Certain golfing queries arrive on this desk on a regular basis and especially popular among them is the question as to how a round of 18 holes came about. So, we'll attempt to cast some light on things.

The idea of nine or 18 holes is not traditional in that Bruntsfield Links in the heart of Edinburgh, the oldest course in the world where golf is still played, once had only six holes. North Berwick had seven; Gullane had 13, then 15 and Musselburgh had five and later eight, when the usual match was over two rounds of 16 holes. Meanwhile, at St Andrews, the regular game for generations consisted of nine holes out from the town and the same nine greens coming home. The fact that 18 was the most convenient number of holes at St Andrews, coupled with the venue's established preeminence in the game, led to the acceptance of 18 holes as a standard round. And lasting three hours or thereabouts, it fitted nicely between breakfast and lunch, or lunch and dinner. That is, of course, until the latter-day snails took over.