how long is your ideal round?

[primo]

So I consider myself a pretty fast player, I usually walk, and if there was nobody in front of us in a group of 4 we will probably finish in about 4 hours give or take. In a carts probably 3 hours.

 

However, when I play with somoene that is trying to finish a 2.5 hour walking round, I find myself feeling very rushed. One of my friends, usually is at the tee first, tee up and puts his bag on and walking down the side of the fairway when the last guy tees up. I hate when he does that...

 

Now I live in So Cal, so fast play generally is not a problem, that only happens in places like Oregon and Michagan and is merely an urban legend here in LA. Anyway, so play kills me as well. If it's over 5 1/2 hours, I'm dying, if I have to wait on every tee box, which is generally the case on the weekends here, it sucks, but hey you take what you can get.

 

so the question is, how long is the ideal round? Is that walking or riding? Weekend or weekday? Is your course crowded?

 

Here in LA we have the MOST played golf course in the world with Rancho Park, and top 10 most played, Los Verdes, poor man's pebble, home of the 6 hour rounds and the morning 5-some

[TheLastDon]

If we're able to play at our desired pace for an entire round, my foursome will usually get around in about 3.5 hours. Three of us are pretty fast players, with one that would be considered "deliberate". He's not slow compared to alot of people I play with, but considerably slower than I am. If I'm playing by myself or in a twosome, I can can easily finish a cart round in 2.5-3 hours.

[Johnny]

2.5 -3...

 

I've done them in under 2 though

[dadriver]

I hate slow play. Equally so, I don't like to be rushed. The ideal duration time for me is 3.75 to 4.00 hours. If it starts getting to 4.5 hours then I get irritated, specifically if I find myself repeatedly waiting to hit shots.

 

It's great living in Oregon...seems we have more courses than golfers here. :clapping:

[Debit]

The most enjoyable rounds and best scores have been posted when the round took 3.5-4 hours. I absolutely loose focus and concentration after about 4.5. It's just really really hard to get into any kind of rhythm or sense of the swing waiting on every shot. Yes, RD, there is nothing more annoying than waiting on a group that seems to be more interested in socializing than advancing their balls. However, you will open a whole new can of worms if you attempt to catagorize any one group (women or older players) as slow. Ain't necessarily so. Rather, idjits come in all ages, sizes, genders, walkers or riders, and handicaps. I have out walked groups that were riding, been hollered at for "pushing" by young men in their late 20s and 30s (like we were standing in the fairway waiting to hit onto the green while these 30 yr old 30 hdcpers stalked their putts as though each 3 putt was for the US Open), watched in horror as a 30 something fella plumb bobbed EVERY shot, and was awed as a foursome of 70 yr olds took off dragging their carts leaving everyone in their dust. When I walked and carried, the faster the round, the less tired I felt when we got off the course -- go figure.

[RSchaffer29]

I would say around 3.5 hours...

 

...I seem to play better, however, when the people I am playing with are not good. I think it gives me more time to calm down between shots and think about the next one.

[golf9596]

3.5 hours and 1 hour travel is a full morning. We never play tournaments after 10am, those will be 5-6 hour rounds. Our group will meet at day break so, we have more time for family and work.(ok a few beers too!!!)lol :clapping:

[tpgrrr1]

At my home course I like to get around in 3 hours and 45 min. That's depending on how many balls I lose :D

:D :clapping: :cheesy: :D

[Teetogreen86]

Ideal is 3.5 with a foursome. No more than 4 at most. But as we all know, that doesn't happen to often.

[Flo37]

To me it doesn't matter how long it takes, as long as I get to take as much time as I want and I'm not waiting. I could easily play a 3.5 hour round by myself if I went through my entire routine, although the course has a bunch of incredibly long walks, so probably 3 hours at most other courses

[Oaks]

There are usually 2 or 3 of us who play almost every Thursday afternoon, and when we play in carts... it is not uncommon for us to play in 2 hours 20 minutes. It is basically your basic Hit it and Chase it deal, but we have put up some pretty solid numbers this summer playing this way. I find it leaves you less time to think about the past or future and worry in the present. It seems to work for my buddy who has shot 64, 65, 67 (5X+) and other stelar rounds over the course of the summer.

[Lord Thomas]

I hate when I have to wait on every shot, independent of how long the round ends up taking. Likewise, I hate it when I'm rushing on every shot.

 

I played in Kapalua over the summer, and we went off in the first group one day, and it was perfect, as on the third hole, we were still the only hole on the course, and there was obviously no waiting. That was ideal....although it meant waking up kinda early.

 

If I had to put a number on it, probably 3 and a half hours is good for me....the 5 and a half hour tournament rounds are unbearable!

 

-Thomas

[Metalhead]

Great Topic!! I agree 3:30 would great!!

 

I would love to see a course(muni that is) have the balls to charge more a round and increase the time between groups by two and have no more than 3 on a tee and I would be happy to pay much more to play their!! Time is money on both sides of this agrument, the way I see it..

[AUDuffer]

Put me down for about 3.5 - 4 hours although I prefer the 3.5-hour round. If I'm playing alone I can squeeze in a round in 3 or so walking. I don't play crazy fast, but I walk toward my ball and watch it as it sails off to the left so I at least know where it's going. I'm usually pretty much ready to play my next shot when I reach the ball. It doesn't seem like something that should be super difficult, but I'm amazed that it is...

[matt411]

Great quote in Golf Digest this month from Lee Trevino, "Once in my life, I'd like to play behind myself."

[pitbull808]

My ideal round is a maximum 4 hours. Any more and I'm getting pretty irritated.

 

It's not uncommon though for "PM Hacker" and I to get out first in the morning and be done in less the 2.5.

[simmoboy]

me and big weisy usually get around in 3-3.5 hours when we tee of before 9 but any time in the afternoon your looking at 4 hours which really irritates me.

 

i like to play fast and really hate to wait.

[Golfchicago]

Ladies and gentlemen, the correct number is 3.5 hours. You should be able to walk or easily ride in that amount of time. I played in a tournament yesterday and we finished in 3.5 and took our time over our putts. If I go solo in a cart, it takes me an hour and a half and that is not rushing.

[cpa49707]

Our weekend end 4some play every saturday and sundya morning at 7 am and we finish in 3 - 3.5 hours walking. We are not rushed.

 

Its not that hard.

[tickyboy]

If I can get off first on the course, I usually play in 2 and a quarter if not less. Otherwise later in the day yields 3.5-4 hour rounds

[dorfblee]

Without any lollygaggers in front- 3.5 hours. Everyone reads greens, fixes ball marks, and putts in order. My low rounds (mid/low 80's) have been completed in that 3.5 hour time frame.

 

Anything under 4 hours is fine with me. 4.5 hours is pushing it. Anything past 4.5 hours is painful. I'm there to golf my ball, not stroll through the greenery.

[JHR]

3 1/2 to 4 tops.

 

I just played a 5 hour 45 minute mess on Friday. I could not have been any more angry. I would wait so long between shots that i would start to get stiff.

 

If you think it is acceptable to play more than 4 hours, you should take up another sport.

[TReed]

My ideal round is 4 hours because then i don't have to rush but i don't have to wait. The longest round I ever played was 6.5 hours at Diablo Grande. That wasn't fun.