Miles Bennett
In golf, an eagle is a score of two under par on a hole. It is considered a significant achievement and is often associated with a sense of majesty in American culture. After an eagle, the next best score in golf terminology is an albatross, also known as a double eagle. This is an even rarer feat, where a golfer scores three strokes under par on a single hole. The term albatross is primarily used in the United States and Canada, while double eagle is more common in other parts of the world like Europe and Australia. Understanding these scoring terms is essential for golfers to determine their progress on the course and can make the game more enjoyable for players of different skill levels.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Albatross or Double Eagle |
| Description | When a golfer scores three fewer strokes than par on an individual golf hole |
| Example | 2 strokes on a par-5 hole |
| Rarity | Albatross is rarer than a hole-in-one (ace) |
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What You'll Learn
Birdie
In golf, a birdie is a score of one stroke under par. The term originated in the early 20th century from the American slang term "bird", which meant anything excellent. According to a plaque at the Atlantic City Country Club, Ab Smith coined the phrase in 1903 after making a shot that landed just six inches from the cup, exclaiming, "That was a bird of a shot".
The term "birdie" quickly spread across country clubs and around the world. By 1919, the term had reached Britain, and it was introduced as an American term. The September 1911 edition of Maclean's Magazine described a golf shot as a "bird" flying straight down the course, about 215 yards.
In golf, par refers to the number of strokes an expert player would take to get from tee to hole. It represents a "good" round for professional golfers. Par courses are typically rated at 72 strokes for 18 holes, with par-3 holes requiring one stroke to the green, par-4 holes requiring two strokes, and par-5 holes requiring three.
After a birdie, the next best score is an eagle, which is two strokes under par.
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Albatross/Double Eagle
An "Albatross" or "Double Eagle" is when a golfer scores three fewer strokes than par on a single hole. This is most commonly achieved with two shots on a par-5 hole, but it can also be achieved with a hole-in-one on a par-4 hole. An albatross is considered a rarer feat than a hole-in-one.
The term "albatross" is used outside of the United States, while "double eagle" is the term used in American golf. The term "eagle" for two under par is an extension of the bird-related theme of good scores, with "birdie" being one under par. The term "eagle" was likely influenced by the fact that the eagle is the national symbol of the United States.
There have been some notable occurrences of albatrosses/double eagles in golf tournaments. Jeff Maggert is the only player to have scored a double eagle in more than one Major, achieving this feat in the 1994 Masters and again in the 2001 British Open Championship. On February 27, 2022, Danny Syring became the only golfer to score two double eagles/albatrosses in the same round on par-5 holes.
In addition, there have been several instances of golfers scoring a hole-in-one and a double eagle/albatross in the same round. As of February 2022, there have been sixteen such occurrences, including Norman Manley, Patrick Wills, and John Robert Wooden, who achieved this feat in 1939.
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Par
The term "par" is derived from the Latin word "par," meaning "equal" or "like." It was borrowed by American golf courses from the stock exchange, where it referred to the face value of a share. In golf, the term describes the ground score or the ideal number of strokes a skilled golfer should take to complete each hole. Distance, or more specifically "effective distance," is the main factor in determining a hole's par rating. Effective distance takes into account factors such as whether the hole is uphill or downhill and its elevation.
Understanding the concept of par is essential for golfers to determine their progress on the course. A golfer's score can be described as "under par" or "over par" depending on whether they took fewer or more strokes than par for a given hole. For example, if a player took 3 strokes to complete a par-3 hole, their score could be described as "one under par" or "-1." On the other hand, if they took 4 strokes to complete the same par-3 hole, their score would be "one over par" or "+1."
The term "par" is also used to reference the combined par of a group of golf holes. A full-length 18-hole golf course typically includes par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes. The "course par" for the 18 holes usually ranges from 69 to 73, with par-72 being the most common. Par can also be used for multiple rounds of golf. In the PGA tour, for example, tournaments are usually played over four days, with 18 holes played each day. On a par-72 golf course, par for four rounds would be 288.
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Bogey
In golf, a "bogey" is a term used to describe a golfer's score when they have taken one stroke more than par for a given hole. For example, on a par-4 hole, a golfer would score a bogey if they completed the hole in 5 strokes, giving them a score of 1-over par.
The term "bogey" was first used in England at the end of the 19th century. In 1890, Hugh Rotherham, the secretary of Coventry Golf Club, came up with the idea of standardising the number of shots that a good golfer should take on each hole, which he called the "ground score". Dr. Browne, the secretary of the Great Yarmouth Club, adopted this idea, and with the agreement of the club's golfers, this style of competition was introduced for match play. During one such competition, a golfer exclaimed to Dr. Browne that one of the players was a "regular Bogey man". This was likely a reference to the popular Edwardian music hall song "Hush! Hush! Hush! Here Comes the Bogey Man". As a result, the ground score became known as the bogey score, and golfers of the time considered they were playing against a "Mister Bogey" when measuring themselves against the bogey score.
In the early 20th century, as golf developed and scores improved, the Americans began to refer to one over par as a bogey, which was soon adopted in Britain as well. Today, a bogey is considered a bad result for a low-handicap or professional golfer, but for new and less skilled golfers, it is often a satisfactory outcome to only need one more stroke than par to complete a hole.
If a golfer goes more than one stroke over par, they can score a double bogey (2-over par), triple bogey (3-over par), or even higher.
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Hole-in-one
A hole-in-one is an impressive achievement in golf. It occurs when a golfer hits the ball directly from the tee into the hole with just one stroke. This feat is also known as an "ace", and it is considered a rare accomplishment, with the average golfer's chances of achieving it being 12,500 to 1 on a par-3 hole. The odds improve for professional golfers, but only to 2,500 to 1.
While aces typically occur on par-3 holes, they have been known to happen on par-4 and even par-5 holes. A hole-in-one on a par-4 hole is known as an "albatross" or "double eagle", and on a par-5 hole, it is called a "condor". These terms refer to scoring two or three strokes under par on a single hole, respectively, and they are even rarer feats than a hole-in-one on a par-3.
The term "ace" reflects the achievement's rarity and excellence, echoing the use of "ace" in tennis to denote a serve that is both rare and excellent. The term "hole-in-one" is also used in other sports, such as pool, where it refers to a shot that results in sinking all of the balls in a single stroke.
The odds of a hole-in-one occurring are so slim that some golfers play for years without ever achieving one. As a result, golfers often strive for a hole-in-one as a significant milestone in their golfing journey. The achievement is celebrated and commemorated in various ways, such as with a special certificate or plaque, and it is a moment of pride for any golfer lucky enough to accomplish it.
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Frequently asked questions
After an eagle, the next best score is an albatross (or double eagle), which is achieved by scoring three strokes under par on a single hole.
Albatrosses are considered one of the rarest achievements in golf, even more uncommon than scoring an eagle.
After an albatross/double eagle, the next best score is a condor, which is achieved by scoring four strokes under par on a single hole.
Only four condors have been recorded in PGA history.
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