It's the Albatross!

As most of you would know, in golf, each hole on the course is assigned a number of strokes that is considered standard for that hole. In golf terminology, it is called 'par' for the hole - basically a synonym for standard. Now, if 4 strokes is par for a hole, then completing it in 3 strokes is not called just 1 below par. Instead, it has a special term 'birdie'. Similarly, 2 strokes below par is instead called 'eagle'. On the other hand, 1 above par is called 'bogey'. Instead of coining more terms, 2 above par is unimaginatively called 'double bogey' and 3 above par is called 'triple bogey'. (Never heard of anyone doing worse than that! :))

Now, on most golf courses, all holes are one of par-3, par-4 or par-5. Clearly, atleast one stroke needs to be made! And, the par-5 holes have presumably been classified as such since they are significantly longer (from the tee to the hole) than any of the par-4s. So, the best one can hope for is either a hole-in-one on a par-4 or to complete a par-5 in two strokes. However, I've never seen either of these happen live on TV and so, I've always wondered whether there is any special term at all for 3 below par. Surely, they must have some term to celebrate such a occasion than try to dryly capture the player's jubiliation with the statement - 'He just scored a 3 below par!'. :) I finally came across the term for it today while following the British Open. It is called the albatross! I came across the term not because one of the players scored an albatross, but rather because one of the players just missed out on making one. On his second shot on a par-5 hole, the ball went right at the hole and then bounced off the flagpole!!

Anyway, my long-lasting quest for 'the' term has finally ended - it's the albatross. Birdie, eagle, albatross ... who the hell came up with these terms!

Cheers,
Harsha