Why Golf Courses Have 18 Holes 

The following is not meant to offend hockey, tennis, basketball, baseball, football, and softball or soccer fans. It is, rather, an attempt to put everything into its proper perspective.

Ever wonder why golf is growing in popularity and why people who don't even play go to tournaments or watch it on TV? These truisms may shed light:

Golf is an honorable game, with the overwhelming majority of players being honorable people who don't need referees.

Golfers don't have some of their players in jail every week.

Golfers don't beat up on each other during the game.

In golf you cannot fail 70% of the time and make $9 million a season, like the best baseball hitters (.300 batting average) do.

Professional golfers! are compensated in direct proportion to how well they play.

Golfers don't hold out for more money, or demand new contracts, because of another player's deal.

Professional golfers don't demand that the taxpayers pay for the courses on which they play.

You can watch the best golfers in the world up close, at any tournament, including the majors, all day, every day for $25 or $30. The cost for a seat in the nosebleed section at the Super Bowl will cost around $300 or more.

When golfers make a mistake, nobody is there to cover for them or back them up.

The PGA Tour raises more money for charity in one year than the National Football League does in two.

Golf doesn't change its rules to attract fans.

Golfers have to adapt to an entirely new playing area each week.

Golf doesn't have free agency.

You can hear birds chirping on the golf course during a tournament.

Tiger Woods can hit a golf ball three! times as far as Barry Bonds can hit a baseball.

Finally, here 's a slice of golf history you might enjoy:

Why do full-length golf courses have 18 holes, and not 20, or 10 or an even dozen?

During a discussion among the club's membership board at St. Andrews in 1858, one of the members pointed out that it takes exactly 18 shots to polish off a fifth of Scotch. By limiting himself to only one shot of Scotch per hole, the Scot figured a round of golf was finished when the Scotch ran out.

Now you know the rest of the story

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