How far is a golf course?
How far do you cover on a golf course?
If you looked at the length of the course, you'd probably guess that it was the distance of a golf course, maybe 3 or 4 kilometres...
However, an R&A 'experiment' suggests that it could be much, much more than that...
When looking at your handicap and your course, it can be useful to understand whether you are playing a medium distance or a long or short distance.
When you're hitting the ball well and everything is going your way, it can sometimes feel like the course is too short and your game is over too soon.
Similarly, when you're struggling to play and nothing is going your way, your course can seem endless and the course can feel like it stretches for thousands of miles.
But no matter how you play, that same course that seems to change distance depending on the length and direction of your shot, or the length and spread of your shot, has about the same standard length as every other course you play.
Distance from a golf course - Table of contents
What is the average length of an 18-hole golf course?
Each of the 18 holes on a golf course has a particular length, and the sum of all these lengths represents the total distance of any golf course.
But before you can understand the sum of something, it's best to understand all its parts first, so that you can see how they add up.
Although it may seem elementary to most golfers, chances are you've never considered all the different elements that contribute to the overall length of a course.
What elements contribute to the length of a golf course?
Tee / Departures : It's said that in golf, every centimetre counts and the tee box can sometimes add 10 or 20 metres to the hole before you even reach the fairway.
Fairway The fairways are the elements that contribute most to the length of a golf course, i.e. the large strip of grass between the tee box and the green.
Depending on the length of the grass (which must be between 0.38 and 0.45 inches) and its degree of moisture, the fairway can be :
- Or "long" (when the ball rolls well),
- Or "short" (when the ball stops almost immediately when it lands).
Rough : Although the rough is certainly part of the golf course (generally maintained between 1.0 and 1.25 inches), it is not generally taken into account when calculating the length of a golf course, unless it crosses the fairway at right angles.
Green The greens come in all shapes and sizes, from incredibly small to ridiculously large (the largest is in Massachusetts, at the International Golf Club, with a surface area of over 2,600 square metres!)
Depending on the length of the grass (which should average around 0.125 inches), greens can be played as follows
- Or "fast" (generally when the grass is cut short and the weather is dry),
- Or "slow", when the grass is longer and they are wet.
Obstacles: last but not least, there are the ever-dangerous obstacles
- Bodies of water" such as rivers, lakes or ditches
- Bunkers on the course or around the greens.
How long does it take to complete a course?
The length of a round of golf depends on the player's skill, the traffic on the course, the size of the course, the size of the group and the way the player moves around the course.
For a group of four average players, a 9-hole round of golf lasts an average of two hours.
On average, a regular golf hole will take about 15 minutes to complete for a group of average golfers.
For golf courses to be considered legitimate enough to accurately calculate amateur and/or professional handicaps, they must be properly measured to ensure that the distance is comparable between all other legitimate courses.
Accurately measuring a golf course using a standardised process is also extremely important for providing precise distances across the entire course.
This is how the various distance markers (50, 100, 150, 200, etc.) are correctly marked out along the route, to help you assess your distance.
The measurement starts between the different coloured tee boxes. The following colours are used to rank the distance from the hole from longest to shortest: black, white, yellow, blue and red.
To measure a Par-3
We start at each tee and measure to the back of the green, then to the front of the green.
The distances are then averaged to find the distance to the centre of the green (for example, if the back is 150 metres and the front 120 metres, 270 metres divided by 2 equals 135 metres to the centre of the green).
To measure a Par-4
You have to start again at each tee, for each colour, and if the hole is straight (i.e. without a bend), you have to follow the same process as for measuring a Par-3.
However, most Par-4s have tricky bends called "dog-legs" which can go either left or right.
If this is the case, we measure from the tee to the first pivot point, determined by where the average player is likely to have to reach to have a chance of hitting the green.
Then, from the pivot point,
- The front and back of the green are measured again,
- We take the average distance
- This is added to the distance between the starting tee and the pivot point.
To measure a Par-5
It's the same process as for a Par-4.
However, it is sometimes necessary to add an extra pivot point if the hole has been designed in such a way as to force the average golfer to lie down on his first or second shot,
Generally because of tactically placed dangers!
How long is the Belvedere Annecy 9-Hole Course?
The total distance of the Golf Du Belvédèrefrom the back tees is 2005 metres. The total par of the golf course is 33.
The average golf course is around 6 kilometres long and consists of Par-3s, 4s and 5s, the number of which varies depending on the course.
In general, there are
- between 3 and 4 Par-5s (each measuring more than 450 metres),
- between 6 and 14 Par-4s (each between 220 and 450 metres)
- and around 3 to 4 Par-3s (all under 230 metres).
Once you begin to understand the different elements that go into calculating the distance of a golf course - and more importantly, the distance of each hole - you can begin to better calculate how you approach your shots.
In golf, knowing the distances between different clubs can be very useful. Whether it's
- To find out more about his game,
- To better adapt to the course,
- To choose your equipment for purchase or for for a fitting.
Here is a table showing the average distances travelled by clubs for the different categories of player.
It varies according to factors such as your gender, height and physical condition. It also depends on your type of ball, your swing speed and, of course, the way in which you really hit the ball.
| Golf club | Men's distance | Women's distance |
| Driver | 180 – 240 | 140 – 185 |
| Wood 3 | 170 – 215 | 115 – 165 |
| Wood 5 | 160 – 190 | 100 – 155 |
| Hybrid 3 | 150 – 180 | 95 – 145 |
| Hybrid 4 | 140 – 170 | 85 – 140 |
| Iron 5 | 130 – 160 | 75 – 130 |
| Iron 6 | 120 – 150 | 70 – 120 |
| Iron 7 | 110 – 140 | 65 – 110 |
| Iron 8 | 100 – 130 | 60 – 100 |
| Iron 9 | 85 – 120 | 55 – 85 |
| Pitching Wedge | 75 – 110 | 50 – 70 |
| Sand Wedge | 55 – 90 | 40 – 55 |
It's important to remember that distance is not synonymous with a better score and to follow your feel for the club in hand.
The more you train and play regularlythe more you will develop reflexes and sensations, and minimise defects
Because golf for us is synonymous with meeting and sharing, at The Belvédère Annecy Golf Club, you won't just find a beautiful training facility,you'll also find a soul, an atmosphere...
In other words, an ever-smiling welcome that will make you want to extend your sporting experience with a moment of relaxation.
At The Belvédère Golf Course, just outside d'Annecy, you can enjoy a meal with a breathtaking view of the Aravis massif.
You will also find at your disposal some very nice infrastructures such as :
- A 230-metre multi-storey driving range
- A putting green
- An approach area
- The Annecy Golf Academy with two instructors
- Adapted golf clinics In summer and weekend
- Adapted golf courses for children during school holidays
- A 9-hole golf course to put your training into practice
The course is open to all visitors. They must report to the clubhouse and pay a green fee before using the golf facilities.
The Club's management is free to refuse a visitor without giving any reason, and may deny him or her access to the Club if he or she does not respect the rules in force on the golf courses and/or if he or she contravenes elementary rules of decorum and courtesy. A golf license is required.
The only precaution is to explain the rudiments of player behavior.
It is forbidden to use driving range balls on the course, and the player must respect etiquette and take all possible care to preserve the course.
