Albatross
An albatross is a score of three under par on a single golf hole. On a par 5, that means completing the hole in just two strokes. On a par 4, it requires a hole-in-one. Also called a “double eagle” in the United States, the albatross is one of the rarest achievements in the game.
What is an albatross in golf?
An albatross is when a golfer finishes a hole three strokes below its par rating. Par is the number of strokes a skilled golfer is expected to need on a given hole, and it varies by length. A par 3 typically measures under 250 yards, a par 4 ranges from 251 to 470 yards, and a par 5 stretches beyond 400 yards, according to the United States Golf Association (USGA) distance guidelines.
There are two ways to make an albatross. The more common route is holing out in two strokes on a par 5, which means reaching the green with a second shot, often from 200 yards or more, and sinking it. The other is a hole-in-one on a par 4. Scoring an albatross on a par 3 is impossible, since three under par would require completing the hole in zero strokes.
The albatross sits within golf’s bird-themed scoring system. A birdie is one under par and an eagle is two under. Beyond the albatross at three under, a condor (four under) exists in theory but has been recorded only a handful of times in the sport’s history.
Albatross vs. double eagle
“Albatross” and “double eagle” describe the same score: three under par on a single hole. The difference is regional. “Albatross” originated in the United Kingdom, where the first known written use appeared in a 1929 newspaper in Hartlepool, England. “Double eagle” developed in American golf circles, with documented uses appearing as early as 1920 in The American Golfer magazine.
Today, “albatross” is the more widely used term internationally, while “double eagle” remains common in the United States. Both are understood everywhere the game is played. Gene Sarazen, who scored the most famous three-under-par hole in history at the 1935 Masters, reportedly called his shot a “dodo,” a label that never caught on.
| Albatross | Double eagle | |
| Meaning | Three under par | Three under par |
| Origin | United Kingdom (1929) | United States (~1920) |
| Usage today | Preferred internationally | Common in the US |
How rare is an albatross?
For amateur golfers, the odds sit at roughly 6 million to 1. Professionals face far better chances at approximately 1 in 6,000 rounds, but even at that rate, the score remains uncommon on tour, and fewer than 20 albatrosses have been recorded across all major championships combined.
A hole-in-one, by comparison, happens at a rate of about 1 in 12,500 for amateurs. That makes an albatross roughly 480 times less likely. The Double Eagle Club estimates that only a few hundred albatrosses occur worldwide each year, compared with over 30,000 holes-in-one.
The math explains the gap. A hole-in-one requires one great shot. An albatross on a par 5 demands two in a row, with the second often traveling 200 yards or more into the cup. Fewer than 10% of recreational golfers can reach a par-5 green in two shots, which means most players never get a realistic opportunity.
Where does the term come from?
Golf’s bird-themed scoring vocabulary began with “birdie.” In 1899, at Atlantic City Country Club in New Jersey, a golfer named Ab Smith reportedly called a one-under-par score a “bird,” borrowing slang of the era that meant something excellent. The term stuck.
“Eagle” came next. Two under par deserved a bigger bird, and the eagle, a national symbol in the United States, filled that role. The word appeared in American golf writing by the 1910s. When three-under-par scores started happening more often in the late 1920s, the pattern called for an even rarer bird. Albatrosses, seabirds that can travel thousands of miles over open ocean and rarely come to shore, fit the bill.
The earliest known golf reference appeared in the Hartlepool Mail in August 1929, according to research published by Scottish Golf History. The first albatross actually reported under that name was scored by E.E. Wooler at Durban Country Club in South Africa in 1931, a hole-in-one on a par 4.
Steel-shafted clubs likely accelerated the need for the term. The USGA legalized steel shafts in 1924, and the R&A (golf’s governing body in the UK and internationally) followed in 1929. These clubs allowed golfers to hit the ball farther than hickory shafts ever could, making two-shot finishes on par 5s more achievable for the first time.
Golf scoring terms compared
| Term | Score relative to par | Example |
| Double bogey | +2 | 7 on a par 5 |
| Bogey | +1 | 5 on a par 4 |
| Par | Even | 4 on a par 4 |
| Birdie | -1 | 3 on a par 4 |
| Eagle | -2 | 3 on a par 5 |
| Albatross (double eagle) | -3 | 2 on a par 5 |
| Condor | -4 | 1 on a par 5 |
Each step down the table represents a large jump in rarity. PGA Tour players averaged about 3.7 birdies per round in 2019, according to tour statistics, and eagles show up a few times during a typical tournament week as well. An entire PGA Tour season might produce only one or two albatrosses, and condors have been recorded just four times in the sport’s professional history.
Related Golf Terms
- Birdie – One stroke under par on a single hole
- Eagle – Two strokes under par on a single hole
- Par – The expected number of strokes for a hole, based on its length
- Bogey – One stroke over par on a single hole
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an albatross the same as a double eagle?
Yes. Both terms describe a score of three under par on one hole. “Albatross” is standard outside the United States, while “double eagle” is more common in American golf.
Is an albatross rarer than a hole-in-one?
By a wide margin. Amateur odds for a hole-in-one sit at about 1 in 12,500, while albatross odds are roughly 1 in 6 million.
Has anyone scored an albatross at the Masters?
Gene Sarazen scored the most famous one in 1935 on the 15th hole at Augusta National, holing a 4-wood from 235 yards. Louis Oosthuizen made one on the second hole in 2012. Four albatrosses have been recorded at the Masters in total.
Sources
- Scottish Golf History. “Albatross in Golf.” Accessed April 2026.
- PGA.com. “Odds of a Hole-in-One, Albatross, Condor and Golf’s Other Unlikely Shots.” Accessed April 2026.
- United States Golf Association. “FAQ: Golf History Questions.” Accessed April 2026.
- The Golf News Net. “What’s the right term: albatross or double eagle?” Accessed April 2026.
- Golfbit. “Golf Scoring Terms.” Accessed April 2026.
