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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
A hole-in from the tee shot on a par 5 is called Divine Intervention
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.
Thanks, I can’t wait to correct the big shot next time we hit the links together.
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?!?!
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.
*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!”