The standardized length of a round of golf at eighteen distinct playing areas is a defining characteristic of the sport. It represents a globally recognized convention within the rules and structure of competitive and recreational play.
The acceptance of this quantity is intertwined with the historical development of the game in Scotland. One popular explanation suggests its roots lie with the practices at St Andrews Links. It’s said that the course originally consisted of twenty-two holes; however, it was later shortened to eighteen. Another narrative posits a link to the amount of whisky deemed sufficient to complete a round by early players. Regardless of the precise origins, the adoption of this quantity provided a unifying framework for establishing course layouts and managing tournaments across various golfing locations.