Golf courses have not always had 18 holes. St. Andrews golf course occupied a narrow strip of land, very close to the sea, in the grounds of the home of Queen Mary I of Scotland. In the 15th century, St. Andrews golfers defined a path through the undulating landscape, playing holes whose location was dictated by the natural topography of the area. Eventually, the course had 12 holes, 10 of which were played in both directions. The holes were played from the clubhouse to the property limit and back, a total of 22 holes. In 1764, the holes were thought to be too short and a decision was taken to combine them, as a result, the number of holes was reduced from 11 to 9 and the whole course became 18 holes. As St. Andrews was considered the home of golf, every other golf course was modified in a similar way and, thereafter, 18 hole courses became the standard.
In 1891, at a property called “Lomo del Polvo”, the first golf course was created in the Spanish territory, this was subsequently named “Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas”.
The Real Club de Golf Manises is the longest established of the Golf Clubs in the Valencia Region. Founded in 1954 by the Air Force, it was also one of the first golf courses to be established in the country and it is considered to be number sixteen in the Order of Foundation of Spanish Golf Courses. In Alicante province, the first golf course to federate was Golf Villamartín in 1972.
The Costa Blanca – Valencia Region Golf Association consists of the following member courses: Alenda Golf, Altea Golf, Bonalba Golf, Club Golf El Bosque, Club Golf Escorpión, Club Golf Ifach, Club Golf Jávea, El Saler, Font del Llop, Foressos Golf, La Finca Golf, La Galiana Golf, La Marquesa Golf, Las Ramblas Golf, Lo Romero Golf, Mediterráneo Golf, Meliá Villaitana, Oliva Nova Golf, Puig Campana Golf, R.C.G Campoamor, R.C.G Manises, Villamartín Golf and Vistabella Golf.
