Scoring an albatross in golf feels like hitting the lottery, but is there an even more elusive, lower score out there? The short answer is yes. This article will not only tell you what's lower than an albatross but also explain how these seemingly impossible scores are made and introduce you to the Mount Everest of golf achievements.
Before we can go lower, we need to establish the baseline. In the world of golf scoring, the rarest scores are often named after birds, getting more majestic as they become rarer. You’re likely familiar with a birdie (one-under-par) and an eagle (two-under-par). The next step up is the Albatross.
An aAlbatross, also known as a double eagle in the United States, is a score of three-under-par on a single hole. It's an incredible accomplishment that happens far less frequently than a hole-in-one. There are two primary ways to make one:
The odds of a professional golfer making an albatross are estimated to be around 1 million to 1, while for an average amateur, the odds soar to an incredible 6 million to 1. One of the most famous albatrosses in history was Gene Sarazen's "shot heard 'round the world" at the 1935 Masters. On the 15th hole, a par-5, he holed his second shot with a 4-wood from 235 yards, propelling him to an eventual victory. It’s a legendary shot that shows just how monumental an albatross really is.
So, what is lower than an albatross? The answer is a Condor.
A condor is the term for scoring four-under-par on a single hole. Just thinking about the mechanics of a condor reveals its mind-boggling difficulty. It means you holed a 515-yard par-5 in a single stroke.
A condor can only be achieved in one way: by making a hhole-in-one on a par-5. This is why it’s often called the rarest shot in golf, a feat so unlikely that it blurs the line between legendary sports moment and pure myth. While a hole-in-one on a par-3 involves one perfect shot on a relatively short hole, and an albatross requires two phenomenal shots, a condor demands a single, Herculean shot across an enormous distance that somehow finds the bottom of the cup.
You might think a condor is purely theoretical, but there are at least five verified instances in golf history. These moments weren't achieved with brute force alone, they almost always involved a very specific and unusual type of golf hole.
The common link between nearly all condors is a “horseshoe” or severe dogleg-shaped par-5. On these holes, a brave (or incredibly lucky) golfer can attempt to cut the corner by hitting the ball over a tall obstacle like trees or a hill, landing it directly on or near the green.
Here are the stories behind the legends:
Could you also make a condor by scoring a 2 on a par-6? While even rarer, the answer is yes. In 2007, an Australian golfer named Jack Bartlett recorded a 2 on the 667-yard 17th hole at theLinks Golf and Wellbeing in Port Douglas, Australia, reportedly holing out with a 3-wood for his second shot. It’s technically still a 4-under par condor, just achieved in a different way.
For the truly curious minds, the journey doesn't stop at the condor. Golf's scoring terminology has a name for a feat even more outlandish: the Ostrich.
An ostrich represents a score of five-under-par on a single hole. The only conceivable way to achieve this is by making a hole-in-one on a par-6. To this day, the Ostrich is considered a purely theoretical score. No verified case has ever been recorded, primarily because par-6 holes are very uncommon, and the sheer distance - often 650 yards or more - makes a hole-in-one a statistical impossibility. It’s a fun piece of golf trivia, but not something you're ever likely to see outside of a video game.
Keeping all these bird-themed scores straight can be a little confusing. Here is a simple breakdown from most common to rarest:
Let's be clear: a condor is less about a game plan and more about a once-in-a-lifetime combination of guts, luck, and circumstance. Unless you find yourself playing one of the world's most uniquely designed golf holes, it's not a practical an aspiration. The average par-5 is a three-shot hole for most mortals.
However, understanding what makes one possible taps into the heart of golf strategy: risk and reward.
A "condor-friendly" hole would require:
Thinking about a condor is a great reminder of the endless possibilities in golf. It highlights how course architecture can create unique challenges and how sometimes, the most audacious shot is the one that makes history.
In summary, the rarest score lower than an albatross is the condor, a 4-under-par holy grail of golf. While a condor or an ostrich remains a distant dream for pretty much everyone, knowing these incredible feats exist adds a layer of wonder to the game we all love. It's a reminder that no matter how well we play, golf always has another level of perfection to chase.
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