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

The time it takes to play 18 holes of golf can range from four to five hours. Most golfers plan for this amount of playing time at the golf course. Several factors determine the average time needed to play a round of golf, including:

#1: Tee Time Intervals

Most golf courses have set tee times where you can start your round of golf. The club decides on the intervals between tee times. For example, some clubs have a 12-minute interval, with five tee times per hour. Other golf clubs rotate between 7-minute and 8-minute intervals.

#2: Number of Players on the Course

Based on the tee time intervals, it will affect the number of golfers playing on the course at any given time. The more golfers on the course, the longer it can take to play 18 holes, especially on a busy weekend. When the course is busy, you can wait around five minutes or more at each tee box for other players to move ahead.

#3: Number of Players in Your Group

The number of players in your group will affect the hours to play a round of golf. If you are a single player, you could finish your round in about two and a half to three hours. Yet, as you start adding more golfers to your group, add at least another thirty minutes per player.

#4: Walking or Riding

If you have a golf cart to move around the course, the pace of play can be faster than walking. However, if the golfers’ skills in your party are not that good, you could spend more time driving from one golf ball to the next.

Whereas, with walking, golfers can just walk to their respective balls, so golf carts are not always faster. Plus, if you use a ForeCaddy from Foresight Sports, walking can be faster, allowing you to complete the round quicker than using a golf cart.

#5: The Time of Day

If you have a tee time right when the golf club opens, your round time can be less than starting your round after lunch or in the early afternoon.

#6: The Number of Breaks

If you stop after 9 holes to visit the clubhouse to eat lunch and take a break, this will add to the total time it takes to play 18 holes of golf. Do not forget to include bathroom breaks and other breaks you take as well.

#7: The Weather

The weather is out of your control. You hope the forecast is correct when it calls for a sunny or partly sunny day. If pop showers occur, it will add to your time.

#8: The Types of Hazards/Obstacles

Play will take longer if you are not used to playing through golf hazards and obstacles like sand traps, trees, water hazards, etc.

#9: The Par of the Golf Course

Traditional golf courses have par-3, par-4, and par-5 holes that add up to a full par-72 round. The time spent at these holes equates to:

• 10 minutes per player for par-3 holes.
• 13 minutes per player for par-4 holes.
• 15 minutes per player for par-5 holes.

Other courses limit each hole to par-3 for a par-54 round. As you can imagine, the par-3 limitation will result in a shorter round time.

#10: The Skill Level of the Golfers

If your group plays around or at par, your golf round will take less time than playing in a group where players are not as skilled.

Each of these factors determines the time it takes to play 18 holes of golf. You can shorten the time by scheduling earlier tee times, playing with a smaller group, using the ForeCaddy, and taking fewer breaks. However, it is essential to remember to have fun no matter how long it takes to play 18 holes of golf.

To learn more about ForeCaddy, the automated caddy that follows you along, please feel free to explore our website further or contact Foresight Sports at (858) 880-0179 today!