How Long Does 9 Holes of Golf Take?

The time spent playing golf has exploded at many golf courses nationwide.

Rounds lasting more than five hours have become commonplace in busier areas, and slow play has killed the strides this great game has made over the last five years.

But your golf game doesn’t have to suffer. Instead, you should ask yourself, “How can I save time on the course and play quicker?”

In our latest article, How Long Does 9 Holes of Golf Take, we’ll provide actionable tips to help you play ready golf, reducing your time from the fairway and on the putting green.

Whether a beginner or an experienced golfer, this article provides exciting ways to help you shave time off your next full round.


Average Time to Play 9 Holes

One of the biggest limitations for golfers is time.

Since a full round of golf takes over four hours (not even considering the hours spent traveling to the course and preparation time on the driving range), your time on the links can take up your entire day.

We are looking to play nine holes of golf in roughly two hours. That’s our goal. Regardless of your handicap or how bad your short game is, we want to be at the turn in roughly 120 minutes.


Factors Affecting Pace of Play

Group size

If you want to play faster, play with fewer people.

Since most courses limit groupings to four players or less, if you are worried about your time to play 9 holes of golf, playing in a twosome will prevent you from exceeding that magic time of two hours.

Skill level

It should go without saying, but if you are playing with three other beginners or casual golfers, you can expect your nine holes to take longer than if you were playing with three scratch golfers.

Regardless of skill level, you can play faster by adhering to a few key pace-of-play habits.

For instance, being ready to hit when it’s your turn, keeping practice swings to a minimum, and staying focused on the next shot can all help speed up the game, no matter the group’s skill level.

Course difficulty

The difficulty of the course will significantly impact the time it takes to play half a round.

An easier course will take fewer strokes, while a harder course will force you to play longer to navigate challenging features like bunkers or narrow fairways carefully.

On courses with many water hazards, you have to be more strategic, which can take longer to line up shots to avoid trouble on the golf course.

Golf course busyness

If you want to grab a tee time online and see one lone spot available in the middle of a four-hour block, you should avoid putting yourself on the tee sheet because it will take much longer than expected to play 9 holes.

Since 15 minutes is an accurate estimate of how long it should take you to play a hole, even with a foursome, you can quickly determine whether you are taking too long to complete nine holes of golf.

Weather conditions

Course conditions can dramatically affect the bottom line of how long you are on the course. If you are dealing with rain, it will be harder to play nine holes quickly.

If you are crunched for time to play 9 holes and see the weather could turn sour on you, it might be wise to schedule your nine holes of golf for a different day.

How to Play a Faster 9 Holes of Golf

Here are three ways to create a faster 9-hole round on your next trip to the club.

Don’t Become a Spectator

One of the biggest reasons golfers go slower is that they watch every other shot in their group without preparing to hit the golf ball. This slower style can create a significantly longer period to play nine holes at a busy golf course.

Playing ready golf is the best antidote to breaking a slower pace. One of the biggest things we address with our playing partners, even if they are strangers, is hitting order on the tee box. 

While more advanced golfers are used to hitting first based on their score on the previous hole, if you want to speed up play in a large group, then play first come, first hit.

Stop Searching For Your Lost Ball

Another big reason beginners play slower at busy golf courses is that they spend too much time looking for their balls when they hit them in the deep rough.

Recently, we spent nearly half an hour extra during our nine holes, helping one of our high-handicap playing partners repeatedly look for their ball.

Most golf courses ask that you limit your time looking for misplaced balls to roughly five minutes, but we encourage looking for no more than one minute to keep a good pace during your nine holes.

Yes, you will lose more golf balls that way, but you aren’t guaranteed to find your ball with more looking time, and this method keeps the pace of play crisp.

Now, if you are playing at a relatively empty golf course and don’t care about the total time you play golf on that given day, then by all means, take your time and enjoy what the game provides regarding stress relief and entertainment.

Hit Less Shots

We know it’s obvious, but many golfers don’t understand that more shots equals longer time per hole. If you get better, then you will play nine holes faster.

So, how do you get better?

You can quickly improve at golf by taking a private lesson, working more around the greens, and upgrading your golf clubs and equipment.

There are a million and one ways to play the game more efficiently, but you can only get better if you put the time into your skills.


Golf Cart vs Walking: Which is Faster?

Riding in golf carts is faster than walking the course, but that comes with caveats. Since most older golfers use their trip to the course to get exercise, they care little about how long golf can take that day.

Although some executive courses require a caddie, you can play quickly by following several of the factors mentioned earlier, such as adhering to a “ready golf” style of play, not searching for lost golf balls and being efficient on the greens.


Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take 2 to play 9 holes?

Two golfers should play nine holes in less than two hours. Two casual golfers playing in carts should complete nine holes in 90 minutes unless the course is busy.

How many hours are 9 holes of golf?

For a foursome playing in carts, nine holes of golf should take just over two hours. Course difficulty and the number of golfers will determine the overall playing time on the links.

How long do 9 holes of golf take with a cart?

Playing golf in carts is faster than walking nine holes, helping you save 20-30 minutes per half-round. Overall, nine holes should take two hours with a cart for two to four golfers.

How long will it take to walk 9 holes?

Walking 9 holes should take around two and a half hours to play. If you carry your clubs, it may take longer as fatigue sets in. You can cut time with a push cart to reduce body fatigue.