Date Published: 13/03/2025
18-hole golf courses have become the universal format played around the world. In the early days of the sport, golf courses often had a different number of holes and were not always played in a set order.
There are several myths about why golf courses have 18 holes. One such myth suggests that the format is based on it taking 18 shots to drink a fifth of whisky, meaning each player (in a group of five) would take 18 shots to finish a bottle.
The real reason for 18 holes comes from The Old Course at St Andrews. The course was established in 1552 and has survived a number of challenges, including bankruptcy in 1797 and a dispute over the land with rabbit farmers.
The land was later purchased by golfer James Cheape, and in 1893, his nephew sold it to The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews. The course was renamed The Old Course in 1895.
The resilience of St Andrews has contributed toward its prominence in the golfing community as it has had a total of 29 tournaments – Open Championships – so far, with the first occurring in 1879. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews (the golf organisation that decides worldwide rules for golf outside the USA and Mexico), St. Andrews Golf Club, and The New Golf Club have all been founded near the course as well, further contributing toward its prominence.
The course is also under a Parliamentary Act by the St Andrews Link Trust as of 1974, meaning it’s open to the public, even with the clubs mentioned above holding playing rights.
In 1754, William St Clair of Roslin merged the first four holes of the course into two, believing they were too short. Originally, the course had 22 holes, with 10 holes played twice, and holes 11 and 22 played only once.
Other courses followed suit, leading to the formation of multiple 18-hole courses. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club played a key role in popularising this format, which was officially standardised in 1933 and later stipulated as the official round under the Rules of Golf in 1950.