A "condor" is the lowest individual hole score ever made and are exceptionally rare. This would be a hole-in-one on a par-5 or a 2 on a par-6, and yes, par-6s do exist, but are exceptionally rare and an ace, or hole-in-one, has never been recorded on one. There have been four condors recorded throughout history on par-5 holes. This has occurred only once on a straight drive, for a record 517 yards, and never during a professional tournament.
According to Billy Sandy, “Golfaholic”,...
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Double Eagle – Albatross, Three-Under-Par, -3
There are several ways to explain the golf scoring terms "double eagle" or "albatross". I have chosen to quote the explanation posted on www.cureaslice.com.
“This term is much less commonly known or used in the golf scoring system; probably because it is so rare. Most golfers will never sniff the albatross golf term in their own golfing vocabulary. An albatross golf score is a term used for three under par on any single hole.”
“An albatross is an extremely rare sea bird, and it’s...
Eagle, Two-Under-Par, -2
The scoring term "eagle", for two-under-par, also has an Atlantic City Country Club origin and was first seen in print in 1922. Eagles usually occur when a golfer hits the ball far enough to reach the green with fewer strokes than expected. This most commonly happens on par-5 holes, although it occasionally occurs on short par-4s. A hole-in-one on a par-3 hole also results in an eagle. The term is simply analogous to a birdie. The name was given so that a larger bird would represent a...
Birdie, One-Under-Par, - 1
There is no doubt that the term "birdie" is of American origin. There are, however, several versions of the origin and how the term "birdie" came into existence. This term or expression was first coined in 1899 at the atlantic City Country Club in Northfield, New Jersey. Three golfers, George Crump, William Poultney Smith and his brother Abner "Ab" Smith were playing together. All stories agree on this point.
William E. Kelly, Jr., the author of "Birth of the Birdie", and a freelance journalist,...
Par, Even, E
According to Neil Laird, in “Scottish Golf History”, at www.scottishgolfhistory.net, a most delightful read, "par" is derived from the stock exchange term that a stock may be above or below its normal or 'par' figure. In 1870, Mr. A.H. Doleman, a golf writer, asked as the golf professionals David Strath ans James Anderson, what score would win “The Belt”, then the winning trophy for “The Open”, at Prestwick, where it was first held annually from 1861 to 1870. Strath and Anderson said that perfect play should...
Bogey
"Bogey" was the first stroke scoring system developed in England at the end of the 19th Century. The full history is given in Robert Browning's “History of Golf”, 1955. In 1890 Mr. Hugh Rotherham, Secretary of the Coventry Golf Club, conceived the idea of srandardizing the number of shots at each hole that a good golfer should take, which he called the 'ground score'. Dr. Browne, Secretary of the Great Yarmouth Club, adopted the idea, and with the assent of the club’s golfers, this style of competition was introduced...
Understanding Golf Scoring Language
Golf has its own language, and its scoring lingo can be especially puzzling to understand. If understanding golf scores seems like a foreign language, the following table of golf scoring terms can help you feel right at home on the course.
Scoring TermWhat It Means
AceHole in one
Albatross/double eagleThree strokes under par on a hole
EagleTwo strokes under par on a hole
BirdieOne stroke under par on a hole
ParScore a good player would expect to make on a hole or round
BogeyOne stroke over par on a hole
Double bogeyTwo strokes over par on a...