Ideal time for a round

[Yukari]

I play much better golf when a round takes less than 4 hours (for a foursome) where I don't have to wait for the next shot.  If it goes past 4:30 for a round, my score is terrible - relatively speaking.  On the other hand, one of my buddies like to take his time for each shot and play better if the round takes 4:30 or more.  Obviously, I don't play with him much as I hate "slow" rounds.

What is your ideal time for a round.

[Piz]

Playing an unimpeded round is a rare occurrence that happened twice in the last week and a half: once on a 3800 yard par 61 and once on a 6000 yard par 72.  The shorter round took 2:15, the longer took 3:15.  There were just two of us.  For a foursome...I think you tack on another half hour.  That brings my ideal round, with a foursome, in at 3:45.  

[Patch]

I never worry about the Iength of time it takes to play a round of golf. If I worried about things in golf I have no control over, my score would suffer. 

When I saw the title of this thread, I thought the question was what was the best time of day to play golf. Morning hours would have been my answer.

[HJJ003]

I also thought this thread was about time of day. As for pace of play...too many factors. Playing alone? In a group? Routing of course? Carts vs walking? I guess 4 hours is a good rule of thumb...

[DeadMan]

Whatever the pace is so that I never have to wait to play any shot. I think that's under 4 hours as foursome, and less with fewer players.

[Wally Fairway]

15 hours ago, HJJ003 said:

I also thought this thread was about time of day. As for pace of play...too many factors. Playing alone? In a group? Routing of course? Carts vs walking? I guess 4 hours is a good rule of thumb...

Me too, I prefer to play in the morning - the earlier the better. I love to be the first group off the tee and that way we can set our own pace. I don't like to play rushed, but most of my usual playing group play ready golf. Under 4 hours is great, anything closer to 5 hours or longer seems like it just drags on.

Cool story bro - buddy and I show up around 7:10 to play a course near Lake Michigan, one other twosome is in front of us but they let us go first as they are messing around with getting stuff out of their bags and they don't want to play as a foursome. We get around the course in just under 3 hours, even with a couple of practice shots and hitting a second putt here and there. As we are getting to the 18th tee the group that let us go first is just walking off the 11th tee .... maybe the stopped for a snack or bathroom break, but we were glad that we didn't have to play at their pace, is would have sucked.
 

[DaveP043]

I've always enjoyed my trips to Scotland, and the pace of play there.  Four players, on foot, in 3:30 to 3:45 is just fabulous.  No rushing, no long walks from green to the next tee, just pleasant progress around the course.  I can remember, later on in a week, after getting used to that typical pace, playing behind another group and taking 4 whole  hours and finding it incredibly slow.  

All that doesn't mean that I can't enjoy a slower round, its pretty rare in the US to be able to consistently get around in under 4 hours.  Ya gotta enjoy whatever golf brings you.

[klineka]

The ideal time for me is where I am rarely waiting on a group in front of me. Sometimes it takes us 3:45 with nobody in front of us, sometimes it takes us 4:15 with nobody in front of us. 

Like others have mentioned, the guys I usually play with and myself dont mind getting up early and teeing off before 8AM on Saturdays. There were a few times last year we were at the course early and had to wait until it was daylight enough to tee off. Going that early keeps us from waiting much, and being done by noon keeps the wives/girlfriends happy.

[Moxley]

4 hours  - if that isn't attainable, I'd rather do fewer holes. 

[NM Golf]

As a foursome around 4 hours is perfect, 4:30 is okay, anything 5 or more gets a little tedious, but doesn't affect my score. I played 18 holes by myself on Tuesday in about 2:30. Played through 4 groups before I hit the wall, played the last 5 holes as a threesome.

[NCGolfer]

In the morning by myself - around 2:30 walking.  I don't mind a little more if I'm hitting some extra shots and practicing a bit.

Regular foursome - Four hours.  Anything longer (without waiting) than that, even everyone walking and on a 6500-ish tees, is long to me.  In carts, I would expect to be able to play a little faster but I've found carts don't help as much as you think.

[NJpatbee]

4 hours for a foursome is fine.  A twosome should be played in 3.5 and if I am solo on a quiet afternoon 2.5 ( or 3 hours if if I play a few extra holes since it is now practice anyway).

[cooke119]

4 hours is good, my problem is some of the guys I play with can't give up looking for a lost ball! Drives me up a wall when the ball is known to be in the deep woods. I hate standing around waiting, please give up on that $2.00 ball. Throw one down and lets get going, especially when we have people waiting behind us.