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An eagle is where a player finishes the hole two strokes under par. But what does this mean and where does the term originate from?

What is an eagle in golf?

An eagle in golf is when a player completes a hole two shots under par.

These are most common on holes which are par 5s, as these allow more shots for par.

An eagle on a par 4 is extremely rare, as these holes are designed to be tough for scoring.

A player can score an eagle on a par 3, but these are more commonly known as a hole in one, as in the player has finished the hole in one stroke.

What does an eagle mean?

It is thought that the term originates from the use of the word birdie, which means one under par.

Birdie comes from the early 20th century American slang term “bird”, meaning anything excellent.

The term eagle is used to describe two under par, as it is a large bird.

An Albatross is used to described a hole played three shots under par. This is because an albatross is even bigger than an eagle, and in golf terms is better.

What is the scoring system in golf?

Scoring is golf is basically the lower the score the better.

A player who shoots the lowest score in a round of 18 holes wins.

In professional golf or tournament play, the player who shoots the lowest score after four rounds will win whatever they are participating in.

The higher the score from a player, the worse they are doing on a particular hole or round.

For example, at the 2022 Open Championship, Australian Cameron Smith finished on 20 under par and won the tournament.

This is in comparison to American Cameron young who finished second on 19 under par.

Just because a player is over par doesn’t mean they aren’t playing well, the round or tournament might just be in difficult conditions.

Irish golfer Pádraig Harrington won the 2008 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale with a score of three over par, four shots ahead of runner up Ian Poulter, who finished on seven over par after 72 holes.