Golf Scoring Terms Explained: Every Score From Birdie to Condor
Updated July 2026
Golf scores relative to par, and every number relative to par has its own name. One under is a birdie, two under is an eagle, three under is an albatross, and the almost-mythical four under is a condor. Going the other direction, one over is a bogey, two over a double bogey, and it keeps counting from there with no cute names once you're past double. Here's the full list, in order, with what it actually takes to make each one.
- Par: the expected number of strokes for a skilled player on a given hole — the baseline everything else is measured against.
- Birdie (−1), eagle (−2), albatross (−3), and condor (−4) are the below-par terms, each rarer than the last.
- Bogey (+1), double bogey (+2), and beyond are the above-par terms — no special names past double bogey in common use.
- An ace (hole-in-one) is its own category — the ball goes in on the very first stroke of the hole.
- Only four condors have ever been documented in recorded golf history — it's essentially a physically extreme, extremely lucky event.
What Does "Par" Actually Mean?
Par is the number of strokes a proficient golfer is expected to need to complete a hole, factoring in two putts on the green. Most holes are par 3, 4, or 5, and a full 18-hole course is typically par 70 to 72. Every other scoring term on this page is defined relative to par, not as an absolute number.
The Under-Par Terms
| Term | Score vs. Par | How It's Typically Made |
|---|---|---|
| Birdie | −1 | One-putting a par-3 or par-4 you reached in regulation, or two-putting a par-5 reached in one shot fewer than expected |
| Eagle | −2 | Reaching a par-5 in two shots and one-putting, or holing a full approach on a par-4 |
| Albatross (double eagle) | −3 | Holing a second shot on a par-5, or a hole-in-one on a par-4 |
| Condor | −4 | A hole-in-one on a par-5, or a second shot on a par-6 — vanishingly rare |
For the full rarity breakdown and the most famous eagle/albatross in golf history, see the dedicated eagle in golf explainer.
The Over-Par Terms
| Term | Score vs. Par |
|---|---|
| Bogey | +1 |
| Double bogey | +2 |
| Triple bogey | +3 |
| Beyond triple | Usually just called by the number over — "quadruple," "quintuple," etc. |
There's no shame in a bogey — plenty of good rounds have a few in them. Bogey golf (averaging about one over par per hole, roughly a 90 on a par-72) is a completely respectable recreational standard.
What's an Ace?
An ace, or hole-in-one, is when the ball goes in the cup on the very first stroke of the hole — almost always on a par-3, since reaching a par-4 or par-5 green in one shot is essentially unheard of outside of extremely short, drivable holes. Amateur odds are commonly cited around 1 in 12,500 on a given par-3 attempt; PGA Tour pros are estimated closer to 1 in 2,500 given their far more consistent contact and distance control.
What About Slang Terms Like "Snowman" or "Breakfast Ball"?
Those live outside official scoring vocabulary but come up constantly on the course. A "snowman" is golf slang for an 8 on a hole (the shape of the number). A "breakfast ball" is a casual do-over off the first tee — which is really just a mulligan by another name, and equally against the actual rules.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- It's just called "par" or "making par" — there's no separate slang term the way there is for over- or under-par scores.
- The condor, at four under par on a single hole. Only a small handful have ever been verified, none in PGA Tour history — it typically requires driving a very short par-5 or par-4 entirely.
- Yes, the terminology is identical — a team score of two under par on a hole in a scramble is still called an eagle, even though it was built from four players' best shots rather than one player playing the whole hole solo.
- "Birdie" comes from American slang where "bird" meant something excellent, predating its golf-specific use. Once "birdie" stuck for one-under, "eagle" and "albatross" followed the same bird theme for increasingly rare scores.