▁featured ▁eleven ▁holes , ▁laid ▁out ▁end ▁to ▁end ▁from ▁the ▁club house ▁to ▁the ▁far ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁property . ▁One ▁played ▁the ▁holes ▁out , ▁turned ▁around , ▁and ▁played ▁the ▁holes ▁in , ▁for ▁a ▁total ▁of ▁ 2 2 ▁holes . ▁In ▁ 1 7 6 4 , ▁several ▁of ▁the ▁holes ▁were ▁de emed ▁too ▁short , ▁and ▁therefore ▁combined . ▁The ▁number ▁was ▁thereby ▁reduced ▁from ▁ 1 1 ▁to ▁nine , ▁so ▁that ▁a ▁complete ▁round ▁of ▁the ▁links ▁compr ised ▁ 1 8 ▁holes . ▁Due ▁to ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁St ▁Andrew s ▁as ▁the ▁' home ▁of ▁golf ', ▁other ▁courses ▁followed ▁suit ▁and ▁the ▁ 1 8 ▁hole ▁course ▁became ▁the ▁standard ▁which ▁has ▁remained ▁to ▁the ▁present ▁day . ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁now ▁more ▁than ▁ 5 5 0 ▁golf ▁courses ▁throughout ▁the ▁country , ▁with ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 1 ▁courses ▁in ▁Edinburgh ▁alone . ▁ ▁Sp reading ▁the ▁game ▁out with ▁Scotland ▁When ▁James ▁VI ▁succeeded ▁to ▁the ▁thr ones ▁of ▁England ▁and ▁Ireland ▁in ▁ 1 6 0 3 ▁( see ▁Union ▁of ▁the ▁Crow ns ) ▁a ▁large ▁number ▁of ▁his ▁Scottish ▁cour ti ers ▁followed ▁him ▁to ▁London . ▁The ▁King ▁res ided ▁at ▁Green wich ▁Palace , ▁and ▁there ▁is ▁document ary ▁evidence ▁that ▁some ▁of ▁these ▁Scottish ▁no blem en ▁played ▁golf ▁on ▁Black he ath , ▁on ▁the ▁hill ▁behind ▁the ▁palace . ▁Henry ▁Frederick , ▁Prince ▁of ▁Wales , ▁the ▁king ' s