Last Updated on May 31, 2023 by Kristen Ellis
Whether you’re a novice golfer or have been on the pitch for a long time, you must wonder how long a round of golf takes. The answer to this question is quite complicated because some factors are involved. It takes approximately 4 hours to complete an 18-hole game, but some aspects must be considered, as discussed earlier.
These factors include your skills, the distance between holes, the difficulty of the course, or how many players are playing. All these things together can take this game for 4 hours or more. If a single golfer plays on an empty golf course, it will take him two and a half hours to finish or less if the player is professional. At the same time, a group of four golfers on a busy golf course needs four or more hours.
If the novice players play on a busy golf course, it will take them 6 hours or more to complete an 18-hole round. On the other hand, if you’re playing in a tournament with special equipment, you can finish the complete golf course in 5 to 6 hours. Sometimes it takes too long if golf courses stack tee times at eight or 10-minute intervals.
Or if you are playing 9-holes, you should complete it in 2 hours. However, professional golfers tend to finish it in less than 1 hour if they play alone or with an experienced team. Below are the factors that determine how long it takes to play a round of golf.
Factors That Determine How Long It Takes to Play a Round of Golf
The actual time for an 18-holes golf club depends on the following factors.
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 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 complete.
The skill level of golfers
There’s a vast 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 greatly regarding the actual timing 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 tight hazards.
Riding vs. Walking
If you’re playing golf with the walking technique, you should remember that it will take 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 course needs 2 hours to finish.
Course length
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.
Maintenance time
Time management is necessary for every task we start, as does golf. Managing your time for each hole directly affects the overall course time.
Weather
Playing golf is not a piece of cake. It takes effort and planning; stormy weather is like a cherry on top to ruin your game. Inadequate or poor weather has more chances to increase the time of your golf round.
Arranged golf bag
Organizing things should be your habit being a golf player. If the items in your golf bag are all messed up, it will kill your time finding things. And as a result, you’ll have to invest more time in your golf course.
How to Speed up Your Round of Golf
We have come across all the factors contributing to making your golf round longer than it should. Let’s see how we can overcome them. Given below are some points that will speed up your round of golf.
Ready Golf
One of the easiest ways to speed up your round of golf is Ready Golf. In this technique, whoever is prepared to shoot first can take the chance instead of waiting for the farthest to hit first. It will save time for the rest of the team as well.
Play from the right tees
As a golfer, you should take longer tees as it will slow down a round of golf. But choosing the right level of tees is the main task. Choosing a tee according to your ability is the best way to speed up your round of golf.
Good golf cart
If you decide to use a golf cart, you should know its ins and outs. Operating a golf cart efficiently and driving up to a rider’s golf ball from one another will save you time, and automatically you can speed up things.
Be ready to play
Like Ready Golf, this factor also plays a significant role in speeding up your game. By this point, the golfer should be ready to shoot when it’s his turn. You should be prepared mentally for your shoot rather than planning it when it’s your turn. The pre-planning process will benefit you in speeding up your round of golf.
Conclusion
Now you know the factors that can delay your round of golf. Also, you know how you can speed up the game. So try these tricks and control the factors so the game does not last longer than usual.