Albatross hole-in-one at par-4 hole

Birdie in golf, which means the number of shots fewer than par, derives from bird. There is the hole where the term "birdie" reportedly originated at Atlanta City Country Club in the U.S. in 1903. A person named A Smith played his second shot to send the ball right by the par-4 hole at the country club, and exclaimed "a bird of shot" to express his excitement. Back then, bird was an American slang that only meant "something excellent," but this expression was also regarded by golfers as a shot that flies nicely like a bird.

Since then, play whose number of pars is fewer than par has been given names of birds. Play that is two pars fewer than par is called eagle, and play that is three pars fewer than par is dubbed albatross. The names must have named because it is more difficult to see an eagle than an ordinary bird, and an albatross than an eagle. Play whose number of pars is four far fewer than a par is called condor, named after the legendary bird. One can play a condor when he or she plays hole-in-one at a par-5 hole. Since playing a condor is virtually impossible, albatross is considered the most difficult in real world.

When one says a hole-in-one, it mostly means a hole-in-one at a par-3 hole, or eagle. A hold-in-one at Par 4 hole is albatross. The probability to play an albatross is one 2 millionth, which is as low as the chance to get hit by lightening. Even these are recorded mostly through a second shot at par-5 holes, or third shot at par-6 holes. The only par-4 hole-in-one ever played at the U.S. PGA was recorded by Andrew Maggie at the Phoenix Open in 2001. At the Bahamas Classic on Saturday, Korean golfer Jang Ha-na made the first Albatross on a par 4 in LPGA history.

Jang was lucky as well. The standard number of pars is fixed by assuming two putts on the green. The PGA fixed the distance for par-4 holes at 210 to 400 yards by estimating the average flying distance of tee shots by female golfers at 210 yards, and the average sum of two shots at 400 yards. The hole where Jang achieved the milestone was originally 310 yards, but was adjusted shorter to 218 yards on the day. Jang used a 3-Wood, which is more precise than a driver. It would be considered a success even if one is only able to put her shot on the green, but Jang’s shot that fell onto right before the green, miraculously made into the hole after bouncing several times.

송평인기자 pisong@donga.com