“Albatross” term in golf is used for one of the rarest achievements on a hole. Not just average golfers, many professionals couldn’t achieve it in their lifetime. So, what does the golf term “albatross” actually mean? What are the odds of achieving it? What do you need to do to get it? This post covers it all and much more about an albatross in golf. Let’s get down to it.
What is an Albatross In Golf?
Albatross, sometimes called a double eagle, is 3-under par on a hole. It means you need to take 3 strokes less than the par. You must play on par-4 or longer to achieve an albatross. Par 4s are usually more than 200 yards. Only by making a hole-in-one there will get an albatross.
How Do You Score an Albatross in Golf?
You need to take 3 shots less than the par on a single hole. Strike only 2 shots to hole a par-5 for scoring an albatross. On a par-4, make a hole-in-one. Albatross is mostly achieved on par-5. You can achieve it on a par-4 too, but it is quite rare.
What are the Odds of Making an Albatross?
There is no accurate record for the odds of scoring an albatross. But it is estimated that the odds of making an albatross are 6 million to 1. While some think, the odds are around 1 million to 1. Being struck by lightning has much more chances than scoring an albatross.
Has Tiger Woods Hit an Albatross?
Surprisingly, Tiger Woods has never hit an albatross despite being one of the best in golf. He was very close to it at the Waste Management Phoenix Open in 2015. The ball was just 7 inches far from the pin on the second shot. This alone proves that it’s pretty hard to achieve an albatross.
What is the Most Famous Albatross in Golf?
The most famous albatross was by Gene Sarazen in 1935 at Augusta National Golf Club. He hit it on the 15th hole of the final round Masters Tournament. It got famous as “the shot heard ’round the world”. It was the first albatross in a Major Championship.
Is Albatross Better than Hole-in-One?
It depends on the par of the hole. On par-4 holes, albatross and hole-in-one are the same. But on the par-5 or longer, hole-in-one is better. Albatross is taking 3 strokes under the par on a single hole. Hole-in-one is taking just 1 shot to hole, no matter what the par is.
It is possible to get hole-in-one in par-3 holes. But it has to be longer than par-3 for albatross. If you take 1 shot to hole a par-3, then it is hole-in-one. But it isn’t albatross. On par-4 holes, albatross and hole-in-one are the same. You need to hole in 1 shot to gain both. However, on par-5 holes, taking 2 shots to hole will gain you an albatross. It won’t gain you a hole-in-one. Regardless of the par of holes, you still need to take only 1 shot to hole for gaining hole-in-one.
Is there something better than albatross golf?
Yes, ‘Condor’ is better than albatross. Condor is getting 4 under par on a single hole. It is when you make a hole-in-one on par-5. Larry Bruce was the first person to achieve a condor. He made it happen in 1962 on a 480 yard par-5 hole at Hope Country Club.
Summing it up
It isn’t impossible to hit an albatross. List of albatrosses in notable tournaments is proof of that. But if it were so easy, there wouldn’t have been a list either. It’s a challenge you can give to yourself. But not achieving it won’t make you a bad golfer either, as even Tiger Woods didn’t hit one.
