Near perfection: Golfers remember the "ones that got away"

Golfers have their own versions of "fish stories," except in this case, the hands get closer together rather than farther apart. If you've played for any length of time, there's a good chance you've hit what you thought was the perfect shot, only to have it break your heart.

There's nothing like a tap-in birdie, unless it's the bittersweet feeling of knowing it could have been an eagle or an ace instead. Those are the shots that stick with you, no matter how long -- or how often -- you play the game.

We recently asked readers to share their stories on "the ones that got away." Here are our favorites:

Vaughan Dibble: Playing the second (par 3) at Wentworth. (Golfers have priority on all roads through the course.) I stood on the tee and it felt like the world had stood still. Two coaches stopped and several cars also to let me take my tee shot, I was VERY nervous to say the least 'cause you know everyone is watching you only!  I struck the most perfect 8 iron and the ball stopped dead in its tracks 12 inches from the hole! Applause from all who were watching, including the group who had just vacated the green! Never been as close since. I think I must need a crowd!

David Wayne Baugus: A par 3, 185 yards over a lake, I hit the prettiest 5 iron of my life within 3 inches. Heart racing, yelling "Be the one!" A great memory. Thanks, fellows, you just put a smile on a old man's face.

Paul M. Garcia: Just did it. Hit green from 267 out and had a 15-footer for eagle. Missed putt by 1/2 inch and lost out on $500.

Brian Wetzel: While I did hole a 3 wood for an eagle once, I had a 2 iron end up with a portion of the ball hanging over the lip for a double eagle. "Oh so close!"

Mike Nash: Got a hole-in-one on No. 6 at my local course then on No. 9, the ball hit the pin, fell down and lipped out. My dad was on the driving range and saw it and said, "You almost got a hole-in-one." I replied, "That would of been number two of the day."

Jon Angeles: Elevated par 3. Group of old men gave the go ahead to hit so that we could pass them. Solid strike, landed on the green. Couldn't see it. Soon after men started shouting, apparently the ball lipped out and they thought it was in.

Terry Eklund: Gap wedge from 100 landed in the cup in the air, knocked the hole liner out of the hole halfway and bounced out 7 inches away from the hole. Missed the bird to boot. Have never seen that happen before.

David Jackson: Playing in a scramble, on a par-5, hit a 3 hybrid to 3 inches laying two. But we had a rule in the tourney that you could move the ball within the leather and not count the stroke, so we got to count it as a 2. Pretty cool.

Simon Lee Fawcett: Pitched 6 inches from the hole on a par-3, hopped forward and stopped on the rim of the hole. It never did fall in, but it was the easiest 2 ever!

Patrick Doyle: On a par-3, I hit on the far side of the hole by about an inch. It spun back, ringed the hole and ended up one inch away on my side. It should have dropped. It would have been my first hole-in-one.

Ken Sanford: 160-yard downhill par-3, stopped 4 inches from the hole.

John Wilson: Par-4 348, drove the green, hit the flagstick at the base, bounced eight feet away, made the eagle putt

Jim Rose: Spun an 8 iron back and the ball stopped with part of the ball hanging over the hole.

Jonny Thomson: Same round in 2012, missed an ace by 2 inches at the par-3 fifth. On the 18th, got an eagle at a par-4. I'm an 18 handicapper by the way, so these things keep me coming back

Tristan Booker: 17th hole. Par 3. 146 yards. I hit 9 iron and pitched in front of the hole, lipped out and settled about 4 inches behind the hole.

Sean Mosser: Four inches away from the cup on a par 4. Would have loved it to go in but on the bright side easiest eagle putt I ever had.

Michael Greenwood: I play everyday and have a "one that got away" story for every round!

And then sometimes even great shots go bad, through no fault of your own.

John Goik: I hit the very top of the flagstick on a 135 yard par-3. The ball deflected into the river adjacent the hole. I ended up with a double bogey.