How fast do you play?

[David in FL]

Buddy and I can get around in 2:15 sharing a cart, without killing ourselves or feeling rushed in the slightest. I don't play alone anymore, but imagine that sub-2 hours would be comfortable for a single on an open course.

[shortstop20]

I can play 9 holes by myself on a cart in 65 minutes if there's nobody holding me up.

130-140 minutes for 18.

[shortstop20]

Buddy and I can get around in 2:15 sharing a cart, without killing ourselves or feeling rushed in the slightest. I don't play alone anymore, but imagine that sub-2 hours would be comfortable for a single on an open course.

Wow, I thought my just over 2 hours golfing alone was fast. Fastest I've managed with another player is 2:30 or so.

[Golfingdad]

The exact same speed as the group in front of me.

[Mac62]

With nobody in front, a friend I regularly golf with and I will finish 18 holes on a par 72 course in around 2:45 - 3:15, depending on the course.  Not rushing, but we both play ready golf and don't screw around when it's time to hit.  Neither of us are spectacular golfers (I'm a 23, he's around a 15), but not being good doesn't have to equal slow play.

I play with a group of friends at our home course every Thursday afternoon and in that group there's a lot of chit-chat, trash talking and lollygagging.  We're usually closer to 4 hours or so, and even though I'm the highest handicap in the group, it's usually me 'cracking the whip' and keeping them moving.  I hate slow play and I hate even more to look back and see that we're holding up a group behind us.

In the city I live in, our population almost doubles during the winter months due to 'snowbirds' (winter visitors from Canada and the northern states. most of which are retirees/senior citizens).  There are certain courses we won't even go near during the winter months because you're guaranteed at least a 5 1/2 - 6 hour round...IF you can get a tee time at all.  Most of the snowbirds won't let you play through and even if they did it wouldn't make any difference because the group ahead of them is just as slow...and so is the group ahead of them, and so on.  A lot of the courses around here aren't marshaled very strictly (if at all), so there's no help there either.  It's agonizing.

[Ferguson]

Let me just say, there should be a written test and instructional video for speed of play given to everyone that plays this game. My son and I walking 18 holes first out on Sunday mornings: 3:20

[Natural Patrick]

I guess I don't play as fast as I thought. 18 with a cart is about 3:15 for me. All I know is that is fast enough for me to always be complaining about slow play in front of me.

[Scotsclaff]

I'm not slow,I don't hold people up.

[jsgolfer]

I can walk 18 at my course right around two hours if no one is in front of me.  45-50 minutes on the front and about an 1:00-1:10 on the back.

Only time I ride in a cart is in a tournament, so not sure how fast i would play with a cart and an open course.

One of the guys at my course calls me Flash because I fly around the course so fast.

[Scotsclaff]

I can walk 18 at my course right around two hours if no one is in front of me.  45-50 minutes on the front and about an 1:00-1:10 on the back.

Only time I ride in a cart is in a tournament, so not sure how fast i would play with a cart and an open course.

One of the guys at my course calls me Flash because I fly around the course so fast.

We call one of our group"Captain Patience"but he's the exact opposite.

[ghalfaire]

If not impeded in some way my usual foursome takes about 3hours 45 minutes +/- 10 minutes to do 18.  I think that is a nice pace, not fast, not slow, just steady.

[Uncle Peter]

An average round playing with my regular golfing buddy (~same handicap as me) usually takes about 3.5-4 hours with a cart. I never played alone yet, but I'd say it would probably take me at most 2 hours.

We usually play during off peak times, so we play relaxed golf. That being said, if we see the group behind starting to catch up, we'll pick things up or let them through, never slowing anyone down. I personally don't see the point in rushing around a golf course, unless need be. To me it wouldn't feel enjoyable or relaxing, which is one of the reasons I play in the first place.

[ay33660]

Yesterday I played with my regular foursome and teed off at 8:20am. We were the 3rd group out and we finished at 11:50am. 3 hours and 30 minutes which is normal for us.

I then played in the afternoon at 2:15pm with my wife and another couple. We finished at 6:05pm which is 3 hours and 50 minutes.

The tee sheet was full as it was a beautiful sunny day.

Everyone in the groups walked the round.

My club is an "old school" club built in 1910. Not long at 6,800 yards from the tips.

Those are pretty normal times for us. We don't feel like we have to rush and we have time to read putts etc.

[Patch]

I just go with the flow as they say. I can stay in front of the folks behind me, if the folks in front of me will allow it. I never show up at a course with a preconceived time limit. I'm there to golf, and enjoy the time I'm there. I've had some 3 hour rounds, and I have had a some 5 hour rounds. It is what it is.

[DeadMan]

About a year and a half ago, I was the first person out, as a single, in a cart. I got around the course (one that I did not know well, with several blind tee shots too boot) in just under 2 hours.

I will often get through twilight rounds by myself in 2.5 hours, which includes some waiting and such.

This is all in a cart. I think you could easily add 30 minutes with walking for me, because I end up searching for my ball a lot.

[dbuck]

My course is about 6400 from the tees I play, 7000 from the tips.  On a cart by myself, with an empty course, and at least the 90* rule, I can do the front in a little over an hour. The back takes a little longer, but I should be able to do 18 without rushing in around 2:20-2:30. Par time for a normal foursome/moderate traffic is suggested at 4:15 on the card. When I play with buddies, I play ready golf and encourage others to do the same.

Honestly, on the rare occasion I am alone and have the course to myself, I am usually not racing the clock though, and like to hit a few extra shots here and there. I don't "play slow", just stay out there longer-not if anyone is behind me of course.

[14ledo81]

With a cart and an open course, I can play 18 in 1:30.

[Fairway_CY]

I don't like to play super-fast.  To me, I'm on the course to enjoy myself.  I allow myself a minimum of 3 hours for 18 holes if I'm playing by myself.  That's 10 minutes per hole.  That said... that's what I ALLOW myself.  It's very rare that I play 18 by myself, but I frequently play 9 by myself.  So, I like to allow myself 90 minutes.  I still usually finish in about an hour, not rushing... pulling the stick, etc.  On average, about 6-7 minutes per hole.

I am a ready player.  My pre-shot routine is usually consistent (2 controlled swings behind the ball - walk to ball - line up and fire).  I have bad knees, so I rarely take much time lining up putts because squatting puts too much strain on my joints.  That makes my putting routine quick too.

Still... when I play in tournaments, I'm used to 5+ hours.  The extra time is usually spent helping look for errant shots.  I'm quick to abandon shots if I have little hope of finding them... others seem to take ever second allowed which make things d-r-a-g!

Overall, I'd say that my rounds, playing with others, average about 5 hours.  Alone, because it's typically 9 holes, I average about 75 minutes depending on how poorly I'm playing and if there is anybody ahead of me that may be slowing things down a little.

CY