An albatross is a score of three strokes under par on a single hole. In the United States it's usually called a double eagle. It means a 2 on a par 5 or a hole-in-one on a par 4.
How rare is an albatross?
Very. An albatross is widely considered rarer than a hole-in-one, because most aces happen on par 3s, which every course has several of. An albatross usually requires holing a long second shot on a par 5, or driving a par 4 green and having the ball go in.
Where the name comes from
Golf's bird names started with the birdie in Atlantic City around 1899, followed by the eagle. When golfers needed a word for three under, British players reached for a rarer, bigger bird: the albatross. Scottish golf historians trace the first documented reference to 1929. Americans more often used "double eagle," and both terms are correct.
The most famous double eagle
At the 1935 Masters, Gene Sarazen holed a 4-wood from about 235 yards on the par 5 15th hole at Augusta National. The double eagle tied him for the lead, and he won the playoff the next day. The shot became known as "the shot heard round the world" and helped put the young tournament on the map.
Common questions
What is a condor in golf?
Four under par on a single hole, such as a hole-in-one on a par 5. Only a handful have ever been recorded, almost all on short, sharply doglegged or downhill par 5s.
Is an albatross the same as a double eagle?
Yes. Albatross is more common in Britain, double eagle in the US.
Long second shots into par 5s usually come off a fairway wood or hybrid. Browse used full sets, or see every scoring term in what is par and our golf terms glossary.
