Golf is not for everyone. It’s a sport which requires concentration and a lot of patience. Generally, a round of 18-holes can take up to 4 hours to complete. That’s why many opt to a round of 9-holes as it requires far less time commitment. It can also add a unique challenge.
The 9-hole golf round is for those who want to play after working hours. It’s also ideal for old folks as it will take far less energy to play than a traditional 18-hole game.
How Long Does It Take to Golf 9 Holes?
The consensus says, as a round of 18-holes takes about 4 hours, a round of 9-hole will take half of the time to complete. While this is true in many cases, the time will differ depending on the situation. Many factors can vary the time of play.
Pace Per Hole
A golf hole usually takes about 15 minutes to play including walking between tees and shots, albeit, can vary quite a bit. A par-3 is calculated at nine minutes, while a par-4 and a par-5 are calculated at 12 and 18 minutes respectively. These calculations indicate that a 9-hole round can take from 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.
The 9-hole golf round will vary depending on the course size. A par-3 golf course takes less time than a regular par-34 to the par-37 course. The usual 5,500 to 6,000 yards of golf course takes an average of 2 hours to complete. But on a golf course that’s 7 thousand yards long, it will take more than 2.5 hours.
Number of Players
As expected, the more participants present, the more time it will take for each round to complete. In a busy course, it may take up to 3 or 4 hours to finish a single round.
Difficulty and Skill
Difficult courses, having a higher count of bunkers and water bodies, will require more shots to complete. This usually means more ground to cover hence, more time to complete. Also, an expert golfer will take far less time than an average golfer. Playing a course for the first time may take longer as well.
Transportation and Others
While there are many health benefits to walking to your next tee, it will take more time. Using a cart is more time-efficient. Different types of golf carts are available in the market like – electric golf cart, golf cart with umbrella, golf cart for juniors, etc. Playing “Ready golf” will also help save time.
How Long Does It Take to Play a 9 Hole Par 3?
A par-3 hole is usually 200 yards or less in length. An expert golfer is expected to need only 3 strokes to finish the hole. Some pacing experts prefer to calculate a par-3 at 9 minutes. So, a round of 9-hole par-3 can take from 1.5-2 hours depending on your skill and present players on the course.
How Long Do 9 Holes of Golf Take For 2 Players?
In an ideal situation, a couple of skilled players can play a 9-hole round in as little as 75 minutes. However, on a busy course filled with average to poor players, a 9-hole round can take up to 3 hours or even more to complete.
Ways to Speed Up a Golf Match/Tournament
Throughout the history of golf, non-golfers, and spectators have always had their question on pace. Golf-aholics know it’s in the game, but never had associations as well as golfers overlooked the fact. The endeavors they put forward provide a great deal of satisfaction in terms of time. Here are a few.
Gimme
A gimme is a shot that the participating players agree can count without being played. This can save up to a couple of minutes on each hole.
Playing Ready Golf
Ready golf is a bit different in terms of rules. Here the players don’t need to follow the traditional order of play based on the player farthest from the hole but instead playing as soon as you’re ready. This can save around 30 minutes each round.
Avoid Taking Mulligans
In case you’re new to golf, a mulligan is giving yourself a second chance at the shot you just took by throwing another ball down. Even though a lot of people use mulligans to calm their nerves on taking the first shot, it slows down almost everyone and makes keeping a real score a challenge.
Keeping Your Pre-Shot Routine Short
A long, drawn-out pre-shot routine won’t make you play like Rory Mcllroy; you’ll just come off like a jerk. Just follow a solid routine consisting of 1-2 practice swings and then the actual shot. Try to keep it under 20 seconds.
Using Carts on Longer Courses
It’s better to use a golf cart when there’s a lot of distance between holes or the course has hills. Also, help other players navigate the course and find each other’s golf balls.
TEE IT FORWARD
“TEE IT FORWARD” is a joint initiative taken by the USGA and the PGA of America that encourages players to play from the tees best suited for their ability and driving distance. This is without a doubt one of the most important steps to take to improve the pace of play.
FAQ
Q: Where did golf originally come from??
Ans: While the modern version of golf originated from Scotland in the 15th century, the ancient origin is still up for debate. Some trace it back to the Roman game of paganica, in which people used a bent stick to hit a stuffed leather ball.
Q: How much do professional golfers earn?
Ans: The current top golfers in the world can earn over 40 million dollars per year just from deals and sponsorships. But the earnings of a golfer ranked more than 200 is very far off from that.
Q: Who is the slowest player on the PGA tour?
Ans: Ben Crane is one the slowest player to ever play on the PGA tour hence, making with quite unwatchable to play.
Q: How many calories do you burn while playing golf?
Ans: Walking with a bag for 9-holes can burn 721 calories. Walking with a pushcart burns almost the same at 718 calories. Walking with a caddie burned a bit less at 621 calories. And as expected, Riding in a cart for 9-holes burned the least at 411 calories.
Conclusion
So, to sum it all up, a 9-hole round of golf will generally take around 2 hours to complete. The time will vary based on the number of players, the size of the course, skill level, etc. In ideal situations, it might take 1.5 hours or even less.
Well, I like to think you now have a clear idea of how long it takes to complete a 9-hole round of golf. Now onto the golf course we go.
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