Have you ever thought about why a golf hole is the size it is? Most of us know it’s four and a quarter inches in diameter.
But how did we get there? In his brilliant book on the history of the Rules of Golf, The Rules of the Green, Kenneth Chapman wrote that it wasn’t actually standardised until the R&A issued its new code in 1891.
He adds it was probably related to the size of the first known hole-cutter, which appeared at Musselburgh in 1829.
Why was it that size? Who knows? But we’ve all been putting into the same-sized hole – as a rule – for the last 135 years.
Where there is width, there is also depth. So how low can a hole go? Is there a size restriction on digging down into the grass?
Golf hole rule: How deep can a golf hole go?
As we’ve discussed, there is a strict size to which the diameter of the hole must conform. The definition of hole, found in the back of the rule book, says it must be four and a quarter inches.
But when it comes to how deep, there is leeway in the regulations. The same definition says it must be “at least 4 inches deep”.
That probably rules out some of those tiny cups that you often see on practice putting greens – the ones that you barely need to lean over to pick the ball out but always bring the risk of a bounce out.
If your club really want to get people reaching down into the hole, though, it appears there is nothing other than common sense to stop them.
Got a question for our expert?
Despite the changes to the Rules of Golf in 2019 and 2023, there are still some that leave us scratching our heads. I’ll try to help by featuring the best of your queries in this column.
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What do you think of this golf hole rule? Let me know by leaving a comment below, email me at s.carroll@nationalclubgolfer.com or get in touch on X.
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