The standard 18-hole round was almost an accident?

The Old Course at St Andrews originally had 22 holes. In 1764, 4 short holes were combined into 2, leaving 18 holes. While this established the 18-hole layout, it was still a local club practice rather than an official global rule. By 1899, as clubs across Great Britain and North America agreed to abide by R&A and USGA governance, courses with varying hole counts (which previously ranged anywhere from 6 to 22 holes) were required to expand or reduce to 18 holes to comply with official competition rules. The 18-hole layout as we know it today eventually became the global standard.