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The Hardy distribution for golf hole scores

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 January 2015

A. H. G. S. van der Ven*
Affiliation:
Department of Special Education, Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Extract

In an article entitled ‘A Mathematical Theorem about Golf’ [1] G.H. Hardy introduced a simple model of golfing. He assumed, that, at one hole, a golfer has probability p of gaining a stroke with a single shot, and probability q that his shot costs him a stroke. Such strokes will be described as good (G) or bad (B), respectively, leaving probability 1 − p − q for an ordinary (O) stroke (see also [2]). For example, on a par four hole, successive strokes OGO will result in a birdie (a score which is one stroke less than par) and BBGOO in a bogey (a score which is one stroke more than par). In this paper the probability distribution P(Tk = n) will be derived for the number of strokes T a player may take on a hole of par k.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Mathematical Association 2012

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References

1. Hardy, G. H., A mathematical theorem about golf, Math. Gaz., 29 (December 1945) pp. 226227.Google Scholar
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