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What is the albatross in golf?

Author

James Craig

Published Jan 24, 2026

Albatross: This term means three under par, but the "double eagle" synonym is simply a continuation of the aviary theme of good scores. The albatross is rare, as is a three under par.

Is a double eagle the same as an albatross?

An albatross, also called a double eagle, is a score of three-under-par on a single hole. This is most commonly achieved with two shots on a par-5, but can be done with a hole-in-one on a par-4.

Why is a hole-in-one called an albatross?

It's believed that the only explanation is a continuation of the 'bird' theme for under-par scores with the size of the bird getting bigger as the score gets lower, hence "birdie," "eagle," "albatross," "condor."

How many albatrosses have there been in the PGA?

Only 18 albatrosses achieved, in history, at major tournaments.

What is the rarest shot in golf?

Scoring a condor is the rarest event in golf. This is normally a hole in one at a par five (a two at a par six would also count, but this has never been done). Only five condors have ever been recorded: The most recent was Kevin Pon, who made a 2 on a par 6 at Lake Chabot Golf Course on the 10th December 2020.

17 related questions found

What is better albatross or hole-in-one?

The odds of scoring a hole in-one, or ace, is 12,000 to 1, while an albatross is six million to 1, according to golf experts. The odds of doing both in the same round are, well, almost incalculable. Consider that golf greats like Tiger Woods and Arnold Palmer have never had an albatross during a PGA Tour event.

Who has the most hole in ones in golf?

Norman Manley of California is perhaps the luckiest or most skilful golfer in the world with his record of a whopping 59 hole in ones. Luckily he made them over a 15-year timeframe between 1964 and 1979.

Has Tiger Woods hit an albatross?

Although Tiger has never recorded an albatross on TOUR, his closest call came in 2015 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, which was won by Brooks Koepka. After a 329-yard drive, Tiger hit his second shot just 7 inches from the pin for a tap-in eagle.

Has anyone shot an albatross in golf?

An incredibly rare feat, an albatross has only been made a handful of time at any of the fours Majors - the Masters, U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship. This score is achieved in one of two ways: a hole-in-one on a par-4, or a 2 on a par-5.

Has anyone ever made an ostrich in golf?

Ostriches almost never happen in golf.

In fact, obtaining a score of five-under par has never happened in a professional golf match. This feat is so rare that there are no recorded instances of it actually happening.

What is the best round of golf ever played?

The best score for one round of golf in a PGA Tour tournament is 58. That score has been posted only once so far, and it was by Jim Furyk. Furyk's all-time record round of 58 happened in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut.

Has anyone ever aced a par 5?

Has there ever been an ace on a par-5? Although no one in PGA Tour history has ever recorded an ace on a par-5, there have actually been five records of par-5 holes-in-one. And no, none of them were from Happy Gilmore. The first “condor” occurred in 1962 off the club of Larry Bruce.

Is there anything better than an albatross in golf?

An eagle is 2-under par on a hole. A double bogey is 2-over par on a hole. A double eagle (very rare) is 3-under par (also called an "albatross"). A triple bogey is 3-over par.

What is a dodo in golf?

The day after Gene Sarazen made an albatross in the final round of the 1935 Masters using a 4-wood from 235 yards, he called it a dodo. Tagsalbatross golf terms.

Why do they call an albatross a double eagle?

The term 'eagle' is used to describe playing a hole in two-under-par. For example, playing a par-4 in two shots or a par-5 in three shots. Therefore, a 'double-eagle' would presumably be twice the value.

Has anyone ever birdied all 18 holes?

No man or woman on any significant professional golf tour has birdied all 18 holes—in other words, scored a 54—in a single round. (Jim Furyk holds the PGA Tour record with a 58.)

Why are golf terms named after birds?

Birdie: In the 19th century, the term "bird" was the equivalent of "cool" or "excellent" - golf scholars believe this is where the term came from. An Atlantic City, New Jersey, course claims that the term originated there in 1903. The meaning being a score of one under par.

What is 3 shots under par called?

For hole completions three strokes under par is recognized in golf as Albatross. This is also known as “double eagle” in relation to the “birdie” and “eagle” theme. More on albatross in golf here. The reasoning for the name is that albatross is a very rare bird and so is scoring three under par.

What does condor mean in golf?

Condor is an unofficial name for a hole score of four strokes fewer than par (four under par, −4). A condor is also known as a double albatross, or a triple eagle. This is the lowest individual hole score ever made, relative to par.

How many hole in ones does Tiger Woods have?

Woods has hit a hole-in-one 20 times in the course of his lifetime, his first at the age of six. Three have come in PGA Tour competitions, at the 1996 Greater Milwaukee Open, 1997 Phoenix Open, and1998 Sprint International. Wood is the only golfer to win four majors in a row.

What pro golfer has never had a hole-in-one?

After all Rory McIlroy has done in his still-young career, it is surprising to learn that he has never had a hole-in-one as a tournament professional.

How many holes-in-one has Phil Mickelson had?

The record for most holes in one on the PGA tour is 10, which is shared by Robert Allenby and Hal Sutton. Phil Mickelson has recorded five hole in ones. Kathy Whitworth holds the record for the most holes in one with 11 on the LPGA tour.

Is albatross in golf good?

The excellent Scottish Golf History website posits that the Americans simply inserted their national bird here. Albatross: This term means three under par, but the "double eagle" synonym is simply a continuation of the aviary theme of good scores. The albatross is rare, as is a three under par.

What are the odds of hitting an albatross?

The Double Eagle Club, which touts itself as, "the worldwide registry for double eagles scored," features a story from former longtime Golf World writer Bill Fields, that states the odds of an albatross are an estimated 6 million to 1.

Is an eagle harder than a hole-in-one?

Very, very difficult — a double eagle is much rarer than the hole-in-one. To score an albatross, a golfer has to hole out in two strokes (record a score of two) on a par-5 hole, or make a hole-in-one (a score of one) on a par-4 hole.