What is the Average Length of a Golf Course?

The average length of a Golf course ranges from 70 to 100 acres, as per the Golf associations. A golf course refers to a field or ground used for the game to be played. It plays Croquet, but croquet measurements differ from golf course measurements. It consists of a series of holes, and each hole is comprised of a “fairway.” The rough play area includes several hazards. The total space of the play area is almost entirely occupied by the tees and the green.

There are 18 holes in the golf course, and some golf courses have only 9 holes. On each hole, it is necessary for a golfer to hit the ball from the tee box toward the hole. The short, smooth area is made up of grass called green. Golf courses vary not just in size but also in type.

Golf Course Dimensions, Standard Golf Courses, Average Length of a Golf Course 

The approximate size of a golf course is 100 to 190 acres. In golf course measurements, various areas, such as clubhouses, driving ranges, and practice greens, are included. However, some smaller golf courses consist of 70 acres. According to the GCSAA report, the ideal golf course for an 18-hole golf course is 100–110 acres. It consists of bodies of water and other areas that are not used for the game. Clubhouses, storage, and parking are included in these off-field areas. 

Average Length of a Golf Course
Average Length of a Golf Course

Resorts also have golf courses with a range of 170 to 190 acres. At the same time, urban areas come with golf courses of small ranges of 110 to 120 acres. Regulation golf courses contain 18 holes but are different in length. Short holes consist of 130–140 yards in length. Then there are also 10 average holes of 350–400 yards and four longer holes with a distance of 450–500 yards between the holes. 

What Elements Make Up a Course?

Golf Course Rough Area

The dimensions of a golf course’s rough area can vary depending on the design and layout of the course. Generally, the rough area is the area of longer grass and rough terrain that surrounds the fairway and green. The rough area is designed to be more challenging for golfers than the fairway or green, as it can be more difficult to hit the ball accurately from this terrain.

Typically, a golf course’s 60% area is dedicated to the rough area, which almost covers all play areas, including hazards. The apt size of a rough area on a good golf course is almost 67 acres.

Average Length of a Golf Course
Average Length of a Golf Course

Fairway

In golf, the fairway refers to the area of the course between the tee box and the green where the grass is cut short and even, making it easier for golfers to hit their ball with greater accuracy. This area is typically wider than the putting green and shorter than the rough.

According to the GCSAA report, almost 3.1 acres is the apt size to design a fairway. Almost 29% of a golf course in the fairway is occupied.

Tees And The Green Area

The most important part of the golf course is called the tees and the greens. 5% of the total golf course is given to this significant part of the golf course. Almost on 6 acres, this area is pervaded. After planning the main area of the golf course, its clubhouses, storage, and parking are planned.

Hazards

Hazards on a golf course are obstacles or challenges that golfers encounter while playing the game. These hazards are typically intentional design features of the course meant to increase the level of difficulty and add strategic challenges to the game. 

There are a variety of hazards that can be found on a golf course, some of which are natural and others that are man-made. Here are some common hazards to look out for:

  • Water Hazards: These can be in the form of ponds, lakes, or streams and can pose a threat to golfers who are not careful with their shots. Golfers need to avoid hitting their balls into the water as it can result in a penalty stroke.
  • Sand Traps: Also known as bunkers, these areas are filled with sand and are designed to make it more challenging for golfers to hit the ball out of them. It can be difficult to get out of a sand trap, and golfers need to be careful not to hit the ball too hard or too soft.
  • Trees and Roughs: These natural hazards are found on most golf courses and can make it difficult for golfers to hit their shots. Trees can block a golfer’s view of the green, and roughs can be challenging to hit out of because of the high grass.
  • Cart Paths: These man-made paths are designed for golf carts to drive on, but they can also be hazardous for golfers if they trip and fall while walking on them.

Average golf course length – According to PGA And LPGA

Typically, the average golf course length depends on the kind of tournaments that will be played. It also depends on the number of tees available in a tee box. So the Average length of a golf course is 6700 yards (6.12 km). 

The professionals who play in PGA tournaments will probably have the chance to play on a golf course that ranges from 7,200 to 7,300 yards.  LPGA and PGA tournaments use golf course lengths of 6,200- 6,600. But for the champion tour, the average length of a golf course is from 6,500 to 6,800.

Female golfers

With a low handicap, the female golfers use tees whose distance is 250 – 500 yards. It is less than that of male pro golfers who play in LPGA tournaments.

How long is walking a golf course?

On average, it will normally take 4 hours to walk a standard 18-hole golf course. For each person, it differs to walk along the golf course from beginning to end. In total duration, the size of the course, the number of players, and your skill level will all be measured.

While playing on a regulated 18-hole golf course, you need to walk anywhere between 3 and 6 miles. If you walk an 18-hole golf course, it means you are likely to cover 5,900 – 6,400 meters.

How Many Acres Are Needed for a Golf Course? 

190 acres is considered to be the largest acreage for the golf course. Between 140-180 acres is considered to be the average golf course. 100 acres are the smallest acreage for the golf course. Sometimes it is seen that additional amenities of the golf course are offered in resorts.  

Average Length of a Golf Course
Average Length of a Golf Course

Golf Course Hole Length

The USGA provides a basic set of guidelines for helping the designers to design the course length. More than 250 yards for a Men’s par 3 golf course is considered a normal length. Whereas, for female golfers, approximately 210 yards is considered the best length for a par 3 golf course.

Length of Grass on a Gulf Course

The length of the grass on a golf course can vary depending on several factors, such as the type of grass used, the course’s design, and the season.

For example, some courses may use Bermuda grass, which can be cut to a shorter length of around 0.5 to 1.5 inches, while others may use a type of fescue grass, which can be cut to a longer length of around 1.5 to 3 inches.

Typically, the fairways are cut shorter than the rough and greens, which are usually kept at a consistent length of around 0.125 to 0.5 inches.

FAQs

It is approximately 6600 yards long (3.75 miles or 6 kilometers). 

The average golf course in PGA tournaments is approximately 7,200 yards (around 4.09 miles).

Most standard golf courses range from 90 to 150 acres, or roughly 36 to 61 hectares.

A typical 18-hole golf course usually covers an area of around 100-120 acres (40-48 hectares). This includes the fairways, greens, rough, and other areas such as water hazards, bunkers, and tee boxes.

Conclusion

We can see in the above discussion that the average length of a Golf course is variable for certain situations and types of play. The dimensions of the golf course are mentioned here accurately and obtained from reliable resources.

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