Why 18 Holes - Eureka Golf

Along with water - the source of life - land is the most significant resource used for the game of golf. Golf is a fairly land-demanding leisure activity, and in recent decades, golf courses have needed more and more land to respond to the perceived ever increasing ball flight. While people, communities and businesses strive to become more sustainable and responsible contributors to society, golf‘s increased land-use leaves a lot to be desired.

I find it difficult to expect land prices to go anywhere but up in the future, especially in or near urban areas that are, of course, important if the game is to be accessible. This raises questions on how affordable the game can be in the future.

I therefore ask: considering the rising global population and the increasing awareness and focus on our use of resources, will the game of golf exist as a realistic leisure option for the masses in a few decades time? How can we ensure the game's future? Furthermore, how can we maximise the potential that I believe it has to serve as a meaningful contributor to society?

Countless golf courses are now struggling to make ends meet. Debate has revealed concerns over the game being too expensive and eighteen holes taking too long to play.

I would like to present one option, hopeful that there is an answer that can both solve the problems of today and open new opportunities for tomorrow.

I believe that the eighteen hole principle is no longer relevant considering the way we live today and that we should think openly about the idea of allowing each golf course to have its own unique number of holes, based entirely on the available terrain. By doing this, we would be going back to the origins of the game, the hundreds of years during which the number of holes varied tremendously between courses. In Scotland, Montrose had 25 holes, Prestwick had thirteen, Musselburgh had seven and – last but not least – the Old Course at St Andrews had 22 holes.

Why do we play 18 holes?

In fact, we play eighteen holes today because this is how many holes the Old Course has. In 1764, The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews reduced the number of holes on the course from 22 to eighteen. The minutes of the meeting are as follows:

'The captain and gentlemen golfers are of the opinion that it would be for the improvement of the links that the first four holes should be converted into two. They have therefore agreed that for the future they shall be played as two holes in the same way as presently marked out.'