You (or your spouse) have probably asked how long it takes to play 18 holes of golf before you’ve left for a round. The short answer is that it typically takes around 4 hours to play 18 holes of golf. There are a few additional factors that can affect the length, which we’ll get in to below.
How Long Does Eighteen Holes Of Golf Take To Play?
Assuming you’re playing in a group of four, it will take approximately 15 minutes per hole. With 18 holes lasting roughly 15 minutes each, that puts a group of 4 taking about 4 hours and 15 minutes to play a group of 18 holes.
If you’re playing alone or with a group less than four, this will reduce the total time it takes to play 18 holes.
| Number of Players | 18 Holes | Par 3 Hole | Par 4 Hole | Par 5 Hole |
| 1 | 2 hr 30 min | 7 min | 8 min | 10 min |
| 2 | 3 hr | 8 min | 10 min | 12 min |
| 3 | 3hr 30 min | 9 min | 12 min | 14 min |
| 4 | 4 hrs | 10 min | 13 min | 15 min |
Factors That Determine How Long It Takes To Play 18 Holes Of Golf
There are many variables that will affect how long it takes you (or your group) to play through 18 holes. We’ll walk through these now. Also take a look at our guide on how long it takes to play 9 holes of golf if you’re planning a half round.
The Size Of The Golf Course You’re Playing
The average golf course is between 5,500 and 6,000 yards, and most are 34 to 37 par courses. On these standard courses, you’ll expect to take 4 hours to play 18 holes of golf. If your selected course is larger or has higher par, you’ll want to factor in additional time – at least up to an extra hour.
Course Layout and Hazards
Depending on the frequency and severity of roughs, water hazards, bunkers, and other obstacles on the course, these will all affect your gameplay length due to the additional strokes and recovery time they can add. Be sure to know the layout of the course if keeping a strict timetable is of importance to you.
Par 3, 4, or 5 Holes
If you’re playing a par 3 course, these holes can take as little as 10 minutes to complete, which will really speed up your playing time for 18 holes. A par 4 hole can take around 13 minutes, while a par 5 can be up to 15 minutes. Take a look at the 18 holes you’re playing ahead of time and the par to get a better idea of your time commitment.
Using A Golf Cart Versus Walking The Course
Clearly, using a golf cart will be faster than a round of 18 holes played walking the course. Expect this to shave 45-60 minutes or more off of your round.
How Busy The Course Is
If you’re playing a congested course on a busy day, it can add up to an extra hour or more to your play time while waiting for other groups to finish, or letting other groups play through if needed.
Your Group’s Skill Level
Simply put, the better the players in your group, the less shots your group will take, which shaves minutes off of each hole. Beginner golfers or high handicappers can add extra minutes to each hole, so be aware of this when planning your trip.
Your Group’s Size
Again, this is likely obvious, but the more members you have in your group, the longer each hole (and the total 18 holes) will take to play. The rule of thumb is that it takes about 15 minutes per hole for a group of four. This can be reduced by about 2 minutes for each less player you have, or 13 minutes per hole for a group of three, 11 minutes per hole for a couple, or 9 minutes per hole for a single player.
If playing solo, you could finish 18 holes of golf in under 2 hours and 30 minutes if using a golf cart!
Weather
If it’s windy or raining, this can add strokes to your party’s game, taking more time to finish 18 holes.
How To Speed Up The Time It Takes For 18 Holes Of Golf
There are a few ways to reduce the amount of time you or your group will spend playing 18 holes of golf. Let’s take a look below.
Playing Ready Golf
Rather than allowing the farthest player from the hole to hit each time, you can switch to a mode where the first player who’s ready to hit can take their turn, reducing the time it takes for each hole.
Playing From The Proper Tees
If you’re a beginner or a high handicapper, playing from the back tees is not the best idea (both for the time it takes to play, along with your score). Play from the right tees for your skill level to save time.
Use A Golf Cart (And Use It Wisely)
This is fairly obvious, but using a golf cart is much faster than walking the course, so you can save between 1 and 2 hours per 18 holes by taking a cart. Additionally, you can drop a player near their ball and then take the cart to the next ball on the hole, saving additional minutes.
Don’t Hunt Too Long For Your Ball
Resolve to spending only five minutes max looking for each ball, and dropping a new one if you can’t locate your previous shot.
Split Your Group If Necessary
If playing with a group larger than three, consider splitting your group up – this will speed up the pace of play and you can all catch up at the clubhouse afterwards.