Golf Pace Of Play Calculator (How LONG Should A Round Take?)

Pace of play is a critical aspect of golf that infuriates more golfers than you might think. Our golf pace of play calculator allows you to work out how long your round should take.

The pace you and your playing partners play at is for your enjoyment on the course, but also for course operations too as it affects the number of tee times as much as your own satisfication.

No golfers enjoys standing on tee boxes, waiting on fairways to play your approach shots into greens or having golf balls fired towards them from the group behind.

How long should a golf round take? Does the type of course or number of players affect expected time? A four-hour round is a benchmark, but not always the case.

Golf Pace of Play Calculator

Use the pace of play calculator below to work out how long your round should take. Input the details to figure out if a course is suitable or if you played to the expected pace.

Golf Pace of Play Calculator

Enter Number of Players: Enter Course Distance (yards): Enter Slope Rating (optional, default is 113): Calculate Pace of Play

How The Calculator Works

The ideal round time depends on various factors including course length, course difficulty, number of players and player skill level or golf handicap.

Input the number of players in your group and add the course difficulty which affects the pace of play (use the course or slope rating to decide if it is Easy, Moderate or Difficult) and how many the average time per hole.

The total time for 18 holes is calculated by multiplying the number of holes (18) by the average time per hole and adjusting for difficulty.

As a general guideline, a foursome playing an 18-hole course should aim to complete their round in about four to four hours and 30 minutes.

Why Pace Of Play Matters In Golf

Around 60 per cent of golfers say they would enjoy the sport more if it took less time to play a round. A smooth, consistent pace without excessive waiting leads to happier golfers.

After all, no golfer (well, not many) wants to spend five hours plus out on the course.

Improved pace can allow courses to add extra tee times and increase revenue. For example, Erin Hills added a tee time and saw a net benefit of $120,000 per season after optimizing their pace of play.

Golf courses with a reputation for good pace of play have an edge as pace is the third-ranked reason for players choosing one course over another.

Golfers who finish their rounds in or below the expected time are also more likely to spend money in the clubhouse on food, beverages, and pro shop items.

Strategies For Improving Golf Pace of Play

The USGA found that increasing tee time intervals from 8 to 10 minutes can actually improve revenue while reducing course congestion.

Encouraging the first groups of the day to set a quick pace can positively impact the entire day’s play.

The USGA’s data shows that the slowest holes are par 3s longer than 200 yards and par 4s between 380-400 yards. Course managers can use this information to make adjustments.