This was unanswered by all the contestants in a recent Jeopardy episode

ElmerFusterpuck

The category was Golf, but it might as well have been called Unanswered Clues!

JBK

I missed that one, as well.

"Rare old gold coin" was a bit misleading.

gumby1234

Eagle

bsshog40

Double Eagle

seanq

I know what answer they wanted (double eagle), but I thought three under par on a hole was an albatross? Not that I was much of a golfer, I was more familiar with snowmen than eagles.

Sean Reynolds

bsshog40

@seanq said:
I know what answer they wanted (double eagle), but I thought three under par on a hole was an albatross? Not that I was much of a golfer, I was more familiar with snowmen than eagles.

Sean Reynolds

Same thing, but commonly referred to as a Double Eagle by most golfers.

joeykoins

One MUST know about "Coins & Golf" to answer the question correctly.

retirednow

@bsshog40 said:

@seanq said:
I know what answer they wanted (double eagle), but I thought three under par on a hole was an albatross? Not that I was much of a golfer, I was more familiar with snowmen than eagles.

Sean Reynolds

Same thing, but commonly referred to as a Double Eagle by most golfers.

Funny ... playing golf for 15 years now and I only knew it as Albatross... even thought I understand a double eagle as an alternate...as a birdie is 1 under, eagle as 2 under - my logic would be double eagle would be 4 under par on a single hole (that is fairly impossible)

BillJones

I don't think I would call a generic double eagle "rare." That would throw me off right there. Three under par on a par four hole is a hole in one or "an ace."

A rare gold coin might be called "an ace" if you found one that you had looked for for a long time.

MarkKelley

Even Jeopardy doesn't always get it right. I've seen them okay an answer of "penny" for a US cent.

Steven59

It must be a "Double Eagle" - they wouldn't lie to us

BLUEJAYWAY

As the answer is worded, possibly to non collectors a gold coin is rare. So maybe that is why the show researches worded it as such. Assuming most contestants are non collectors.

jwitten

I would have guess albatross as well. Never heard it called a double eagle.

pcgscacgold

It is an albatross.

CaptHenway

Then there was the old seafarer who could never sink a putt. Every shot would be so close that the ball would spin around and divert right or left, but never go in. They wrote a book about him called "The Rim of the Ancient Mariner!"

david3142

From my golf experience, the term albatross is far more common but I have seen or heard double eagle as well. FWIW, four under par is called a condor. There’s a coin tie-in there too!

Manifest_Destiny

So, it's not an Escudo then. Hmmm.

CaptHenway

I asked my brother who is an avid golfer and he has never heard of the term "Albatross."

Perhaps it is a regional thing. Those of you who have heard it, WHERE did you hear it? (State alone would be good enough.)

bsshog40

@CaptHenway said:
I asked my brother who is an avid golfer and he has never heard of the term "Albatross."

Perhaps it is a regional thing. Those of you who have heard it, WHERE did you hear it? (State alone would be good enough.)

I have to agree. I live in Tx and have been golfing since the early 90's. We always called it a double eagle. Not that we ever got one, lol, just called it that.

DoubleEagle59

One of the reasons I chose my name.

Driver, then 4 iron in the hole on a par 5 (in 2005).

Driver flew right in the hole on a par 4 (in 2010).

Both double eagles.

Sadly, time has taken it's toll and the ship has sailed on any double eagles happening for me from now on.

seanq

@CaptHenway said:
I asked my brother who is an avid golfer and he has never heard of the term "Albatross."

Perhaps it is a regional thing. Those of you who have heard it, WHERE did you hear it? (State alone would be good enough.)

I think I heard it on ESPN. I am not a golfer or even a fan, so the only place I could have heard it would be a sports highlight show.

Sean Reynolds

The_Dinosaur_Man

Par > Birdie > Eagle > Albatross > Condor

A double eagle should, mathematically, be four under par. You can't always correct lingo.

There are other terms like Ostrich and Phoenix for stuff like 5 under par and 6 under par on a hole.

Tom147

ESPN calls it an Albatross. Seen it twice on TV 1st shot on a par 4, then again on 2nd shot on a par 5. As for my golf game, dead buzzards, road kill wrens and an occasional F####KIN STUPID BALL !!!!!

DoubleEagle59

True story.......

My buddy had a putt for a double eagle on a par 5!!!!

You say "no way....he can't drive the green on a par 5"

Here's how it happened............

Par 5 16th hole at the old Tam'O'Shanter course in Toronto, the hole parallels a four lane city street (Kennedy Rd).

Well he tees off and hits a huge slice onto the road, where it bounces off the pavement and lands in the back of a travelling pick-up truck.

Now, back in the days (the 70's) teenagers used to sit in the back of a truck, no seat belts and open aired.

So my friend's tee shot lands in the truck where the kids picked it up and tossed it back on the course.

But by the time they found it, picked it up and tossed it back, the truck had travelled far enough down the road that when they tossed the ball back, they were parallel to the par 5 green!!

The ball lands on the green and he has a putt for a 2 on a par 5!!

Great story eh?

Sad to say my friend 4 putted for a par.

Most disappointed he's ever been shooting a par HAHA!!! (those were the days we were glad to break 100).

EliteCollection

I was trying to google "golf double eagle" and accidentally typed "gold double eagle". Muscle memory I guess. Interesting that golf and gold is only off by 1 letter, and the letters are right next to each other on the keyboard.

seatedlib3991

I saw that episode. Everyone looked at me for the answer. I didn't have a clue. In my own defence I do not play golf and I do not collect gold.

WillieBoyd2

Charles Van Doren could have answered that question.

NewEnglandRarities

@CaptHenway said:
I asked my brother who is an avid golfer and he has never heard of the term "Albatross."

Perhaps it is a regional thing. Those of you who have heard it, WHERE did you hear it? (State alone would be good enough.)

So, as a semi-serious golfer I might be able to answer this. Albatross is a 2 on a par 5. It is not a technical term, more so the ‘slang” word for a 2 on a par 5. A hole in one is much more common than a “albatross”, which for a golfer is 1 out of 6 MILLION. A hole in one is 1/12500 on average. I do not yet have a hole in one, but I have an “albatross” on a par 5!.

In golf, double Eagle is 3 under par and the technical correct name for it. Remember a “hole in one” is not a technical score either, which would be Eagle. Albatross and condor are not actual names on paper, just the slang for the score (par minus shot). So, you would have an “ACE” on a hole in one, on either a par 4 or par 3. This is where the lingo doesn’t work with score.

Just noticed this was my 1000th post. Maybe I should do a giveaway….im on It!

Dave99B

Interesting. I’ve always heard the term ‘Albatross’ on the West coast.

Dave