if a player in your covered field makes the hole-in-one on the designated hole, the provider pays the prize. The odds of an average amateur acing a par 3 are roughly 12,000-to-1, which is why a five-figure prize can be covered for a few hundred dollars.

What determines your premium

• Prize value. The biggest driver. $10,000 cash costs a few hundred dollars to cover; a $50,000 car costs more.
• Shot distance. Providers usually require a minimum yardage — commonly 150 yards for men and 135–140 for women. Shorter distances mean better odds and higher premiums.
• Field size. 72 players taking one shot each is a different risk than 144. You'll quote the number of players, and everyone must take their shot on the designated hole.
• Witness requirements. Most policies require one or two witnesses at the tee (a volunteer or the contest sponsor's rep — a nice perk to offer the sponsor).

Rules that keep your claim valid

Providers void claims when events break the standard conditions, so put someone in charge of these:

1. Every player shoots from the designated tee at the stated yardage — no moving the markers up
2. The required witnesses are present at the contest hole all day
3. Only registered players in the quoted field take shots (no practice swings from the crowd)
4. The ace happens during the round, not a playoff or replay

Should you also insure the "fun" prizes?

Many events run smaller consolation prizes (closest to the pin wins a foursome, $500 for an ace on a second par 3). You can bundle multiple holes and prize levels into one policy — often cheaper than insuring two events separately. Get quotes with a couple of field-size scenarios, since registration usually isn't final when you book coverage.

The sponsor math

A hole-in-one contest is one of the best sponsorship products in golf: the sponsor pays $200–$500, their sign stands on the most talked-about hole all day, and their brand is attached to the moment everyone remembers if someone aces it. You cover the premium out of the sponsorship and keep the difference. See our full sponsorship pricing guide for how contest sponsorships fit into the tier ladder.

Running the contest on Redswing

Redswing's contest add-ons track hole-in-one contests with automated SMS alerts when there's an ace, and contest sponsorships sell through your event page like any other package. For insured prize coverage, we work with third-party indemnification providers — email hello@redswing.io and we'll help you bundle a prize into your event.