An albatross in the game of golf refers to a score of three under par in one hole. This simply translates to having a second shot in a par 5 hole or nailing a hole-in-one in a par 4 hole. It is commonly referred to as a double eagle by Americans and regardless of how you refer to it, it is the most uncommon score that you will see in most golf games, with the odds being estimated at six million to 1.
Asking What Is an Albatross in Golf is, then you need to understand that it is a better score than an eagle and it is also an inferior score to a condor. In the course of this article, you will learn all about the ladder of golf scores, the two methods of achieving it, why it is more uncommon than a hole-in-one, the origin of the bird names, and the famous albatrosses that made changes in tournaments.
The Short Version
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| What is it? | Three strokes under par on one hole |
| Also called | A double eagle, which is the common US term |
| On a par 5 | A score of 2, by holing your second shot |
| On a par 4 | A hole-in-one |
| On a par 3 | Not possible. That would need a score of zero |
| Odds for an amateur | Commonly estimated at about 6 million to 1 |
| Rarer than a hole-in-one? | Yes, by a wide margin |
| Albatrosses at the Masters | Four, in 1935, 1967, 1994 and 2012 |
| One better | A condor, four under par, with only a handful ever recorded |
Golf’s Full Scoring Ladder
| Term | Relative to par | On a par 5 | How often you will see it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Condor | 4 under | A hole-in-one | A handful in recorded history |
| Albatross or double eagle | 3 under | 2 | Once in a lifetime, if you are lucky |
| Eagle | 2 under | 3 | A few times a season for a good player |
| Birdie | 1 under | 4 | Regularly for most committed golfers |
| Par | Level | 5 | The benchmark |
| Bogey | 1 over | 6 | The most common score in amateur golf |
| Double bogey | 2 over | 7 | Several per round for many players |
| Triple bogey | 3 over | 8 | The round-wrecker |
The Two Ways to Make an Albatross
There are only two routes, and one of them is far more common than the other.
Holing Out From the Fairway on a Par 5
That is how just about all albatrosses are created, and even all those ever recorded in a major championship. You hit a long drive on an easy-to-reach par 5, and then you hole out for the second shot at a distance of 180 yards to 270 yards.
There are special conditions that have to be met. The hole must be reachable in two shots, normally up to 500 yards with firm footing or following wind. It requires a drive that is sufficiently long and straight so that there will be an easy line. Your approach shot must land in the right position so that it flies into or rolls into the cup. In most cases, it is both a great shot and a lucky bounce.
A Hole-in-One on a Par 4
Driveable par 4 does occur but typically measures less than 320 yards, and making an albatross on one of them counts as an albatross. This is clearly the lesser known path for making the albatross and, while part of the reason for that may be that there aren’t very many short par 4s,
no albatross achieved at a major championship has ever followed this path. All albatrosses recorded in majors have been a two on a par 5.
How Rare Is an Albatross
Rarer than a hole-in-one, which surprises people, because an ace is the shot everyone has heard about.
| Feat | Commonly quoted odds | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Hole-in-one, average golfer | About 12,500 to 1 | One swing, a short hole, and plenty of chances every round |
| Hole-in-one, tour player | Around 3,000 to 1 | Better control and far more par 3s played |
| Albatross, average golfer | About 6 million to 1 | You need distance, accuracy and luck on the same hole |
| Condor | No reliable estimate | Fewer than ten are documented anywhere |
The answer is straightforward. In every round, each player has an equal opportunity to hole a ball out from 150 yards away on four par 3 holes. There is no amateur player that regularly reaches a par 5 hole in just two shots, and when they do, it is usually with a long iron or fairway wood, the most difficult club to use.
The odds above are an estimation and not actual numbers. The rounds played are not counted, so take it as a scale rather than a calculated probability.
Why Is It Called an Albatross
The golfing names of scores are derived from a bird metaphor which began in the US during the early 1900s. The tale that is normally told is about how a golfer on a course in New Jersey in 1903 achieved a bird of a flight shot, then putted for one under and so birdie became the word used.
It then progressed to the birds getting more prestigious. Two under became known as an eagle, an even more prestigious bird in America. Three under became an albatross in British use, since the albatross is one of the rarest birds that a seaman can expect to encounter and the name dates back to around 1929.
The US used a different method and termed three under a double eagle, hence the two terms. It makes more logical sense for the albatross terminology to make more sense because double eagle means four under, not three. However, double eagles became the norm in America following Gene Sarazen’s legendary hole in 1935.
Four under is known as a condor while five under, which would require a hole-in-one
The Most Famous Albatrosses in Golf
Gene Sarazen, 1935 Masters
The one everyone talks about. During his Masters’ second appearance, Sarazen was standing on the par-5 15th hole on the final day trailing by three strokes from Craig Wood, who had just completed the round. He played a 4-wood shot from about 235 yards away and made a hole-in-one, nullifying the deficit in one stroke.
This forced a playoff that Sarazen won the following day after 36 holes. This was known as the shot heard ’round the world, and it accomplished more than just helping him win a tournament. It put the young and little-known Masters on the sports map.
Bruce Devlin, 1967 Masters
Devlin holed out on the par-5 8th at Augusta in the first round, the second albatross in Masters history and the first in 32 years.
Jeff Maggert, 1994 Masters and 2001 Open
Maggert got his first one at the par-five 13th hole at Augusta during the 1994 Masters tournament. The second one was made on the 6th hole at Royal Lytham during the 2001 Open Championship. Maggert is the only player to make an albatross in two different majors.
Louis Oosthuizen, 2012 Masters
Oosthuizen chipped in a 4-iron from around 253 yards on the par-5 second hole during the final round and scored an albatross, marking the first albatross ever achieved on this hole, and it was his fourth overall at the Masters tournament. Oosthuizen later lost the tournament during a play-off against Bubba Watson., which is a reminder that even the rarest shot in golf does not guarantee anything.
What Is Better Than an Albatross
Only a condor, which is four under par for a single hole. What this means is that a hole-in-one on a par 5 hole is required to achieve such a score. Only a few instances are recorded, all occurring in short, dog-legged or very downhill holes.
Less than 10 condors have been recorded in the history of golf, with none ever occurring in professional tournaments. If an albatross is a once in a lifetime score, then a condor is a once in a generation one.
What to Do If You Make One
Make sure that there are witnesses to verify it. An albatross, similar to a hole-in-one, is only as official as those witnesses who are there to see it, and most golf courses would like for your playing partners to sign the scorecard before it is put up on the honors board.
Mark your ball, hold onto it, and go to the pro shop. Most courses keep records of albatrosses forever, and there is an honors board at many golf courses for this shot. Also, the tradition of buying a round of drinks at the bar after a hole-in-one applies, just as firmly as it does for an ace.
Final Take
So what does albatross mean in golf? It means that a golfer is three strokes under par in one particular hole, so it will be a score of two in case the hole is par 5 or even an ace in case the hole is par 4, and in America it is known as double eagle. An albatross ranks right after the eagle and before the condor on the bird-related scale of scoring in golf, the chances are about 6 million to 1 against a novice, and just four have ever occurred during the Masters tournament.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an albatross in golf?
An albatross is a score of three under par on a single hole, achieved by holing your second shot on a par 5 or making a hole-in-one on a par 4. It is also called a double eagle.
Is an albatross the same as a double eagle?
Yes. Albatross is the British term and double eagle is the American one, and both describe a score of three under par on one hole.
What are the odds of making an albatross?
Commonly quoted odds are about 6 million to 1 for an amateur golfer, compared with roughly 12,500 to 1 for a hole-in-one. These are estimates rather than measured figures.
Is an albatross rarer than a hole-in-one?
Yes, by a wide margin. Every golfer plays several par 3s a round with a chance of an ace, while very few can reach a par 5 in two shots at all.
How many albatrosses have been made at the Masters?
Four. Gene Sarazen in 1935, Bruce Devlin in 1967, Jeff Maggert in 1994 and Louis Oosthuizen in 2012, each on a different hole.
Can you make an albatross on a par 3?
No. Three under par on a par 3 would mean a score of zero, which is impossible. The best score available on a par 3 is a hole-in-one, which is an eagle.
What is four under par on a hole called?
A condor, which usually means a hole-in-one on a par 5. Fewer than ten are credibly documented in golf history, and none have been made in professional competition.
Who made the most famous albatross in golf?
Gene Sarazen, at the 1935 Masters. He holed a 4-wood from about 235 yards on the par-5 15th to erase a three-shot deficit, forced a playoff and won it the next day.
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