double eagle

noun

US
: a golf score of three strokes less than par on a hole
The ball landed on the front right of the green and started heading for the hole. It climbed one hill and went down another and had slowed to almost a dead halt when it kissed the fiberglass flagstick and fell in for a double eagle, three under par on a hole.Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck

called also (chiefly British) albatross

double-eagle transitive verb

Examples of double eagle in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
An albatross – also known as a double eagle – is the term used to denote a score on a single hole of three-under par. Julia Andersen, CNN Money, 13 June 2025 Reed made just the fourth double eagle, more commonly known as an albatross, since the U.S. Open began keeping records over four decades ago. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 June 2025 In 1935, Gene Sarazen recorded a double eagle, holing out from 235 yards on the par-5 15th on his way to Masters glory. Josh Hammer, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Apr. 2025 The name is in honor Gene Sarazen’s double eagle on the 15th hole of the 1935 Masters, which became a front page story in the New York Times and put the tournament on the map. Matt Bok, Sportico.com, 3 Sep. 2019 See All Example Sentences for double eagle

Word History

First Known Use

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of double eagle was in 1925

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Cite this Entry

“Double eagle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/double%20eagle. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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