. One theory is based on what a Scottish member of the Board of St. Andrews said in 1858: “I have the custom of starting to play with a full bottle of Scotch whisky in my bag of clubs, and to better combat the inclemencies of our local climate I usually take a small medicinal shot on each tee.” 

The history of golf is full of stories, fascinating tales that allow us to understand the past to better comprehend the present, to know where we come from, and to better shape the future. Every so often, we will, and rightly so, pay tribute to a number of golfers who, based on their sporting merits, have earned the status of icons of Spanish golf—true figures who have written their own story and the history of Spanish golf. There is no chronological order, but rather a desire to show current generations how, there and here, back then and in that even more distant period of time, golf has always had reasons to be proud.

In an even more general sense, it is interesting to know the reason why golf courses have 18 holes instead of another number that could equally have triumphed and become the standard of this sport.

It so happened that when Golf magazine was launched in the mid-20th century, the Spanish golfing community wasn't very large, but it was certainly curious. And with a specialized publication, inquiries about certain aspects of our sport poured in constantly. 

One of the most frequently asked questions was why a golf course consisted of 18 holes. The magazine's editorial team set out to investigate "British sources" to clear up any doubts readers might have, since from the mid-1760s until approximately 1900, it was common to find golf courses with varying numbers of holes. 

At that time, the number of holes varied depending on the course, with some having 5, 7, 13, or 15 holes, including Montrose's 25 and St. Andrews' 11, where each round was played in two rounds to complete a 22-hole course. According to various early golf texts, in 1764 St. Andrews reduced its number of holes from 22 to 18, the main reason being the ease and cost-effectiveness of maintaining 18 holes compared to 22, without altering the spirit of the game. 

The Rules issued by the R&A in 1858 specified that a round of golf is stipulated to be 18 holes, “unless otherwise agreed before starting”. 

The rule of playing 18 holes per round was imitated by other courses over the years and spread worldwide, although the ultimate reason for this measure remains a subject of debate, as various explanations were offered for its introduction. On the one hand, it was argued that walking 18 holes is the ideal length of a round of golf, while on the other, it was claimed that this distance is the maximum distance a player can cover in a day.

Another theory that attempts to explain this standardization of the 18 holes points out that, at a meeting in St. Andrews, which lasted all day, a respected Scottish member of the board offered his point of view in that distant 1858: “As you know, I have long had the custom of starting to play with a full bottle of Martin Scotch whisky in my bag of clubs, and to better combat the inclemencies of our local climate I usually take a small medicinal shot (of one and a half ounces, 44.574 ml.) on each tee.

Naturally, I find it enjoyable to play golf while there is still some drink left in the bottle because, on the other hand, it wouldn't be healthy for me to continue playing when the bottle is completely empty.

I have discovered that a full bottle takes 18 times to empty, so I have made it a habit to play 18 holes every afternoon, no more, no less. I see no way we can deviate from this habit unless the bottles become larger, which I fear would be too drastic a change in our productive lives….

This is the story that has perhaps most fascinated fans, with many falling into the temptation of testing it... although the effect on the player is not the same depending on the different atmospheric conditions. 

For one reason or another, the fact is that golf courses have 18 holes or, rather, the official round of a day of golf is set at 18 holes.

By Jesús Ruiz