Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat turned on the style as a seven under par round of 64 earned him the second round lead at DP World Tour Qualifying School – Final Stage.

The 34-year-old carded seven birdies without a blemish on the Lakes Course to reach ten under par, one stroke clear of English duo Ross McGowan and Daniel Brown, as well as Iceland’s Gudmundur Kristjansson.

There are still four rounds of the marathon Final Stage event to play at INFINITUM but Aphibarnat, a four-time DP World Tour winner, is the man who holds a narrow advantage after 36 holes.

“It was a good round, sitting on the top of the leaderboard is always good,” he said. “I just want to go out there and play my own game, enjoy it and not set goals. I’ve been struggling the last two years, not really enjoying golf as I used to, but to come back and play on the DP World Tour made me more comfortable. My game was getting much better. I just want to go out and play golf as I’m supposed to do. I played Asian Tour last week and I was pleased to see some friends. I had a good result, finishing in the top five, and I feel like I’m bringing some confidence into this week. There are still four more days, anything can happen, I’m just trying to play my own game.

Every player in the 156-man field will play two rounds on each of the Lakes and Hills courses at INFINITUM and the Bangkok native found it easier to navigate the Lakes layout due to how he was able to assess the wind.

“On the Hills, especially the front nine, it’s a little tight,” he said. “You’ve got to put the ball in the right spot and yesterday I played and the wind picked up with a lot of gusts.
“It’s quite difficult to read the wind but on the Lakes, it’s wide open. I know the wind is strong but you can tell exactly what the wind is doing. You just have to make sure you hole the putts to get a good score.”

Five players, including English amateur Callan Barrow, share fifth place on eight under par, with a further four players a shot further back in a tie for tenth. Germany’s Nick Bachem, who finished 25th on the Road to Mallorca Rankings, posted the low round of the day – and the week so far – with a sublime bogey-free ten under par round of 61 on the Lakes Course.

For the very latest scores from DP World Tour Qualifying School – Final Stage click here. 

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Tiger Woods is to end a four-month break from competitive golf by playing in the Hero World Challenge in December.

The 15-time major winner confirmed on Twitter that he will tee up in the 20-man annual event he hosts in the Bahamas, which begins on December 1 and marks his first start since he missed the cut at The Open in July.

He will make a further appearance a week later on December 10 in ‘The Match’, a 12-hole exhibition alongside Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas.

The additions to Woods’s schedule, albeit limited, offer a positive sign about the state of the 47-year-old’s fitness as he battles the impact of injuries sustained in a serious car accident in 2021, not least because he indicated he might not play again this year after struggling at St Andrews in the summer.

In addition to tournament host Tiger Woods, the field for the Hero World Challenge features defending champion Viktor Hovland, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Will Zalatoris, Matt Fitzpatrick, Sam Burns, Jordan Spieth, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel, Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, Sungjae Im, Max Homa, Tom Kim, Kevin Kisner and Tommy Fleetwood.

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Like any other sport, golf is filled with unique nuances and rules. Many things that may be considered normal off the course go against proper golf etiquette.

One of these gray areas has to do with the proper dress code on the golf course. For example, lots of folks may wonder if they can wear jeans to the golf course.

We answer that question and many others in this post that covers all things golf dress code.

Can You Wear Jeans to Golf?

As a general rule, no, you cannot play golf in jeans. While there may be a few golf courses out there that allow jeans, those places are few and far between.

If you show up in jeans for your tee time, an employee in the pro shop may ask you to either change your pants or leave. If you don’t have any proper golf pants or slacks with you, you’ll have to buy some from the pro shop. Needless to say, this will hurt both your wallet and your pride.

Jeans just aren’t considered appropriate golf attire, so they should be avoided. You may be able to get away with jeans on the driving range, but we wouldn’t advise that either. Denim doesn’t allow your knees and legs the freedom to bend and flex as they need to in a proper golf swing.

Typical Dress Code to Play Golf

So, now that we’ve established that jeans aren’t accepted on the golf course, you may be left wondering what you can wear. In this section, we’ll list the specific dress code for both men and women on the golf course.

Men

To play golf, guys should opt for golf shirts or other types of polo shirts. Most courses require all patrons to wear a collared shirt, so keep that in mind before you head out the door for your tee time.

Gentlemen can choose between golf pants or golf shorts for their bottoms. A baseball cap or visor is also acceptable and can come in handy on a sunny day. Choosing to go without a cap is also okay.

If it’s fall or winter, find a nice-looking sweater or windbreaker to wear on the course. Both of these options will keep you warm and can be easily removed when the temperature warms up.

Sunglasses are also a good idea to keep on hand. They can shield your eyes from the sun’s glaring rays and help you to remain focused. However, I prefer not to wear sunglasses while playing golf because I feel it changes my depth perception too much.

Golf shoes must be worn at all times on the course. These are designed to help golfers turn easier during the golf swing. Keep in mind that most golf courses no longer allow golf shoes with metal spikes, so opt for plastic ones or the spikeless variety.

As far as other clothing accessories are concerned, make sure you wear a belt if your pants or shorts have belt loops. A lot of golf courses don’t allow folks to wear their shirts untucked. You don’t want to look silly with your shirt tucked in and belt loops showing with no belt.

Women

The dress code for women golfers is similar to the men’s. Things get a bit confusing when it comes to top choices, though, so ladies should check the course dress code they are playing that day. If you’re in doubt, simply call the pro shop or visit the course website.

Some courses allow women golfers to wear shirts with no collar, as long as the shirt has sleeves. However, if the shirt is sleeveless, it has to have a collar. For ladies, it’s probably best to opt for collared shirts or blouses since they are deemed proper golf clothes at every course.

If the temperature is a bit on the chilly side, women golfers should wear a sweater or light jacket. Most golf apparel companies offer good winter clothing options that are lightweight and won’t restrict any type of movement.

As for the bottoms, women golfers have lots of options. They can choose between golf pants, trousers, slacks, shorts, and skirts. Ladies can also opt for a skort, which is a combination between shorts and a skirt.

Like men, women golfers should also wear golf shoes on the course. While regular tennis shoes or sneakers are permitted, most folks find that golf shoes are just easier to swing in. Socks aren’t required, but not wearing them could result in some nasty blisters.

Things to Not Wear to Golf

Nobody likes showing up to anything wearing the wrong attire. Now that you know what proper golf clothes are, here are some things to avoid wearing to the golf course. Reading over this list and adhering to it can save you some money and embarrassment.

Men

Golf is known as a gentlemen’s game. Because of that, guys have to be careful what they wear for their tee times. Men should never show up in a t-shirt, blue jeans, cargo shorts, athletic shorts, or flip-flops.

While that type of attire may be perfect for a day at the beach or lounging around the house, it’s not acceptable for a day on the golf course. Guys also shouldn’t show up in a sweatshirt and sweatpants. Even in extremely cold weather, neither of these articles of clothing will be permitted while golfing.

Women

The unacceptable attire list for women golfers is almost the same as for men. Ladies shouldn’t show up in tank tops, halters, sandals, or any type of denim. They should also avoid sweatpants and sweatshirts, even in cooler temperatures.

Women golfers also shouldn’t wear cargos or any other shorts that are super short. While most jackets are permitted in the winter, ladies should make sure that the one they choose isn’t too bulky. The last thing you want is to wear anything that will inhibit your natural golf swing.

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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One of the best things about playing golf with a group of buddies is the fun betting games you can play against each other. One of the most entertaining golf games is Wolf, which can be a refreshing break from standard stroke play.

If you’ve never played Wolf before, you’re in for a treat! Let’s go over the rules and basic strategies of this incredible game.

How to Play The Wolf Golf Game

Wolf is a type of match play where each hole is worth a set amount of points or dollars. Because of this type of scorekeeping, no person or team is ever really out of the match. There are many variations of Wolf, but let’s cover the basic rules first.

1. Decide The Wolf Rotation

Line up your crew on the first tee box and toss a tee into the air. Whichever golfer it points to gets to be the wolf on the first hole. Continue throwing the tee until the rotation is set. This will remain the same until the end of the round.

2. The Wolf Tees Off

After hitting his tee shot, the first player gets to decide if he wants to play as the lone wolf or with a wolf partner. If he chooses the partner route, he’ll then watch the second golfer tee off.

After that shot is completed, the wolf must decide whether to partner with that person or to pass and watch the third player hit. If the wolf doesn’t like the tee shot of the third player, he’s automatically paired with the fourth player.

3. If Partner Format is Chosen, Each Team Plays Their Best Ball

You know what Best Ball means if you’ve ever played in a golf scramble. If not, it simply means that you and your teammate will hit your shots and play whichever ball is the best.

4. The Team or Player With the Lowest Score Wins the Hole

So, if Team 1 scores a 3 on the hole and Team 2 scores a 4, Team 1 is declared the winner, and each player will receive 1 point. No points are awarded if there is a tie, whether in team format or lone wolf format.

5. Lone Wolf Holes Are Worth Triple

Now, before you get cocky and choose to go lone wolf each time you can, remember that each lone wolf hole is worth triple the points. This means that if the lone wolf wins, he’ll receive 3 points while his other non-wolf partners will get 0.

However, the inverse is also true. If the lone wolf doesn’t win the hole, the other three golfers get 3 points while the wolf gets 0. In other words, going the lone wolf route is a huge gamble.

How Many Players Do You Need to Play Wolf?

The Wolf golf game is typically played with four golfers, but some variations allow for three golfers to play. All that’s needed is a few modifications to the rules. With three golfers, there’s no predetermined order for who’s going to be the wolf.

After all golfers hit their tee shots, the one with the second longest drive automatically becomes the wolf. The other non-wolf partners become the wolf hunters. The rules are slightly different for par 3 holes, however, as the wolf is awarded to the player that is the second closest to the hole.

The scoring system for a threesome is also a bit different. After all three golfers have finished the hole, the wolf’s score is doubled and then compared to the combined score of the wolf hunters.

The team with the lowest net score wins. If the wolf wins, he gets two points, but if the non-wolf golfers win, they get one point each.

Players can also decide if they want the points to carry over in the case of a tie. For example, let’s say the wolf and the wolf hunters tie on the second hole. Those points will carry over to the third hole and make it worth double the amount.

3 Tips to Help You Win at Wolf

Now that you know how to play Wolf, the next step is to learn how to win! We’ve compiled this list of 3 tips to help you win more often at Wolf. If you take these tips to heart, you’ll win more bets on the golf course.

1. Play with Confidence

Playing wolf on the golf course is a lot like playing poker at the casino. The golfer who isn’t afraid to take big risks exudes lots of confidence. This can psych out the other golfers in the crew and make them even more nervous.

One way to show confidence is to announce yourself as the blind lone wolf before you even hit your tee shot. This is known by many in the golfing world as the wolf hammer, and it carries a 4x multiplier of points instead of just 3x! This will shake your buddies up and let them know that you aren’t messing around.

2. Team Up with a High Handicapper

This tip only applies if you are playing Wolf with full handicaps involved. When that rule is instilled, it makes a lot of sense to team up with a high handicapper because they’re given at least one stroke per hole.

That means if the high handicapper scores a 5 on a hole, their score is actually recorded as a 4. This can make it easier for you to rack up points, especially if you happen to hit a poor tee shot as the wolf.

3. Don’t Take The Game Too Seriously

This may be the most important tip of all. While there’s nothing wrong with being competitive, remember that Wolf is supposed to be much more fun than regular stroke play. You aren’t playing for millions of dollars like on the PGA Tour, so just lighten up and have a good time out there!

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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In a sport like golf, having the proper equipment can make all the difference in the world.

I’ll never forget how much my first pair of golf shoes helped my golf swing. I felt I could turn my back foot much easier with golf shoes than with regular street shoes.

All of that being said, a lot of folks may wonder if golf shoes are really a necessity to play golf or simply a matter of personal preference.

In this article, we’ll investigate whether or not golf shoes are needed to play a solid round of golf. We’ll also provide a few golf shoe choices to consider.

Do Golf Courses Require You to Wear Golf Shoes?

Surprisingly, most golf courses recommend golf shoes, but they don’t require them. Keep in mind, though, that some courses are more strict with their dress codes. In other words, at least have a pair of shoes on instead of some casual flip-flops when you arrive for your round.

If you do choose to wear golf shoes, remember that most golf courses have now outlawed metal spikes to cut down on turf damage. Because of this, it’s a good idea to buy spikeless golf shoes or at least ones with plastic spikes.

Do Golf Shoes Really Make a Difference?

Yes, golf shoes can make a huge difference in your overall game and help you shoot lower scores! Let’s briefly go over some of the benefits that proper golf footwear provides.

1. Better Traction and Stability

The golf swing is a complex athletic maneuver with lots of moving parts. Golf shoes, especially those with spikes, provide golfers with a solid foundation and better grip. This helps golfers complete a full turn off their back foot without slipping and sliding.

The spikes also allow for better traction, which is incredibly important on the golf course in wet conditions. More traction means more distance off the tee!

2. Injury Prevention

The right types of golf shoes can also prevent ankle and heel injuries. Golfers with a history of ankle problems can choose high-top golf shoes for added support and protection.

If you prefer walking your entire round instead of riding in a golf cart, the right pair of golf shoes can prevent blisters thanks to their extra padding. Nothing can derail a low-scoring round faster than a bad blister!

3. Most Golf Shoes Are Waterproof

This is another essential benefit of golf shoes. Have you ever noticed how regular tennis shoes get weighed down on rainy days? That’s the last thing you need when trying to hit good shots on the golf course!

Thankfully, most golf shoes have a high level of water resistance. This is a huge help when those uninvited popup showers hit.

4. Golf Shoes Are Usually More Lightweight

A full 18-hole round of golf can take four or five hours on a busy weekend. That’s a long time to be on your feet, so golfers need types of shoes that are lightweight.

Most golf shoes are much lighter than regular street shoes, which is a huge advantage during longer rounds.

Can You Play Golf with Regular Sneakers?

Yes, even with all the added benefits of golf shoes, some folks prefer to play golf in regular sneakers. This is perfectly acceptable and not against any type of attire rules at most golf courses.

Some beginners and even some professional golfers prefer the classic comfort that regular sneakers provide. However, golf shoe manufacturers now offer so many spikeless designs that most folks can find a new pair of golf shoes that feel just like regular sneakers.

3 of The Best Golf Shoes to Consider

Since there are so many different types of golf shoes, finding the right pair can be a cumbersome task. To help with this common problem, we’ve compiled a list of three of the best golf shoes on the market.

We’ll let you know our best overall pick, our best budget-friendly option, and the most comfortable pair.

Top Pick: Footjoy Men’s Fj Fuel Golf Shoe

Footjoy is known as the #1 shoe in golf, and with good reason. They’ve been making highly durable golf shoes since 1857. Around 45% of the top PGA Tour professional golfers in the world wear Footjoy golf shoes.

The Footjoy Fj Fuel is one of the company’s best sellers. It’s lightweight, stylish, and available in four different color schemes. This is a soft spiked shoe that is incredibly comfortable, even during your long rounds on the golf course.

Pros

• Available in White and Blue Jay / White, Black, Orange / White, Blue, Red / Navy, White, Red
• Comfortable on both the course and driving range
• They can be worn in casual settings as regular sneakers since the spikes are soft and low profile
• Waterproof
• Strikes the perfect balance between traction and comfort

Cons

• A little on the expensive side at around $128 per pair
• Some folks don’t like the synthetic leather material and claim it doesn’t hold up as well as regular leather

Best Budget-Friendly Pick: Adidas Men’s Traxion Lite Max Wide Golf Shoes

Adidas has come a long way with the quality of its golf shoes in recent years. Top PGA Tour pros like Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele now proudly wear Adidas golf shoes while duking it out against the toughest competition in the world.

The Traxion Lite Max Wide golf shoe is our top pick for golfers on a tight budget. The price range is incredibly low at anywhere from $32 to $65, depending on the size. That’s an incredible deal for a reputable brand like Adidas.

Pros

• Made with a bounce sole for more flexibility and extreme comfort
• This shoe provides an excellent amount of grip and a high level of stability on the course
• Unique textiles are waterproof and specifically designed to keep your feet dry, even in wet conditions
• They come with replaceable plastic spikes

Cons

• Some folks rave about the comfort, but others wish these shoes had a little more cushion in them
• Only available in two colors: Red and White / Black and Lime

Most Comfortable Pair: Skechers Men’s Pivot Spikeless Golf Shoe

These golf shoes are nothing less than spectacular. I’ve worn these for over a year, and they’re the most comfortable pair of golf shoes I’ve ever put on. My feet are usually sore after walking just nine holes, but not with these little beauties from Skechers.

The Men’s Pivot golf shoes are spikeless and specifically made for a high level of comfort. Even with the spikeless design, golfers will still get plenty of traction during their swings. The price is reasonable too, at only $50 to $80.

Pros

• Made with Ultra Go Foam to add even more comfort
• Lightweight and easy on the feet
• No break-in period needed
• Available in five different color schemes: Black / White / Charcoal & Black / White & Navy / White & Grey
• Can be worn on or off the golf course
• Trustworthy brand that’s been making golf shoes since 1992

Cons

• Some golfers have experienced sizing issues when ordering these shoes
• Could hold up better in rainy weather

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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When I first started playing golf, I was a little bit turned off by the huge time commitment that it took to play a full 18 holes. However, I quickly learned that a good alternative is to play 9 holes, especially when you are pressed for time.

If you’re newer to the game of golf, you might be wondering how long it takes to play nine holes. As it turns out, the time depends mostly on you and the other players. 

Here’s a detailed look at the time it takes to play 9 holes of golf.

How Long Does it Typically Take to Play 9 Holes of Golf?

The majority of golfers can play nine holes of golf in about two hours. This makes nine holes a much better option for golfers who cannot commit to a full round of 18 holes. 

It’s a whole lot easier to play nine holes instead of a full round of 18 after work before it gets dark outside.

Factors That Affect Your Pace of Play

There is a whole slew of factors that can affect your pace of play on the golf course. If you are wanting to speed up how fast you play, pay attention to the following factors.

1. Number of Players

One of the biggest factors to how fast you can sneak in nine holes is the number of players in your group. It’s a heck of a lot easier for a twosome to play faster than a typical foursome. 

To that same point, a single player can finish nine holes at an even faster rate. Not all golf courses allow singles, especially if it’s a busy golf course. Most of the time, the pro shop will pair you up with another golfer if you show up alone.

2. Skill Level

Skill level has a huge impact on pace of play. For example, beginners typically spend lots of time searching after wayward tee shots. Searching after a lost ball can eat up a big chunk of time.

On the other hand, more seasoned golfers keep most of their shots in the fairway. This means they spend less time looking for their golf balls.

Also, most poor players struggle on the putting green. It’s not uncommon for beginner-level golfers to need three or four putts to get the ball in the hole. 

Most veteran golfers tend to only need two putts or fewer on the green. This saves them a ton of time throughout a 9 hole round.

3. Walking or Riding

This next factor presents a bit of a dilemma for some golfers. Walking the golf course is great cardiovascular exercise and it burns lots of calories. However, it usually takes more time to play nine holes while walking.

Using a golf cart won’t give you the same type of workout as walking, but it will help you play at a much faster pace. You’ll be able to get to your golf ball much quicker unless the rules that day require you to keep the golf cart on the cart path.

4. Size of the Course

Another factor that affects pace of play is the size of the golf course. A nine-hole course with lots of Par 3s can be played much faster than a nine-hole course with a couple of Par 5s.

Some golfers like to play on executive courses, where all of the holes are short Par 3s. On these types of nine-hole courses, most golfers can finish in an hour to an hour and a half.

Did you know that most Par 3 holes can be played in as little as nine minutes? That is because Par 3s are much shorter than their Par 4 and Par 5 counterparts.

The average golfer plays a Par 4 hole in about 12 minutes. Par 5s are always the longest holes on the golf course so they take the most amount of time to play (18 minutes on average).

5. How Busy is the Golf Course?

The busyness level of the golf course can greatly affect your pace of play. Booking a tee time for nine holes on a random Tuesday afternoon is usually a lot quicker than playing nine holes on a bright and sunny Saturday morning. This is because most golf courses are usually packed with people on the weekends.

When the course is busy, you may have to wait several minutes on each hole before teeing off. Waiting just three minutes on each hole increases your time on the course by nearly half an hour. Patience is a virtue, in life and on the golf course!

6. Course Difficulty

This factor is common sense but a lot of golfers forget about it. A golf course that has lots of water hazards and bunkers is going to take a lot longer to play than an easier course with fewer obstacles.

When a golfer hits a ball into a water hazard, several minutes are wasted. First, the golfer has to make sure his shot is not playable by making sure it went into the water. 

Next, he has to either hit another tee shot or take a drop near the water hazard. You can see how lots of time can go by because of errant shots, especially if a group has more than one inaccurate shot per hole.

Shots into the bunker also tend to slow down the pace of play. It can take a long time to get in and out of a bunker, especially if the golfer takes the necessary time to rake the bunker afterward (which is proper golf etiquette). 

Many golfers also need multiple strokes to get out of a deep bunker, especially if they don’t have a good lie. This also takes up more time.

7. Ready Golf

Another factor that influences pace of play is whether or not the group is playing “ready golf”. Here is a brief explanation of what ready golf is.

Standard golf rules say that the player farthest away from the pin must hit their shot first. However, when playing ready golf, whichever golfer is ready first is free to play their next shot. Ready golf can lessen the time it takes to play nine holes by a considerable amount.

8. Weather Delays

Nothing can cause a delay to your round more than a bad weather delay. While most golf courses will let you play in the rain, any sign of lightning results in a mandatory delay.

Lots of golf courses adhere to the 30/30 rule, which states that any lightning bolt that is followed by thunder in less than 30 seconds poses a safety risk and a delay must be enforced. The rest of the rule states that play cannot be resumed until 30 minutes after a storm has safely passed through the area.

How Long Does 9 Holes Take for 1 Player?

A single player can usually jet through nine holes in 1.5 to 2 hours on an empty golf course with a golf cart. If walking, the pace of play will increase to 2.5 to 2.75 hours. If the golf course is nothing but short Par 3s, these numbers will be severely reduced.

Beginner-level golfers usually need about 2.5 hours to play nine holes, even by themselves. Average players finish nine holes in about 2 hours. Advanced golfers can complete nine holes in around 1.5 hours.

How Long Does 9 Holes Take for 2 Players?

Most twosomes can finish nine holes in 2 hours and 15 minutes if they are using a golf cart. That number increases to about 2 hours and 45 minutes if they decide to walk instead of ride.

It may take a rookie twosome three hours just to play nine holes. Intermediate twosomes can be done in about two hours while advanced twosomes can complete nine holes in 1.5 hours.

How About with 4 Players?

Golf courses prefer to send golfers out in foursomes because they can accommodate more people that way. The pace of play with a foursome is much slower than groups with fewer golfers.

It usually takes a foursome about 2.5 hours to play nine holes if they are all using a golf cart. If all four players are walking, it can take closer to 3 hours.

A foursome of high handicappers can take as long as 3.5 hours to play nine holes. A group of four average golfers can be done with nine holes in around 2.5 hours. Finally, a foursome of single-digit handicappers can complete nine holes in around 2 hours.

Common Pace of Play Rules

1. Let faster groups play through
2. Play ready golf
3. Consider playing Scramble if your group is filled with beginners
4. Don’t spend lots of time looking for a lost golf ball
5. Record your scores at the next tee box instead of while sitting at the green

Mike Noblin

Mike has been involved with sports for over 30 years. He’s been an avid golfer for more than 10 years and is obsessed with watching the Golf Channel and taking notes on a daily basis. He also holds a degree in Sports Psychology.

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A common question I am asked by expecting mothers is “can you play golf while pregnant?”

Technically, you can do anything you want. The more pertinent question is should you swing a club while pregnant. In this article, I explain whether you should play and until what stage of pregnancy.

In addition, I provide tips and precautions to help keep you and your baby healthy.

Can You Play Golf While You’re Pregnant?

For most women playing golf while pregnant is not a problem, it is actually beneficial. However, that depends on your specific case. While the workout is encouraged, hip and shoulder rotation can put your back out at a time when you need to look after yourself and your precious cargo.

Besides the risk of back, hip, and shoulder injuries, heat poses a threat to a pregnant golfer. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggest that pregnant women drink eight to twelve glasses of water a day. If you drink plenty of water religiously, you won’t find it challenging to keep yourself hydrated.

Sufficient water is only one part of keeping yourself safe in the heat, I suggest you avoid teeing off on sweltering days. Firstly, if you catch heatstroke, you put yourself and your baby at risk, and secondly, it causes serious fatigue.

However, if you avoid this advice, it is worth taking a golf cart in warm conditions. The reduced stress lowers the risk of swelling feet and ankles, keeping you comfortable and free of pain.

Ultimately, you can play golf while you are pregnant. You just need to be extra cautious to avoid injuring yourself or risking your baby’s health. Before you pick up your clubs and head out with the girls, consult your doctor to ensure you are cleared to tee off.

To demonstrate that it is possible to play golf while pregnant, we only need to look at Catriona Matthew. In 2009, while five months pregnant with her second child, she stormed to a five-shot victory at the HSBC LPGA Brazil Cup.

Does The Trimester Matter?

Trillium Rose is the Director of Instruction at Woodmont Country Club. In 2018, she wrote an article detailing her experience as a pregnant golfer. Rose explained that besides the physical changes of her body, it was her energy that hampered her ability to play.

She explains that in her first trimester, she had minimal energy and wanted to sleep most of the time. As you can imagine, that impacted her motivation, and she did not have the will to play golf like before.

When she did play, she was cautious not to grip it and rip it, like days gone by. She felt like she needed to slow down her golf swing for low impact to protect her young one. But Rose says that it did not affect her mechanics and required no swing adjustments.

Trillium found she had more energy in her second trimester but could notice the changes to her body. As time progressed in that trimester, she felt her center of mass lower, and the additional weight worked to keep her posture through the swing.

Furthermore, her joints began to loosen at this point, and she was hesitant to over-extend her swing for fear of injuring herself.

Rose further states that the third trimester is where you realize you need to slow down with any intense exercise.

The excessive weight gain around the belly reduced her ability to optimize hip rotation. As a result, she decided to stand more upright and bend from her knees to increase power on the downswing.

Furthermore, Trillium found that bending down became unbearable to place her tee in the ground and pick up her ball from the cup.

Tips and Precautions to Keep You and Your Baby Safe

Pack Liquids

I have already touched on the importance of keeping hydrated during your round. As ACOG suggests, pregnant women should drink eight to twelve glasses of water per day.

On days that you play, you will likely need more than usual. Blair O’Neal found optimal hydration boosted her energy and limited fatigue while playing:

Pack Snacks

Nine holes only takes two and a half hours, but you are now eating for two. Blair O’Neal found that keeping her favorite snacks in the bag during her round maximized her energy to avoid fatigue and perform to the best of her ability.

Easy Warm-Up

Before you tee off, you definitely need to warm up. However, O’Neal suggests only hitting a couple of balls to loosen the muscles and then making your way to the first tee. A long warm-up is generally encouraged, but it will tire you out and hamper your ability to play a full round.

Putter Suction Cup

A putter suction cup is typically associated with older men with pot bellies. However, it is handy for those going through pregnancies. The instructions are simple. Attach the cup to the top of your putter grip, and press onto the ball to suck it up. All you do is lift the cup to your hand and grab the ball.

Eliminating the need to bend over and collect the ball is one movement less that could impact your health and that of your baby.

Golf Cart

Although walking improves your heart rate and is one of the safe exercises, it is not suggested on super warm days. Exposure to the sun for several hours increases your risk of heatstroke, sunburn, and dehydration. If you already struggle with fatigue, I advise that you take a golf cart instead.

Consult Your Doctor

Golf is certainly not a dangerous sport like downhill skiing, gymnastics, or horseback riding. However, there are still risks associated with the game. That is why, before you pack your bag for the golf course, you must visit your doctor.

While they will likely welcome your enthusiasm to exercise, golf may not suit your condition during pregnancy. However, plenty of women have played golf while pregnant and suffered no complications.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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How long does 18 holes of golf take? That is a common question from players contemplating taking up the game. Considering it is longer than an NFL, MLB, or NHL game, some may be hesitant to commit hours to one activity.

Fortunately, in my 28 years playing the game, I have played lightning-fast rounds, while also having some painstakingly slow days.

In this post, I share all of that information with you and detail the average time of a round.

How Long Does it Typically Take to Play 18 Holes of Golf?

In a 2014 report by Golf Digest, the publication explains that the average 18-hole round of golf in the United States takes four hours and seventeen minutes. That data was gathered well before the recent boom in the game’s popularity during the pandemic.

The PGA suggests that a four-ball of golfers should complete a round of eighteen no more than 4 hours and 21 minutes after arriving on the first tee. In essence, this means that four-balls should play a golf hole every 14.5 minutes, while a three-ball is allotted 1 minute less.

The downside to this system is that it gives you the same time to play par 3s, as it does for par 4’s and 5’s. Par 5s are typically 350-yards longer than a par 3, so it makes no sense that you have the same time limit to play both holes.

Factors That Affect Your Pace of Play

Field Capacity

The greatest impact on the pace of play is how many additional players are in the field and the tee time intervals. If you are playing in a tournament with a full field you can expect to wait between shots, which will increase the duration of your rounds.

Conversely, if you fit in a round on weekdays, the field is limited, meaning you should breeze through 18-holes in a couple of hours. I highly recommend choosing a quieter day of the week to play on. Granted, not everyone has this luxury, but it helps you avoid the crowds and speed up your round.

Golf Cart Or Walk

The next factor that impacts the duration of your round is whether you walk or take a cart. A cart travels at 12 to 14 mph, approximately four times faster than a human walks without carrying anything.

Therefore, it means that you can maneuver between shots 3x faster than usual.

Players In Front

Even if the course is relatively quiet, you rely on the players in front of you to maintain their pace. If those ahead of you are slow and spend time looking for balls or dawdling between shots, it will slow you down.

Golfers who are well versed in the etiquette of our game should let you play through if they see they are slowing the field down. However, in my experience, that type of person has no regard for the rules, and you will need to politely ask them if you can play through instead.

Lost Balls

If you or those in your group are having an off day, it will increase your round times. Consistently looking for balls from wayward shots will add to the amount of time your round takes. Faster groups of players tend to possess a superior skill level and spend minimal time seeking out balls compared to beginners.

Weather Conditions

Mother nature can impact the time it takes to play 18-holes in several ways. For starters, if lightning is in the vicinity, you are forced to vacate the golf courses and seek the nearest facilities for shelter. You cannot continue until the officials deem it is safe enough to do so.

Secondly, the weather can impact your accuracy and distance, causing you to spend more time looking for golf balls and playing more shots than usual.

Halfway House

The halfway house is a necessary part of golf for amateurs to refuel after nine and regather themselves for the remaining holes. However, the comfort of a warm room, tasty bacon and egg toasted sandwich, and a cup of coffee, can quickly take your focus off golf. That causes you to overstay your welcome.

Typically speaking, you should never spend longer than ten minutes at the halfway house.

Format

The length of a round of golf depends on the type of format you are playing. For example, match play is a shorter endeavor. If you have no reasonable chance of winning the hole, you can pick up, concede and move to the next tee.

In addition, if you play foursomes, you and your partner play alternate shots, which reduces how many shots your group needs to hit.

Conversely, if you are playing in a stroke play event, your round may take longer because every shot counts. Therefore, you may make a 12 on a hole, increasing the total time of your hole and your round.

On a side note, if there’s a shotgun start, the field tends to flow better, leading to a faster round, with less waiting and happier players.

Time Of Day

If your name is on the tee sheet at the crack of dawn, the chances are that you will skip the crowds and record a pacey round of golf. Conversely, if you only walk onto the first tee box at around midday, you are bound to run into the obstacle of stagnant play. Where possible, tee off earlier and avoid the crowds.

How Long Does 18 Holes Take for 1 Player?

Walking vs Golf Cart

Golf Magazine suggests that the average four-ball should take 3 hours and 27-minutes to complete an entire round of golf. If we divide that amount by four players, it works out to fifty-six minutes and three quarters. As you know, it would take a lot to get through 18-holes in that time frame.

Those calculations fail to account for players in front of you and a stop at halfway house.

Playing behind a slow number of players can cause you to wait two to five minutes per hole, delaying your round by an extra hour at least.

The fastest round I ever played was in 2 hours and 30 minutes, as a single player using a cart. Based on Golf Magazine’s analysis, they reckon that the average player walks 18-holes in 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Basically, if you are a one ball on a cart and have faster groups ahead of you, you can get a round of 18-holes in under three hours. However, that also depends on how much time you spend searching for lost balls and how many shots you play.

Conversely, if you decide to walk and carry your clubs, you can expect to finish a round of 18-holes in 3 to 3.5 hours.

Beginner vs Intermediate vs Advance

There are too many external factors that impact a good pace of play before debating if lower handicappers are faster than beginners. For example, scratch golfers could hit all fairways and greens and make every putt. However, if the group ahead holds them up, it adds to the total round time.

We can apply the calculation run by Golf Magazine, which found that the average golfer spends 5 minutes per round looking for lost balls. Therefore, we can assume that an advanced player will spend half or less time looking for lost balls. As a result, they may complete a round of 18 holes in approximately 2.5 hours.

Considering that intermediate and beginner golfers hit more wayward shots, their round will take 4 to 5 minutes more than an advanced player.

How Long Does 9 Holes Take for 2 Players?

Walking vs Golf Cart

My playing partner and I walk every round, and we take 1 hour and 45 minutes to get through 9 holes. When we are driving, that comes down to 1.25 to 1.5 hours.

Beginner vs Intermediate vs Advanced

Super accurate low handicappers on a course with limited hazards can make it through nine holes in an hour if they have a golf cart. However, if they are walking, 2 players can get around in 1.25 to 1.5 hours.

On a good day, beginners and intermediate golfers can get through a round of 9 holes in under 2 hours with a cart. However, if these players are walking, it can take 2.25 to 2.5 hours.

How About with 4 Players?

Walking vs Golf Carts

The average four-ball takes four hours and seventeen minutes to complete their participation in a round of golf. That is if you decide to walk rather than take a cart. However, if you wish to save time before your next shot, a golf buggy will expedite the process.

From my experience, if all 4 players are riding on a cart, you can complete a round in just under 4 holes.

Beginner vs Intermediate vs Advance

An advanced four-ball of golfers can get through a full round of golf in 3.5 to 4 hours if they have a cart. Without wheels, these players will get around in approximately 4 hours.

Intermediate and beginner golfers may take 4 hours and 20 minutes to complete a round without a cart. They can make it around in approximately four hours when operating a vehicle.

Matt Stevens

Matt Callcott-Stevens started playing golf at the age of 4 when Rory Sabattini’s father put a 7-iron and putter in his hand. He has experienced all the highs and lows the game can throw at you and has now settled down as a professional golf writer. He holds a Postgraduate in Sports Marketing and has played golf for 28 years.

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