Ideal Round Time

[Gwelfgulfer]

Re: Ideal Round Time

The next time I'm flying solo one afternoon, I'm going to try and do 9 at a one our pace. I'm sure it can be done, but I'm not sure I'd enjoy it. With a group? Forget it. 2 hours per 9 is great pace for me, especially with my regular Sunday group. It's as much about catching up on everyone's week and the social aspect for me as it is the golf. Don't purposely waste time, talk after shooting etc, but we definitely relax and enjoy the round

If solo it can actually help as you stay engaged more as you walk conviction and have less wasted time taking you away from the task at hand.

It's not often you find people who play well and quickly and somehow didn't enjoy them self. Can't see saying 'dam I wish I was 30 mins slower, I would have enjoyed it so much more'.

[thunderbolt]

Re: Ideal Round Time

Just throwing this out there...Maybe the real problem isn't all those who play 18 as a foursome in 4 hours, but it's the ones who are making it into a track meet and trying to finish in under 2.5 or 3 because they didn't dedicate the appropriate time to play...

[ARL67]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I met up with ManFromMoffat on the tee at Victoria Park East in Guelph a couple weeks ago. We were a 3some and first off, all walking. We hustled around at a good pace, each playing ready golf, and finished in 2hr20min. All 3 of us played very well IMO, and I attribute our good play to our purposeful pace, which kept each of us focused. And still plenty of time for chit-chat.

[ManFromMoffat]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I met up with ManFromMoffat on the tee at Victoria Park East in Guelph a couple weeks ago. We were a 3some and first off, all walking. We hustled around at a good pace, each playing ready golf, and finished in 2hr20min. All 3 of us played very well IMO, and I attribute our good play to our purposeful pace, which kept each of us focused. And still plenty of time for chit-chat.

Again, I enjoyed meeting you ARL67! We could have played a bit slower and were dragged along by our 76 year old third.

I think on average I'd play a bit better playing a bit slower. I play mostly weekdays now. The choice I'm probably making is to play early and a bit faster versus playing just a bit later but definitely way slower. Teeing off a half hour later means I get off the course off the course 1:15+ later relative to an early start. I'd rather spend that time on the patio, than ...

[Jayhawker]

Re: Ideal Round Time

Solo, 2.5 or less is great.
2some, 3.5 is about right.
4some, 4.5 is a good pace.
Although I have had 5 hours rounds with a good 4some that didn't seem to take that long. It is a social game after all.

[hoganapexplus]

Re: Ideal Round Time

Just throwing this out there...Maybe the real problem isn't all those who play 18 as a foursome in 4 hours, but it's the ones who are making it into a track meet and trying to finish in under 2.5 or 3 because they didn't dedicate the appropriate time to play...

Appropriate is in the opinion of those playing I guess.

[Jayhawker]

Re: Ideal Round Time

Playing a proper round solo in 4 or more sucks. Playing a practice round solo in that time is peachy.

[Galted]

Re: Ideal Round Time

A long as I do not have to stand over my shots and wait for the group ahead to clear

Well said but unfortunately those negatives happen only in rounds slowed by people happy to take longer than the overwhelming majority of us consider ideal.

[Toughpar3]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I do all of this, too, and it only takes me 2-2:15...

I'm not trying to make it a race but what are you spending an extra 45 minutes doing? I even take a couple extra putts here and there, but if you're spending 45 minutes practicing you should do it on the range...

Practicing on the range and on the course are not the same. For example, on the course you can see how your shots react on the green especially on full swing short irons. Or practicing bump and runs with an 8 or 7 iron from fairway to green.

[Toughpar3]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I think 4hrs is a good pace (for 4).

I didn't vote because I didn't want to get lumped at the extremes of 3.5 or 4.5 hours on the available choices.

When I play solo walking at Osprey, I find it hard to beat 3 hours. I can't stop myself from playing extra balls and hitting extra shots and putts.

I always look for balls that may be lost or OB, and I always pull the flag to putt out. Why wouldn't you want to play the full game?

Along the lines of Weirfan and Big Shooter, I'm in no rush to leave the course. It's one of my most favourite places to be. When you add in 45 minutes drive each way, and maybe 15-30 minutes warmup.... the LAST place I'm going to cut time is on the course.

Occasionally I've been pressed for time and scurried around and it was much better than not golfing, but I don't want to spend most of my rounds feeling like I'm on the clock.

This is practically a plaigarised copy of what I would say.

[brisbane]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I'm just going to stop making my point and be happy I play somewhere that targets sub-4hr rounds for foursomes.

[4wedges]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I am spoiled, routinely get around my course in under 3hrs walking 2 or more players, but I understand the difference between a private and public course and can accept that almost anywhere else I will play will take 4hrs +. That being said, anything more than 4.5hrs is frustrating.

This exactly explains my thoughts & experience.

[Ignatius Reilly]

Re: Ideal Round Time

Appropriate is in the opinion of those playing I guess.

For sure.

Here's my analysis of the results so far (117 votes).

I calculated an (arguably imprecise, but it's good enough IMO) average, using the number of voters for each time, and the middle of the time range (e.g. 3.25 hours for the 3 - 3.5 hour range). I used 2.25 for the "under 2.5" group, and 5.25 for the "over 5" group. That's where the imprecision creeps in, but those numbers are small. Another approach would have been to discard them, which I also tried, and it made very little difference.

Iggy's Average: 3h 38m
Iggys Average2 with extremes excluded: 3h 38m.

Both numbers are rounded to the nearest minute, Average2 was actually longer, but just by seconds, not a full minute.

[bl8d]

Re: Ideal Round Time

as a single playing two balls into the green from where my T ball landed, 3hrs.
as a single added to a group, it could be anything.
our regular four, very seldom went over 4 hrs. and we didn't really care for longer as we would spend another 2 in the 19th.

[dmcdam]

Re: Ideal Round Time

I play the majority of my rounds as a 2some and almost always on Fri morning so the course is pretty dead. We're always between 3-3.5hrs and that gives us time to chat, search for a wayward shot, and grab a beer or two. I've played this way for so long that I find a typical 4.5hr round with a 4some too long. I don't usually play my best which probably increases my frustration. If we could get a 4some around in 3:45-4:00 I'd probably be okay with it but it doesn't seem to happen often. I'd rather play in my regular 2some any day.