Harper Lin
A condor in golf is a hole-in-one on a par-5, a two on a par-6, or a three on a par-7. It is a rare feat, having only been achieved six times in history. The first known condor was scored by Larry Bruce in 1962 at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas. Other notable golfers who have achieved a condor include Dick Hogan, Shaun Lynch, Mike Crean, Jack Bartlett, and Kevin Pon.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Definition | Holing out in four shots under par |
| Number of occurrences | 6 |
| Examples | Larry Bruce, Dick Hogan, Jack Bartlett, Shaun Lynch, Mike Crean, Kevin Pon |
| Occurrence years | 1962, 1973, 2002, 2007 |
| Hole distance | 452-649 yards |
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What You'll Learn
Larry Bruce's first condor
In 1962, Larry Bruce achieved the first-ever condor in golf. On the 5th hole at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas, Bruce cut the dogleg, which was recorded as 480 yards on the scorecard. However, as a dogleg, the actual distance travelled by the ball would have been shorter. Today, the scorecard shows a distance of 452 yards, and the carry to the approach to the green is approximately 250 yards.
A condor is an extremely rare feat in golf, considered the "rarest of the rare," where a golfer holes out four shots under par. Specifically, a condor is a hole-in-one on a par-5, a two on a par-6, or a three on a par-7. It is so rare that, in the history of golf, it has only been officially achieved six times.
Larry Bruce's historic condor was the first of five recorded condors that were a hole-in-one on a par-5. The other was achieved by American Kevin Pon, who scored a two on a par-6.
The rarity of a condor is such that some have questioned whether it is even possible on a properly designed course. While a par-6 hole can exist due to extreme downhill slopes, some argue that a well-designed course should not have a par-6. This suggests that a condor on a par-5 is a result of poor course design rather than a remarkable achievement.
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The rarest feat in golf
A condor is a golf score of four under par. In other words, a condor would be a hole-in-one on a par-five, a two on a par-six, or a three on a par-seven. This feat is so rare that it has only been achieved six times in history.
The first known condor was achieved by Larry Bruce in 1962, on the 5th hole at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas. The hole is recorded as 480 yards, but as a dogleg, the drive would have been shorter. The scorecard now shows 452 yards, and the carry to the approach to the green is around 250 yards.
In 1973, scratch golfer Dick Hogan scored a condor on the 8th hole at Piedmont Crescent in North Carolina. This hole was a 456-yard par-5. However, Hogan's achievement is not recognised on some lists of golfing condors due to doubts about whether the hole was a true par-5.
In 2002, Mike Crean drove the 9th green from the tee on the Green Valley Ranch golf course in Denver, a distance of 517 yards on the scorecard. This feat was recorded as the longest hole-in-one in golf history.
The last recorded par-5 condor came in 2007 when 16-year-old Jack Bartlett scored a hole-in-one on the 511-yard 17th hole at Wentworth Falls in Australia. This is the only condor with independent witnesses, as it was seen by both the group in front and a course marshal.
The sixth condor on record was achieved by Kevin Pon, a 54-year-old 10-handicap amateur golfer. On a par-6 hole at Lake Chabot Golf Course, Pon drove the ball 540 yards from an elevated tee, achieving one of the sport's most remarkable feats.
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Mike Crean's longest hole-in-one
Mike Crean, a professor at the University of Denver, achieved the longest hole-in-one in American history on 4 July 2002. The record-breaking shot took place on the 517-yard par-5 9th hole at Green Valley Ranch Golf Club in Denver, Colorado. The hole is listed in the U.S. Golf Register as the longest hole-in-one ever recorded.
Crean, who had been playing golf for 49 years at the time, achieved the feat under perfect conditions. The fairway was hot, the ground was hard, and he had a 30-mph tailwind. The high altitude of the course, which is located a mile above sea level, also played a factor in his achievement. Although no one actually witnessed the ball go into the hole, Crean believes that it is unlikely that anyone could have tampered with it without him or his three partners noticing.
Crean's achievement is considered extremely rare in golf, with only six condors (a hole-in-one that is four under par) officially recorded. Of these six, five were on par-5 holes, while the sixth was achieved by American Kevin Pon on a par-6 hole.
While Crean's shot was the longest hole-in-one ever recorded, it is not the only notable instance of a golfer achieving a condor. In 1962, Larry Bruce scored a condor on a 480-yard hole at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas. In 1973, Dick Hogan achieved a condor on a 456-yard hole at Piedmont Crescent in North Carolina. In 2007, 16-year-old Jack Bartlett became the youngest recorded person to score a condor on a 511-yard hole at Wentworth Falls in Australia.
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Jack Bartlett, the youngest condor scorer
Jack Bartlett is the youngest golfer to have scored a condor. At just 16 years old, Bartlett achieved this feat in 2007 at Wentworth Falls Country Club in New South Wales, Australia. He aced the 17th hole, which was a par-5 hole recorded as 467 meters (511 yards) on the scorecard. However, it was a dogleg left, so the direct distance was less than 511 yards.
Bartlett's achievement is even more remarkable considering he was a young amateur player. His condor is one of the few examples of a condor being scored by an amateur, making it special. In the world of golf, a condor is an extremely rare feat, achieved by scoring four under par on a hole. This usually means making a hole-in-one on a par-5 hole, although it can also be achieved with two strokes on a par-6 hole.
The probability of achieving a condor is incredibly low due to the perfect combination of skill, conditions, and luck required. The rarity of suitable par-5 or par-6 holes further decreases the likelihood of witnessing a condor. Bartlett's accomplishment is therefore all the more impressive, especially given his youth and amateur status.
The Wentworth Falls Country Club, where Bartlett scored his condor, is the only location where a condor has been independently witnessed by a group in front and a course marshal. This adds further credibility to Bartlett's achievement. Bartlett's condor is one of only six recorded condors worldwide over the last 60 years, joining the ranks of golfers like Larry Bruce, Dick Hogan, Shaun Lynch, Mike Crean, and Kevin Pon in achieving this mythical feat.
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What a condor score means
A condor is a golf score of four under par. This could be achieved with a hole-in-one on a par-5 hole, a two on a par-6 hole, or a three on a par-7 hole.
The condor is an extremely rare score: it has only been officially achieved six times in the history of golf. The first known condor was scored by Larry Bruce in 1962 on a 480-yard hole at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas. Other notable golfers to have achieved a condor include 16-year-old Jack Bartlett, who aced a 511-yard hole at Wentworth Falls in Australia in 2007, and Mike Crean, who scored a condor on a 517-yard hole in Denver in 2002.
The most recent recorded condor was achieved by Kevin Pon, a 54-year-old amateur golfer, in December 2024 at Lake Chabot Golf Course in Oakland, California. Pon's achievement was particularly remarkable because he scored a two on a 649-yard par-6 hole—one of only a handful of par-6 holes in the United States.
Due to the extreme rarity of the condor, some have questioned whether it is a meaningful achievement or simply a sign of a poorly designed course. However, the golfers who have achieved this feat represent a small group of players who have truly pushed the boundaries of what is possible in the sport.
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Frequently asked questions
A condor is a hole-in-one on a par-5, a two on a par-6, or a three on a par-7. It is a score of four under par and is the rarest feat in golf.
Only six golfers throughout history have achieved a condor.
The six golfers who scored a condor are Larry Bruce, Dick Hogan, Shaun Lynch, Mike Crean, Jack Bartlett, and Kevin Pon.
In 1962, Larry Bruce scored a condor on the 5th hole at the Hope Country Club in Arkansas. The hole is recorded as 480 yards, but the direct distance to the hole was less due to the dogleg.
Kevin Pon scored a condor on the 649-yard 18th hole at Lake Chabot Golf Course in Oakland, California. It is one of the few par-6 holes in the United States.
