Tom Graham
How rare is an albatross—double eagle? The estimates have been reported from six million to one to one million to one. Let’s stick with the low end. The Master’s Tournament offers clarity as from inception through 2016 there have been four double eagles. Each of the par 5’s has had one and only one recorded. The most famous double eagle was by Gene Sarazen on the 15th in 1935. Another 32 years passed before Bruce Develin achieved the milestone on the 8th in 1967. Another 27 years passed before Jeff Maggert asserted himself into the discussion on the 13th. Finally, Louis Oosthuizen nailed one on the 2nd hole in 2012.
Appreciating the fine points of one of our greatest sports writers of all time, Grantland Rice describing Gene Sarazen’s double eagle in 1935, we describe our very own Rick Snowden’s remarkable achievement, “And then as he swung, the double miracle happened. The ball left the face of his spoon like a rifle shot. It never wavered from a direct line to the pin. As it struck the green a loud shout went up. Then suddenly it turned into a deafening reverberating roar, as the ball spun along its way and finally disappeared into the cup for a double eagle 2” – a 2 on the 455-yard sweeping right to left dogleg downhill then uphill and again downhill 13th at SaddleBrooke Ranch Golf Club. Rick’s drive over the arroyo left 190 yards mostly uphill to the pin and with a 4 hybrid the rare 2 on a par 5 resulted. It’s rare at the professional level and you guessed it even rarer with the club in our hands. We celebrate with Rick—great golfing! Witnesses were Jim Lindley and Guy Shelton, March 9, 2018.