Why are there 18 holes in a game of golf?

Answer 1

One hole on each 18 Green A professional golfer once told me there is eighteen Golf holes because there is eighteen shots in a bottle of Whiskie! Have you heard the 19th hole? It's a bar, why do you think they call it that!

The Old Course at St. Andrews Scotland originally had 22 holes. Musselborough had 6.

When the Gutty ball became popular, the shorter holes at St. Andrews became too short for the members of the golf club so it was shortened to 18 holes. This became the standard.

ANSWER

Shots of a certain drink had nothing to do with the number of holes of golf we play. That is a lovely little story that the Scots invented, probably to appease the people who kept asking.

Truth of the matter is, a tradition course is 18 holes because St. Andrews is 18 holes and that is where the R&A is located. The number does not mean anything really as there is no rule that a golf course must be 18 holes. As a matter of fact the British Open between 1873-1889 was played on Prestwick which had 12 holes, St. Andrews with 18 and Musselburgh which had only 9 holes.

Even to this day one of my favorite courses in Scotland Shiskine has 12 holes.

Answer 2

In fact, its only when you stop to think about it that you realize that 18 is a random number. Unless you live on Planet Plog, where they operate a counting system based on the figure nine. However, there is a good reason.

The Old Course at St Andrews was where it all started, and this originally just 12 holes. Golfers used to finish their round and then play it in reverse - cutting out two of the holes - thus playing a 22-Hole round. Then, in 1764, the chaps from St Andrews decided that the first 4 holes were to short and so these were turned into 2 holes. Take off 2 holes going out and 2 going in and you have 18 holes. And where St Andrews led, all other Golf courses - eventually, everywhere else in the world followed.

Was told that since it is a Scottish game, and the fact there is 18 ounces in a bottle of scotch they were running out after 18 holes ! that did it !!! Good for them !

Answer 3

In 1858, the Old Course at St. Andrews decreed that "one round of the Links or 18 holes is reckoned a match unless otherwise stipulated." The new rule encourages other clubs to convert to or build to 18 holes in length. Why St. Andrews members pick 18 holes is not known, but one local tale has it that it takes exactly 18 shots to polish off a fifth of Scotch. One shot per hole seems about right!

http://www.intotherough.co.uk/why-do-golf-courses-have-18-holes-/

Answer 4

Not all golf courses are 18, some are only 9 holes.

Answer 5

A round of golf is played over 18 as in 1858 St Andrews - the home of golf - set a round at 18 holes for matches between it's members. This has been used every since.

Answer 6

A typical golf course has 18 holes, though some are only 9 holes. Some courses offer more than 18 holes, in 9 hole increments: 27, 36, 45, 54, 72 etc...