Question #66409. Asked by mochyn.
Last updated Apr 11 2023.
casperone123
Answer has 5 votes
casperone123 19 year member
178 replies
Answer has 5 votes.
The reason why golf courses are 18 holes is partly at least an accident of history.
scottishgolfhistory.net/eighteen_hole_round.htm no longer exists
Response last updated by gtho4 on Apr 11 2023.
May 31 2006, 3:13 PM
mochyn
Answer has 7 votes
mochyn 22 year member
1206 replies
Answer has 7 votes.
The real answer is that since the game originated in Scotland, the number of holes on a golf course was equivalent to the number of "shots" in a bottle of whiskey or Scotch.
One "shot" per hole , bottle empty , game finished.
Therefore 18 "shots" in a bottle , 18 holes of golf!
May 31 2006, 3:35 PM
robboy
Answer has 10 votes
Currently Best Answer
robboy 21 year member
941 replies
Answer has 10 votes.
Currently voted the best answer.
I think somebody's already had 18 shots and thought that one up hanging out at The 19th (watering) Hole. The truth is that there wasn't any standard until the The Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews became the authority and set standards for play. There were courses with 5, 7, 9, 15, 22, and other numbers in between before St. Andrews' crew weighed in and set it at the current number, because theirs, at an existing 22, was deemed more manageable at 18. http://golf.about.com/cs/historyofgolf/a/hist_18holes.htm
http://golf.about.com/cs/historyofgolf/a/hist_18holes.htm