(VIDEO) LeBron James Nearly Aces Hole-in-One at Bandon Dunes, Sparking Big Reaction on Instagram

LeBron James is known for making headlines on the basketball court, but the four-time NBA champion turned heads in the golf world this week after coming agonizingly close to recording his first career hole-in-one during a round at Bandon Dunes in Oregon.

James shared footage of the near-miss on his Instagram Story following a round at The Preserve, the resort’s par-3 course. In the clip, James’ tee shot tracks directly toward the pin before settling just short of the cup. “Almost had my first hole in 1 today. I called it before I swung it too! Damn close,” James wrote in the caption accompanying the video.

The moment was later reposted by golf-focused Instagram account Ziregolf, helping the clip spread widely among golf fans and further amplifying attention on James’ evolving relationship with the sport. According to the footage, James’ tee shot landed remarkably close to the hole, prompting the reaction and celebration visible in the original video before the ball ultimately came to rest just off target.

James’ growing enthusiasm for golf has extended beyond casual play in recent months. According to reporting on his golf pursuits, multiple indoor golf facilities have reached out to James, offering him free access to their locations, a sign of how seriously the sport has begun factoring into his off-court life. What started as a more casual hobby for the NBA veteran appears to have evolved into a more consistent and increasingly visible pursuit, drawing growing interest from golf fans who have taken note of his continued improvement.

James was accompanied during the Bandon Dunes round by his son, Los Angeles Lakers guard Bronny James, adding a family dimension to the outing that further fueled engagement with the video once it began circulating online.

Reaction from golf fans in the comments section of Ziregolf’s Instagram post ranged from playful skepticism to genuine appreciation for James’ improving swing. One commenter joked about the apparent gap in golfing ability between father and son, writing, “Bronnie obviously received lessons from somebody else.” Another fan focused on the outcome of the shot rather than the shot itself, asking, “The real question everyone wants to know is did he make the putt?”

Several commenters took the opportunity to note how far James’ golf game appeared to have progressed since he first began playing. One fan wrote, “This is what golf addiction looks like. Not surprising that his swing is already looking worlds better!” Another offered a more grounded, relatable take on the realities of a near-miss hole-in-one, writing, “That’s when you get up there and realise it’s 20 feet away and all that excitement was for nothing,” a comment that resonated with many recreational golfers familiar with the gap between a shot’s apparent trajectory on video and its actual final resting distance from the pin.

One fan leaned into the competitive spirit often associated with golf, half-jokingly threatening to give up the sport entirely if James achieved a milestone many recreational players spend years chasing. “I swear if he gets a hole in one before me I’ll quit golfing….” the commenter wrote, reflecting the good-natured rivalry the video sparked among golf enthusiasts following James’ athletic pursuits outside of basketball.

James’ interest in golf comes during a notable transitional period in his basketball career. The 41-year-old is set to begin his 23rd NBA season this October with the Philadelphia 76ers, having signed with the franchise as a free agent after departing the Los Angeles Lakers earlier this offseason. As James approaches the twilight stages of his professional basketball career, his increasingly visible engagement with golf has drawn attention from fans curious about how the future Hall of Famer is spending his time away from the court during the offseason.

James is far from the only professional athlete to have developed a public passion for golf during his career, joining a long tradition of athletes from other major sports who have taken up the game, whether as a competitive outlet, a way to stay active, or simply as a social pursuit among friends and fellow athletes. His visible enthusiasm and willingness to share his rounds publicly, including moments of near-success like this week’s close call at Bandon Dunes, have helped fuel a growing crossover audience between his massive basketball fan base and golf enthusiasts eager to track his progress in a sport far removed from his primary athletic discipline.

Bandon Dunes itself has built a reputation as one of the premier golf destinations in the United States, drawing enthusiasts from around the world to its collection of highly regarded courses along the Oregon coastline. The Preserve, the par-3 course where James recorded his near-miss, is known among golf circles for offering a shorter but still challenging test of a player’s precision, making it a fitting stage for James’ close brush with golf’s most celebrated single-shot achievement.

While James ultimately missed out on adding a hole-in-one to his growing list of golf highlights during this particular round, the widespread reaction to the video suggests his pursuit of the sport, and any future attempts at the elusive ace, will likely continue to draw significant attention from both his basketball fan base and the broader golf community. Whether James manages to convert a future near-miss into his first official hole-in-one remains to be seen, but this week’s close call at Bandon Dunes has already cemented itself as one of the more talked-about moments of his ongoing golf journey, according to the widespread fan engagement the clip generated across social media platforms following its initial posting.