The Elusive Albatross
I've never had an eagle or a hole in one. When I make a birdie it's still a thrill for me regardless of how long or short the hole is. If I make par I'm satisfied and in most cases walking away with bogey isn't all that bad for me. I don't get to pick what par is on each hole, I just get to play the course.
Image by Peregrine's Bird Photography via Flickr
Enter something I never even considered in my life, The Albatross. All golfers have heard the word. Some of you may have seen one or know someone who has made one. I have never met anyone who has made one and I've only heard the word used in related to golf a dozen times. In most cases it's someone asking "what's it called if you do better than an eagle?"
What is an Albatross
I should probably start by telling you what an Albatross is for those of you who are not familiar. An Albatross is another term for 3 under par on any hole. An example of this is a 2 on a par 5 or a hole in one on a par 4. You might also hear this called a "double eagle" but I struggle with that term. Wouldn't a double eagle be four under on a hole?
Why Am I Writing About This?
Last Friday I was in a charity scramble in Lansdale, PA. The shotgun start has us teeing off on the 13th hole, a straight par 5, which was the "long drive" hole (an honor I had won the year before). One of our players hit his drive, which left us 168 yards (we had GPS) in with the wind in our face. Initially I had a 7-iron in my hands, which is my 165 club but with the wind, I decided on a 6-iron.
I took my line and hit one of the most pure shots I have ever hit in my life as the ball landed a few feet left of the cup. It wasn't until two of the other guys said "it might go in" did I look up and towards the green. It was still rolling. Unfortunately, I can't see that far so I was relying on the excitement of my teammates. It rolled in. I didn't believe them.
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