In golf, an albatross is something that most golfers will never have the fortune to make. The albatross is rare, as is a three under par. A metaphor for a dead weight or burden that one must carry, especially when the burden is not a literal one but a stigma of some kind that one cannot easily discard or throw off. It may also be known as a "double eagle," which is better than an eagle score. The British Golf Museum, meanwhile, says that "albatross" became commonly used by golfers only in the 1930s. b : something that greatly hinders accomplishment : encumbrance Fame has become an albatross that prevents her from leading a normal life. White tailed Sea Eagle, courtesy of RSPB. On a par-5 hole, you would need to sink your second shot to achieve an albatross. The exact origin of the use of the term albatross is not clear. Definition of the Golf Score. The Highest Single Hole Scores in the History of, What Is the Origin of the Dinah Shore Golf. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. All Rights Reserved. ;… Yes, albatross is another word for a double eagle - the two terms are identical in meaning. And Albatross is when you manage to get 3 strokes below Par! (The shot being the one the golfer holed out with to make the score.). Birdie, for 1-under par on a hole, came first. It is more likely for a player to sink their second shot on a short Par 5, than a long initial shot on a Par 4. What Are the Odds of Making a Double Eagle? The term was initiated in Britain staying in line with the avian them of birdies and eagles. Several professional golfers have scored an albatross in a tour event, but the list remains relatively short compared with the number of holes collectively played by all the golfers in PGA Tour and LPGA Tour history. It’s a rare accomplishment but when it happens it can surely boost momentum in your favor, taking 3 strokes off your score relative to par. A double bogey represents a score of 2 over par for one hole. The albatross is not your normal totem animal the spiritual meaning of this wonderful bird is king of the sea. Eagle. According to ScottishGolfHistory.org, the earliest use of albatross, in its golf sense, in print occurred in a British newspaper in 1929. And each hole on a golf course is assigned a par rating. Any of a family (Diomedeidae) of large, web-footed tubenose birds found chiefly in the South Seas: they have long, narrow wings and a long, hooked beak. Whereas some golf terms rely on fanciful and fun-to-say words, others rely on the creatures that fly above us. How did "albatross" come to be used as the word for 3-under par on a hole? Why "double eagle" came to be the commonly used term in the U.S. probably dates to the 1935 Masters. An Albatross is sometimes also called a Double Eagle. In golf, "albatross" is a term for scoring 3-under par on an individual hole. He serves as the Studio's sports and recreation section expert. Origins of 'Birdie' and 'Eagle': How They Became Golf Terms, Triple Bogey: What the Golf Scoring Term Means, Why the 'Ace' Is One of Golf's Most Exciting Achievements. Albatrosses are far rarer than aces. All-Time Best 18-Hole Scores on PGA Tour: All the Sub-60 Rounds. Is there? [46] Non-European mythologies [ edit ] This is easy: "Double eagle" is the preferred term in the United States, "albatross" is used almost everywhere else. If you were to hole out three shots below par on a par-4, this accomplishment would technically be called a hole-in-one rather than an albatross. It occurs mainly when a golfer sinks his second shot into the cup on a par 5 hole. As can be seen from the story above, an Albatross, or more commonly referred to in the USA as a double Eagle is a reference to a score of three shots under par. LiveAbout uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. Scoring an albatross on a given hole requires that you are playing on a par-5 hole. But, as we'll see below, albatross is the more widely used term. What is an Albatross in Golf? The Albatross in Golf: Explaining This Rare Bird's Meaning and Origin. Definition of the Golf Score. birdie, eagle, and albatross. And over the first 60 years of the LPGA Tour's history, a total of only 30 albatrosses were scored. Albatross Albatross is the term for three under par and is a continuation of the birdie and eagle theme, but is in fact a British term.. With that in mind, a golfer gets to claim an albatross by: Par-6 holes are rare in golf, but they do exist. Definition of albatross in the Idioms Dictionary. What Does a Score of Even Par Mean in Golf? Golf Double Eagle/Albatross Compilation (RARE) Albatross is one of three bird-related terms used for scores under par. Albatross is the common British golf term for double eagle. One of the factors that makes scoring an albatross even more difficult is that most golf courses only provide golfers with two to five opportunities to achieve the feat. Albatross: Three under par on any hole is called a double eagle in the USA. : 200 years ago, golf balls were quite pricey, so an assistant called a "forecaddie" was used to work in front of a golfer and retrieve errant shots. One stroke under par is known as a birdie, while two strokes under par is known as an eagle. Sarazen earned this rare score on the par-5 15th hole of the 1935 Masters, which forced a tie for the lead and a subsequent playoff that he won. Has There Ever Been a Hole-in-One on a Par-5 Hole? In golf, an albatross is a score of 3 under par (-3) on any individual hole. The albatross visits the Mariner and his crew in Samuel Taylor Coleridge 's The Rime of the Ancient Mariner , illustrated in 1876 by Gustave Doré . Understanding the terminology involved when taking up golf as a sport to avoid feeling uncomfortable as a novice. What does albatross mean? A notable, recent albatross and belongs to Nicholas Thompson, who achieved the feat at the 2009 Fry.com Open. So you can also make an albatross by scoring 3 on a par-6. Check out our Golf Glossary index or Golf History FAQ. The back-to-back albatross and hole-in-one is an extremely rare occurrence in the game. The albatross is rare, as is a three under par. Two eagles side by side are two eagles, not a double eagle. The same article quotes Irish golfer Padraig Harrington disparaging the use of "double eagle": "It's an albatross. There's no doubting what it is. To score an albatross in golf, here’s the breakdown for each hole’s par: Definitions by the largest Idiom Dictionary. Albatross: This term means three under par, but the "double eagle" synonym is simply a continuation of the aviary theme of good scores. (See The Origins of Birdie and Eagle in Golf for more about that.). albatross phrase. Explaining the Score Called a Condor in Golf. What Is an Eagle In Golf? Albatross is the term used when a player gets the ball into the cup using 3 shots less than the pare score for the hole. the predetermined number of strokes that a proficient golfer should require to complete a hole, a round, or a tournament. Gene Sarazen was the first professional golfer to score an albatross in a modern major tournament. All Square: All square refers to a tied match as a result of the tied scores between the players. Bogey is the golf term for a score that’s 1 over par on a single hole. "Eagle", a score of two under par for a given hole, … In golf, an albatross is something that most golfers will never have the fortune to make. Eagle, for 2-under par, evolved next. Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. [or Double Eagle] High! There are only three instances in which an albatross can be scored: a score of 1 on a par 4, a 2 on a par 5, or a 3 on a par 6 (a par rarely seen in golf). There's no such thing in life as a double eagle. An albatross in golf is another name for a score on a hole equal to three strokes under par. (idiomatic) A long-term impediment, burden, or curse. This is a must know amongst the terms in golf terms glossary. Therefore, a bogey is always a better score than a double bogey. The association sets a golfer's odds of making a hole-in-one at 12,700 to 1 or, for a professional, 3,700 to 1. Albatross - Idioms by The Free Dictionary. Odds of making an Albatross in Golf! McCoy is a journalism graduate of Ryerson University. It … Albatross: This term means three under par, but the "double eagle" synonym is simply a continuation of the aviary theme of good scores. ... Future looking so Rosie for club's albatross girl; JUNIOR GOLF. It is a rare sight on a scorecard, but can occur when a player holes an approach shot to a par five. ", Another Australian golfer, John Senden, said the same thing: "Growing up it was always an albatross. Because it's only possible on a par-5 hole, this limits your chances of an albatross to the number of par-5 holes on the course. By using LiveAbout, you accept our, Explaining the Score Called a Condor in Golf, Birdie: What This Scoring Term Means in Golf. Press – If you are playing a betting game with your partners a press refers to making another bet. We all accept an eagle as a score of 2 under on a hole, meaning a 3 on a par 5, a 2 on a par 4 or a 1 on a par 3 (which we’d all just call a hole-in-one or an ace). Fore! Thus it's only possible to achieve on either a Par 5 completing the hole in 2 strokes or getting a Hole-In-One on a Par 4. Come join us for your next golf get away and experience our teams’ ‘Aloha Spirit’! Albatrosses - save for holes-in-one on par-5s, which are nearly (but not quite) non-existent - are the rarest scores in golf. Origin of 'Par' in Golf. As I have already stated in the opening paragraph an albatross is an oceanic bird, large in size and mostly white in color this bird has a narrow wing and reside mostly in the southern ocean. Each course reports between 10-15 aces per year. And that term gained primacy in American golf over "albatross. What Is the Meaning of Albatross in Golf?. Many disc golf players would probably agree that an Albatross is more likely on a short Par 5 hole. ", Australian golfer Ogilvy once told USA Today that, "I didn't know what a double eagle was until I came to the United States. Albatross is a golf term that means three strokes under par for a specific hole. PGA Tour legend Gene Sarazen was the first professional golfer to record an albatross in one of golf's four modern major events, and he did so when the stakes were high. 1 : any of a family (Diomedeidae) of large web-footed seabirds that have long slender wings, are excellent gliders, and include the largest seabirds. Albatross. You don't refer to animals ... 'Oh, I just saw a double elephant over there.' It was simply in keeping with the already established avian theme of terms applied to below-par golf scores. The National Hole in One Association, which tracks holes-in-one and sets odds for the feat, states that an albatross is less likely than an elusive hole-in-one. There are, however, occasions when the effect of scoring a double bogey is no worse than that of shooting a bogey. This scoring term, which represents three strokes under par on a single hole, is extremely difficult to achieve. '' came to be used as the word albatross is the Origin of the terms and Definition! 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