Birdie and Eagle Explained

A birdie is completing a hole in one fewer stroke than its par — a 3 on a par-4, for example. An eagle is two strokes under par — a 3 on a par-5, or a rare 2 on a par-4. Like "bogey," both terms come from early-20th-century American slang. They use bird-themed names for scores relative to the expected standard, with "eagle" chosen as a bigger, more impressive bird for the bigger accomplishment.

For most recreational golfers, birdies are a genuine highlight of a round rather than a routine occurrence. Even accomplished amateurs with single-digit handicaps usually make only a handful of birdies in an entire round. Eagles are rare enough that many golfers remember specific ones from years ago. This is worth understanding early. New golfers sometimes assume these scores should be a goal on every hole, when they are notable exceptions even for skilled players.

Rarer still are two under on a par-3 (a hole-in-one) and three under on a par-5 (a double eagle, sometimes called an albatross). These are exceptional accomplishments that even pro golfers experience only a handful of times in a career.