how long does it take to play a round of golf on a regulation size course

Full Answer

How long does a round of golf take?

So how long does a round of golf take? A round of 18 holes of golf is expected to take no longer than the following times: As every golfer will have experienced however these ‘expected’ times are often not a reality. Slow play can mean rounds taking over 5, and sometimes even up to 6 hours.

How long does it take to play 9 holes of golf?

How long does it take to play nine holes of golf? 9 holes of golf is expected to take no longer than 1 hour 15 minutes for 1 player, 1 hour 30 minutes for a group of 2 players, 1 hour 45 minutes for a group of 3 players and 2 hours for a group of 4 players. How long does a round of golf take at the Masters?

Why do golf courses take so long to play?

Time between groups teeing off – if not enough time between groups is allowed the course can quickly become overcrowded meaning increased waiting and long rounds. Number of players in groups – A group of 4 golfers will clearly take longer to play a round than a group of two or three.

Why does it take so long to play a round?

Number of players in groups – A group of 4 golfers will clearly take longer to play a round than a group of two or three. But it is the poor management of the mix of these different groups through the day which causes long delays.

How long does a normal round of golf take?

4 hours, 17 minutesThe average round of golf in America takes 4 hours, 17 minutes, according to Lucius Riccio, Ph. D., who analyzed 40,460 rounds. The average time of dewsweepers, or the first group out, is 3:46. The length and Slope Rating of a golf course has almost no correlation with pace.

How long does 18 holes of golf take with a cart?

How Much Time Golf Takes with a Cart. If your foursome is moderately experienced and there's no waiting at each hole, golf takes as little as 3 – 3 ½ hours with a cart. But, again, that time changes if you must wait on each hole. Even riding a cart, it can take around 5 hours for golf when it's jam-packed.

How Long Should 18 holes take?

4 to 4.5 hoursHole-by-Hole A normal golf hole will take a group of four amateur golfers around 15 minutes to complete. This equates to an 18-hole round of golf taking anywhere from 4 to 4.5 hours.

How long does a 9 hole round of golf take?

On an empty golf course, a single player or a skilled twosome can play a 9-hole round in as little as 75 minutes. That can be walking or riding, depending on the age of the players. On a busy golf course with average to poor players, a 9-hole round can take in upwards of 3 hours to play.

How long does a round of golf take for 1 person?

On an empty golf course, a single player or a skilled twosome can play an 18-hole round in as little as 2 hours. That can be walking or riding, depending on the age of the players. On a busy golf course with average to poor players, an 18-hole round can take in upwards of 6 hours to play.

How many miles does a golfer walk in 18 holes?

The World Golf Foundation estimates that golfers who walk an 18-hole course clock about 5 miles and burn up to 2,000 calories.

Is golfing a good workout?

Golf offers both cardiovascular and strength exercise. A full round normally equates to around 3.6 to 3.8 miles, depending on where and how you play. Granted, again, a cart user will walk a bit less but they will still get plenty of exercise and certainly more than you would sitting on the couch.

How many calories do you burn walking 18 holes?

For an 18-hole round of golf, which can run from 4-5.5 hours, a walking golfer can burn anywhere from 1,200-3,000 calories. A golfer won't burn quite as many calories if they're walking the course but using a push cart, but the energy expended to push or pull a walking cart will come close to making up the difference.

What percentage of golfers walk?

Still, before this year, nearly 70 percent of rounds were played with a golf cart, according to National Golf Foundation. But in a foundation survey last summer, 33 percent of golfers who played regularly said they were walking more frequently.

How long does a round of golf take 2 players?

9 holes of golf is expected to take no longer than 1 hour 15 minutes for 1 player, 1 hour 30 minutes for a group of 2 players, 1 hour 45 minutes for a group of 3 players and 2 hours for a group of 4 players.

Why do you play 18 holes of golf?

Andrews formalized the rules and stated, “One round of the Links, or 18 holes is reckoned a match, unless otherwise stipulated.” Legend has it that the reason for 18 holes is that a bottle of whiskey contained the same number of shots as holes on a course, thus providing just enough drink for a shot on each hole.

How long is a par 3 course?

With an average round of golf lasting 4-5 hours on a regulation 18 hole course, a Par 3 course usually plays in about 2 ½ hours and 9 holes in a little over an hour.

How many yards should I drive a golf ball?

As an average golfer, you drive it an average of 208 yards (that’s according to a 2017 USGA study). Given the distance you hit the ball, you should be playing a 5,400-yard course (that’s according to PGA of America recommendations). But knowing your ego, we recognize that you’re probably not going to tee it that far forward.

How long does it take to walk 18 holes?

With that adjustment, we expect you to walk about 5 miles over 18 holes. Assuming a gentle walking pace of 3 miles per hour, that’s a distance you should cover in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Along the way, you’ll be taking 90 shots.

How long does it take to shoot 90 shots?

It’s plenty of time to hit 90 shots. So, 25 minutes per player, and four players in your group. That’s 1 hour and 40 minutes in shot-preparation. Add that to the 1 hour and 40 minutes it takes to walk the course, and we’re now at 3 hours and 20 minutes. We understand that you’re not robots.

How long do you have to take a bathroom break in a poker game?

You’ll be taking bathroom breaks (we’ll allow 1 minute per player per round for that); lighting cigars (15 seconds per player per round); and telling bad jokes (30 seconds per player per round; if it takes you longer than that to tell your jokes, you should not be telling them). —2 additional minutes for joke-telling.

How long is a golf round?

The average time of a golf round is generally about 4.5 hours (4 hours 30 minutes). But I've done some deeper analysis of the situation below. Keep reading for major insight. Most golfers think anything over 4.5 hours is too long to play a round of golf. When you find your golf rounds are taking more than that and going past 5 hours, ...

How long does it take to play golf?

How Long Does a Round of Golf Take? How long a game of golf takes depends on quite a few things. But the short answer is about 4 hours. Single players with an open course can take as little as 2 hours and on a difficult course with a full field, up to 6 hours. Read below for more in-depth discussion.

How to get in the middle of a full field?

If you're in the middle of a full field, expect to sit behind the group in front of you forever. Relax, take your time and practice your chipping and putting. Try to hit golf balls into them or scream at them when you're on the par 3 tee boxes. Just as a friendly reminder of who's in control.

What is the difference between a three ball and a four ball?

three-ball: if you're stuck behind a three-ball, you're in between a slow and a fast round. four-ball: Four-ball s can be of two varieties. One which thinks they own the course and one which realizes the guys behind are quicker. Pray for the second option. And hit golf balls into the first.

How long does it take to hit a three ball?

three-ball: 3 hours 30 minutes. four-ball: 4 hours. Take off maybe 15 or 30 minutes if using carts and hitting in the same area as each other. Add 30 minutes to an hour if you've been drinking.

Is golf fast if you shoot 120?

If you shoot 120, golf will be slower. Unless you pick your ball up after 6 shots and walk the rest of the hole. Then golf is very quick. It's not fun, but it's quick. If you want to break 100 or 90 check out my guide here. If you're very good at golf and can shoot a 72, golf will be quick.

Is golf fast or slow?

Golf can be quick and golf can be slow. Just find a way to enjoy it and not complain too much because it kills your vibe and makes you play badly as well as your playing partners.

How long does it take to hit a shot on the PGA Tour?

PGA Tour pace of play guidelines stipulates that a player shouldn’t take more than 45 seconds to hit a shot. If a player takes more than 45 seconds to hit a shot on numerous occasions during a tournament they will be added to an observation list.

How does weather affect golf?

Weather conditions can also have a severe impact on pace of play. Windy and rainy conditions increase the level of difficulty which can slow down pace of play and when playing in the rain pace of play slows down drastically while players struggle with keeping themselves and their clubs dry.

Does pace of play ruin a round?

Pace of play has and continues to be a hotly debated topic. For the average player pace of play shouldn’t ruin their round but good pace of play does make a round of golf more enjoyable.

Business of golf course

The more traffic on the course, the more time it will take to complete the game. In other words, go for less traffic or empty courses to end up your game in less time.

Number of golfers in a group

If two groups are playing on the same course, the 1st group has two players while the 2nd group has four; which one do you think will finish first? Of course, the one with two players. The more players you involve in your team, the more time it will take to finish.

The skill level of golfers

There’s a huge difference between a professional and a novice player. Similarly, the same goes for a low handicapper and a high-handicapper. If we apply both conditions, low-handicappers, and high-handicappers, the low-handicappers will move quickly because they play fewer strokes.

Easiness of the golf course

The construction of the golf club matters a lot when it comes to actual timings to complete a full round of golf. If a golf course is wide open, having no or fewer hazards will work faster than a course having more and tight hazards.

Riding vs. Walking

If you’re playing golf with the walking technique, you should keep in mind that it will take you 5 to 6 hours to complete a full round of golf. On the contrary, balls tend to reach faster and quicker when riding a golf cart.

Types of courses

If you choose a complete golf course with 18-holes, you will end it in approximately 4 hours only if you’re a professional player. And the golf course with nine holes or half golf course needs 2 hours to finish it.

Course length

Obviously, the longer your course is, the longer it will let you complete your round. Not only will you have to cover more ground but also you will waste more time finding balls.

How many hours does a golfer play?

Thirty-five percent (26.5%) played between 4 and 4 and one-half hours. This means that fifty five (55%) of golfers can complete their round under 4 and a half hours independent of the type of course they play at – i.e. public or private. 5. Twenty-six percent (26.5%) played between 4 and one-half hours and 5 hours.

How long does it take to walk a golf course?

A golfer, unimpeded and playing alone, walking the 5 plus miles (about 9,000 yards) of a round at 100 yards per minute (just slightly faster than 3 miles per hour), would take 1 hour and 30 minutes to walk the course.

How long does it take to strike a golf ball?

If that golfer took, say, 100 strokes (I hope you play better than that) and each stroke took on average 45 seconds for preparation and playing, striking the ball would add 1 hour and 15 minutes to the round. Let’s also assume the golfer didn’t lose any time due to searching.

How long does it take to play 18 holes?

1. The average time it took to play 18 holes was 4 hours and 17 minutes. This is not a terrible average, of course, but averages are just that, they are averages. The average elapsed time pace of 4 hours and 17 minutes is acceptable to most players except when there is a player in front of them that is holding them up.

How many hours does it take to play 80/20?

One would expect the 80/20 rule to prevail, however, this is more optimistic. Only ten percent (10.4%) of players play in over 5 hours. It is a small number of people that impact everyone else so better management techniques are required for the 90%.

Why is wait time important in golf?

FAIRWAYiQ’s research indicates that wait time is an extremely important factor leading to player satisfaction or experience. 2. There is great variation in playing time from course to course, day of the week, time of day, and type of course.

How Long Does It Take to Play Par 3s, Par 4s & Par 5s?

Each hole has a specific pace of play guideline for how long it should take on the scorecard.

How Long Does It Take to Play 9 Holes of Golf?

A typical nine-hole round of golf should somewhere between one and a half hours to two and a half hours, depending on how many golfers you’re playing with.

How Long Does It Take to Play 18 Holes of Golf?

A typical eighteen-hole round of golf will take between three to five hours, again depending on how many golfers you have in your group.

Factors That Impact How Long A Round of Golf Will Take

If you’re playing a par 3 or executive course, it will generally take less time than playing a full-length course since the holes are shorter and should take less time.

How you can speed up your pace of play

While you don’t want to rush your shots, especially if it’s a critical one that could affect the outcome of the round, take some time before each shot to plan how you’ll hit it.

Final thoughts

This post should help you understand how long a round of golf will take, whether you’re playing 9 or 18 holes.

How long does it take to play an 18 hole golf course?

On an empty golf course, a single player or a skilled twosome can play an 18-hole round in as little as 2 hours.

How long does it take to play ready golf?

That will save up to 30 minutes per round.

How long does it take to get to the 4 hour mark?

The idea, then, is that each hole should take an average of 13 minutes to get to that 4-hour mark. The par 3s should take about 10 minutes, while the par 4s take about 13 and the par 5s take about 15 minutes. Of course, that's with a full foursome on an average golf course with an average number of people playing.

Is it bad to play from the back tee box?

Play from the right tee box for your skill level and driving ability. If you're not a long hitter and you can barely break 100, playing from the back tees is a bad idea.