Nineteenth Hole
The nineteenth hole is a slang term in golf for the bar, restaurant, or lounge inside the clubhouse, where golfers gather after a round. A standard round has only eighteen holes, so the “nineteenth” is the unofficial one that comes next.
What is a nineteenth hole?
For golfers, the nineteenth hole is the place they head once their round is finished. In most cases, that means the clubhouse bar or grill, though the term covers any pub or restaurant on or near the course where players go for a drink and a debrief.
It has nothing to do with the rules of golf. A round under the USGA Rules of Golf is eighteen holes, and the nineteenth is not played or scored. The phrase is a piece of golf slang, used in roughly the same spirit as après-ski in skiing.
For golfers, the function is social rather than competitive. It is where playing partners replay the round and settle small bets like a Nassau or a skins game before heading home. The atmosphere ranges from a fold-out chair next to a beer fridge at a municipal course to a full restaurant with a view of the eighteenth green at a championship venue.
Why is it called the nineteenth hole?
The name comes from simple arithmetic combined with a play on words. A standard round has eighteen holes, so the clubhouse bar, reached after the eighteenth, becomes the unofficial nineteenth. “Watering hole” is also a long-standing nickname for a bar, which makes the joke land twice.
One of the earliest known printed uses appears in The Cheshire Observer of 6 June 1891, which noted that “on some golf courses they have a ‘nineteenth hole’ in the shape of a public-house.” A reference in the Dundee Evening Telegraph followed in 1893, suggesting the slang was already in circulation by then.
In the United States, the phrase took hold around the turn of the century and was popularised in print by William Gilbert Van Tassel Sutphen’s 1901 book, “The Nineteenth Hole: Being Tales of the Fair Green,” cited in both the Oxford English Dictionary and the Historical Dictionary of American Slang as an early reference for the term.
Figurative versus literal nineteenth holes
In almost every case, the nineteenth hole is figurative, referring to a clubhouse bar rather than a piece of the course. A handful of courses, though, have built an actual playable nineteenth hole, usually a short par-3 designed to settle wagers or break ties before everyone heads inside.
Knollwood Country Club in New York has a par-3 nineteenth called “The Bye,” used for unresolved bets and last shots before the clubhouse. Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire, Scotland, has “The Decider,” a 155-yard par-3 marketed as a bet-settling finisher. The most dramatic example sits at Legend Golf & Safari Resort in South Africa: the Extreme 19th is a par-3 played from a tee on top of Hanglip Mountain, 400 metres above a green shaped like the continent of Africa, accessible only by helicopter. Tiger Woods’ Payne’s Valley at Big Cedar Lodge in Missouri, which fully opened in 2020, has a bonus 19th as well, a short par-3 to an island green that golfers can play after their main round.
The term shows up in miniature golf as well. On many British “crazy golf” courses, the nineteenth hole is a bonus hole that awards a free game if the player scores a hole-in-one.
Famous nineteenth holes
The Jigger Inn in St Andrews, Scotland, is widely considered the most famous nineteenth hole in golf. The small white former stationmaster’s cottage sits beside the 17th Road Hole on the Old Course and has been called “arguably the most famous 19th hole in the world” by The R&A and “the most famous 19th hole in golf” by Golf Monthly.
In the United States, the Tap Room at Pebble Beach Golf Links was ranked the top nineteenth hole in the country by Golfweek in 2022. The room overlooks Stillwater Cove and is filled with U.S. Open and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am memorabilia from decades of championship golf.
Older still is the Golf Tavern at Bruntsfield Links in Edinburgh, which, according to Scottish Golf History, has been used continuously as a golf clubhouse since January 1852, the longest unbroken run of any clubhouse building in the world.
Related Golf Terms
- Nassau — A popular betting format with three separate wagers: front nine, back nine, and overall.
- Net score — A player’s gross score minus their handicap strokes.
- Municipal course — A publicly owned golf course open to all players.
- Mulligan — An informal do-over shot, not allowed in official play.
- Nearest point of relief — The closest spot to the ball where a player can take a free drop without interference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the nineteenth hole?
Because a standard round has eighteen holes. The bar players gather at afterwards becomes the unofficial nineteenth, with the “watering hole” pun reinforcing the joke.
Is the nineteenth hole part of an official round?
No. The Rules of Golf govern eighteen holes of play. The nineteenth hole is slang and has no bearing on scoring or handicaps.
Do any golf courses have a real nineteenth hole?
Yes, though it is rare. Courses like Knollwood Country Club, Rowallan Castle, Payne’s Valley, and Legend Golf & Safari Resort have built playable nineteenth holes, usually short par-3s used to settle bets after the main round.
What is the most famous nineteenth hole?
The Jigger Inn at St Andrews is the most commonly cited example, with both The R&A and Golf Monthly calling it golf’s most famous nineteenth hole. The Tap Room at Pebble Beach holds a similar reputation in the United States.
What does “nineteenth hole” mean in mini golf?
On many British crazy golf courses, the nineteenth hole is a bonus hole. A hole-in-one earns the player a free game.
Sources
- “Nineteenth hole.” Wikipedia. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- “Nineteenth hole.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Hole19. “Nineteenth Hole.” Hole19 Golf Glossary. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Word Histories. “‘The Nineteenth Hole’: Meaning and Early Occurrences.” Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Popik, Barry. “19th Hole (Nineteenth Hole).” The Big Apple. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Scottish Golf History. “Oldest ‘19th Hole’ I, II, III, IV.” Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Hibbitt, James. “What Is The Jigger Inn?” Golf Monthly, 6 July 2022.
- The R&A. “Jigger Inn at The Open.” theopen.com. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- “Extreme 19th.” Wikipedia. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Mayo, Brad. “Payne’s Valley.” GolfPass. Accessed 19 May 2026.
- Leading Courses. “The Extra Mile: Golf Courses With a 19th Hole.” Accessed 19 May 2026.
