What Is a Score of 2 on a Golf Hole Called?

You just had the pleasure of writing down a "2" on your golf scorecard. What is that score called? We'll tell you what it's called: great! But we'll also tell you what the golf scoring terms are for playing a golf hole in just two strokes.

Each hole on a golf course carries a number that represents par, par being the number of strokes an expert golfer is expected to need to play that hole. A par of three is the lowest possible, so if you've played a hole using only two strokes you've beaten par. And that is a very, very good thing in the game of golf. In fact, for high-handicappers, occasional recreational golfers and beginners, making a 2 on any hole is something close to miraculous.

So what is a score of 2 called? That depends on the par of the hole. This is how it breaks down:

• A score of 2 on a par-3 hole is called a birdie.
• A score of 2 on a par-4 hole is called an eagle.
• A score of 2 on a par-5 hole is called a double eagle or an albatross.
• A score of 2 on a par-6 hole is called a condor.

Birdie is the term for playing a hole in one stroke less than that hole's par, which is why scoring 2 on a par-3 is called a birdie. An eagle means playing a hole in two strokes less than par; double eagle and albatross, three strokes less than par; condor, four strokes less than par.

Double eagles/albatrosses, by the way, are rarer than holes-in-one. And there have been only a handful of condors made in all of golf history. In theory, because it's never happened (and because par-7 holes only exist on a few golf courses), a score of 2 on a par-7 hole would be called an ostrich.

More definitions:

• What is a score of 1 on a golf hole called?
• Eagle vs. birdie: What's the difference?
• The meaning of 'triple bogey' and example scores