<Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> This section does not cite any sources . Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources . Unsourced material may be challenged and removed . (December 2011) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) </Td> </Tr> <P> Golf courses have not always had eighteen holes . The St Andrews Links occupy a narrow strip of land along the sea . As early as the 15th century, golfers at St Andrews established a trench through the undulating terrain, playing to holes whose locations were dictated by topography . The course that emerged featured eleven holes, laid out end to end from the clubhouse to the far end of the property . One played the holes out, turned around, and played the holes in, for a total of 22 holes . In 1764, several of the holes were deemed too short, and were therefore combined . The number was thereby reduced from 11 to nine, so that a complete round of the links comprised 18 holes . Due to the status of St Andrews as the golfing capital, all other courses followed suit and the 18 hole course remains the standard to the present day . </P> <P> The evolution of golf can be explained by the development of the equipment used to play the game . Some of the most notable advancements in the game of golf have come from the development of the golf ball . The golf ball took on many different forms before the 1930s when the United States Golf Association (USGA) set standards for weight and size . These standards were later followed by a USGA regulation stating that the initial velocity of any golf ball cannot exceed 250 feet per second . Since this time, the golf ball has continued to develop and impact the way the game is played . </P>

Where did 18 holes of golf come from
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