3 under par?

[duffman]

I was on a par five the other day and hit my second shot on the green (big surprise) and I wondered, what happens if I would have hit that in. I know 1 under is a birdie and 2 under is an eagle, but what is 3 under and has anyone witnessed it happening legitimitely?

[BobT]

Wow! A 2 on a par 5 is called a double eagle or an albatross. The former is the official name and the latter the nickname.

I actually played with a guy who got one. We thought he had lost his ball.

Weirdly, I played with someone who scored a double eagle before I played with anyone who had a hole in one.

Double eagles are very rare. The PGA tour only gets 1 or 2 a year.

[gorewonfla]

I always thought it was an ace. I've never seen one in real life outside mini-golf, so it's fairly irrelevant to me, but one of the big shots I golf with on occasion always points out how he got an ace (a 2 on a par 5) whenever we go by that hole.

[RealityChuck]

And the most famous double eagle was the one made by Gene Sarazin in the 1935 Masters. It's one important reason why the Masters is considered a major, and gave Sarazin a career grand slam.

[BobT]

I think ace is less frequently used for a double eagle and more frequently used for a hole in one. Of course, if you get a hole in one on a par 4, it's the same thing.

And people do get holes in one on par 4 holes, albeit rarely.

[BF]

Originally posted by gorewonfla
I always thought it was an ace. I've never seen one in real life outside mini-golf, so it's fairly irrelevant to me, but one of the big shots I golf with on occasion always points out how he got an ace (a 2 on a par 5) whenever we go by that hole.

No. An Ace is when the ball goes in the hole from the tee shot, regardless if it's a par 3, 4 or 5. A double-eagle is (making a 2 on a par 5) actually quite rare compared to holes-in-one. Making a double-eagle in competition is rare, making it in a major is stupendous (Sarazen). This years British Open was amazing in that there were 4, or 5, can't remember, double eagles on the weekend.

[RM Mentock]

Originally posted by BF
No. An Ace is when the ball goes in the hole from the tee shot, regardless if it's a par 3, 4 or 5.

A hole-in from the tee shot on a par 5 is called Divine Intervention

[BobT]

I dug up an article from 1999 about the frequency of double eagles to holes-in-one on the PGA tour.

In 1998, there were 27 holes-in-one to 1 double eagles
1997, 31 and 2
1996, 39 and 1
1995, 35 and 2
1994, 44 and 3
1993, 25 and 4
1992, 33 and 2
1991, 29 and 5
1990, 34 and 5
1989, 32 and 1

There were two double eagles in the British Open this year. One by Jeff Maggert and one by Greg Owen.

[gorewonfla]

Thanks, I can't wait to correct the big shot next time we hit the links together.

[BF]

Originally posted by RM Mentock

A hole-in from the tee shot on a par 5 is called Divine Intervention

Which just proves to the North Koreans that their supreme leader (Kim Il-Jong, I think) is a holy man, since he reportedly has shot a 38 for 18 holes!! Tiger who?!?!

[johnson]

A 2 on a par 5 is called a double eagle or an albatross. The former is the official name and the latter the nickname.

I don't believe there is an "official" name for these things, other than "par" (in fact, if I recall correctly, "bogey" initially was "par"). Generally, "double eagle" is the term used on the west side of the Atlantic, and "albatross" is the preferred term on the other side.

[BobT]

Originally posted by gorewonfla
Thanks, I can't wait to correct the big shot next time we hit the links together.

I believe the proper response to such a situation is to say "Holy S*&*! It's in the f*&(*&' hole!"