Albatross
In golf, a score of three strokes under par on a single hole — rarer than a hole-in-one on most holes, and also called a double eagle.
Definition
An albatross is a golf score of three under par on one hole, for example a two on a par five, or a hole-in-one on a par four. It sits above a birdie (one under) and an eagle (two under) in golf's family of under-par scores and is one of the rarest achievements in the sport.
In the United States the same score is commonly called a "double eagle." Because it requires either a holed second shot on a long hole or an ace on a par four, an albatross is far less common than an eagle and rarer still than a hole-in-one on a par three. The name follows golf's bird theme, in which progressively better scores take the names of increasingly impressive birds.
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Rules
- Penalty strokes in golfStrokes added to a player’s score in defined situations, such as hitting out of bounds or losing a ball.
- Three-hit ruleThe volleyball rule that a team may contact the ball at most three times before it must cross the net.
- Ball-handling faultsVolleyball faults for catching, carrying or double-contacting the ball rather than cleanly hitting it.
- Order of playThe convention that decides who plays next in a golf group — normally the player whose ball is furthest from the hole.
- Foot faultA serving fault called when the server's foot touches the baseline or court before striking the ball.
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- Content updated
- 2026-09-01
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