Weel a hate tae break it tae ye fowks but it is actually a missquote. Ye see it cam aboot like this. On the 28th day of December 1642 at about an hour before vespers my great great(add on a few more)grandfather Lawerence Barclay of Carnbo was partaking in a quiet game of golf wie his cronnie Wee Tam McKlewham. the day however was sadly nae o the best and the grimlins (Darkening) cam ower them afor they could finish the last hole.

But bein Scotsmaen they wur naethin if no determined tae finish so efter his shot disappeared intae the gloom Lawerence asked Wee Tam who had driven afore him
"How fare tae the hole" ( he requiring to know how long his final putt had to be since there was some five boab ridin on the outcome)
Wee Tam shouted back "The hole nine yards"

but them McKlewhams wur aye leers fur it wisny nine yards efter aw it wur ten and so a legend wis born.