9 or 18 ?

[Johnwilliam05]

I play or practice 4-5 times per week and prefer 18. I’d play 36 if I had the time. Sometimes I only play 9 if that’s all I  have time for but I always feel unaccomplished if I was not able to play all 18. 

[Brian Caulfield]

Playing 9 just fits my schedule a lot better these days. Between work and two kids, a two hour commitment is much easier. I just played 9 last night after work and the course was packed which is an awesome sight to see. I am also lucky to live near Bobby Jones in Atlanta which is an incredible reversible 9 holer and an easy walk. 

[Spalding xe]

Golf = time + $ for most people. I play a great course that's only 9 but the price is amazing and the time it takes is doable for most people. 

If 18 was more reasonably priced and faster rounds I'd play more of them.

[Gentleman Bob]

I play two nine hole leagues and one 18 hole league. I thoroughly enjoy all. So I'm a "both" guy.

[DPMGolfer]

I definitely prefer 18 with the exception of an after work evening 9. 

[Rich.pardo]

I just love playing. Sometimes I just decide I want to play in the evening. 9 holes is great.

18 holes I'm in but it's a little more serious 

[ckeller52]

The third option skews the whole pole. It's like not having to make a decision and of course, if 9 is what I have an opportunity to play I will but so would most of us. However, I would and always do look to play 18 or more holes because this aggravation we call golf is fun.

[SteddyGolf]

My body really is only good for 9 holes but that also depends on the pace of play.  If the course is playing to 4 1/2 to 5 hours then my knee and hip just can't last.  If it's playing to 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 then I can and will play the full 18.  

[Dwayne3]

I enjoy a nice round of 9.  I wish there were courses around me that had a par 35/36 9 hole instead of a par 27.  I feel like 18 is fun but it can take a lot of time to get in and when I’m working all week it is hard to be away from my family for an additional few hours.  Before I had kids 18 was the only way to play unless I was practicing.  Now I love 9.

[RealDealBeel]

9 holes is my preference, it’s not quite enough 13-14 holes would be perfect but 9 holes is short enough that it doesn’t take up the whole day. 

[Bortery]

I have always played 18. But now that you made me think about it, I would play 9 if time did not allow me to play 18. I do prefer 18, because it makes the OCD in me feel like I didn’t half do something. I will say that the club’s front and back 9 are two different courses. Which makes me feel like I played two different courses in one 18 round. And even though I voted 18, it is still golf. And how does one go wrong with that. 
 

That’s my two cents and thanks for reading/allowing me to say it. Happy Golfing!!

 

[g.mac]

9 holes is great for league play, but competitive skin games need to be 18 for me.

[TENBUCK]

It really depends on what we want to play and the time we have. During the week, mostly 9 holes because we have time for beer and a little chat. Weekends its 18!

 

[Thomas.r.kasper]

18 for sure, but when the rounds drag on for 5 hours I see the appeal of 9. 
18 holes played quickly is the best. 

[Fredrico]

I prefer 18 but would play 9 if there are time restraints

[MDGolfHacker]

I'll take what I can get  I play more 9 holes right now due to job/family commitments but would rather play 36 or 54 with an occasional 18 thrown in there! 

[Douglas Stefanson]

I strongly prefer to play 18 holes and would only consider 9 holes if seriously pressed for time.

[Big moose]

We play 9 Monday through Friday, the only time I play 18 is for our league field days and once a month we go to a different course and play 18. We also have 2 trips planned one to Cleveland and one to Augusta and we always play 18. We used to play 36 the first 18 was play a regular round and the last 18 was a scramble but most of the guys are older and can't do that anymore. 

[jonry]

I'd rather do 9 after work monday to friday and have the weekend free for other stuff. Sadly here in NB that only lasts 2 months.

[Nameste]

I prefer 18 but will play 9 just to get out and have fun. I used to live an hour minimum from a course, so 18 made the trip worthwhile. Now I live where there are multiple courses 10-20 min so 9 or 18 is easy to play. 

[Rob Person]

47 minutes ago, ckeller52 said:

The third option skews the whole pole. It's like not having to make a decision and of course, if 9 is what I have an opportunity to play I will but so would most of us. However, I would and always do look to play 18 or more holes because this aggravation we call golf is fun.

I see where the poll may seem to skew results, as most have selected the 3rd option.  a majority have posted that they, like me, will take whatever is available. 

 

[peterg2000]

To me golf has always been 18 , but where I live now there is a nice 9 hole course nearby that I enjoy as a short end of day round.  It usually plays quite fast as well so a 3:30 tee-off gets me home just before 6.  I still only regard it as a practice outing and not an actual round, but I enjoy it. Also I can walk it. The 18 hole courses in the area are way too hilly coupled with the fact they only allow carts anyways.  But I'd have a problem with playing a 9 on an 18 hole course.

 

Pete 

[Krls032022]

My preference is always 18 but if circumstances warrant I’ll play 9

[Ben_Howell34]

Is this really a question? I only play 9 if I can’t play 18 for some reason. I’d play 36 if I had the time! 

[BobBC78]

I voted for 9-holes. While I'm perfectly fine with 18 once and a while, even at 4-hours (never mind 5+ hours), my 68-year-old body is pretty gassed by the end of 18. Thus far this season I have only played 9-hole rounds which includes my weekly league. I always walk for 9, which I prefer, but haven't walked 18 in about 5-years.

[tdc1]

When I began playing 30 years ago, it was always 18-or-none (except for weekly golf league) and it continued that way pretty much until I retired.  When working, it was easier to manage time since a major chunk of the week was already accounted for.  Now that time has become harder to manage I find myself playing more days of the week but fewer holes each time -- often six days a week, with 9 holes on 5 days and 18 on one.  [Yes, it's true, at least for me, that retirement = "busier."  Maybe it just seems that way without the structure of a work week.]  If I travel to another course with friends, it is always for 18.

As an aside:  I always knew that the old handicap system artificially suppressed my handicap when submitting 9-hole scores but I never knew how bad I was playing until the revisions to the WHS this year!  I'm up about 2.5 strokes just since the start of our scoring season (April 1).

[Marty2shanks]

Best case - three 9 hole rounds per week, preferably in the late afternoon with limited volume on the course.  First 9 is two balls off the tee, play best ball rest of the way.  Second 9 is two balls off the tee, play worst ball.  Third 9 is play straight up.

Now if 12 holes was an option…
 

[mottyshreds]

Any golf is better than no golf. Play 9 followed by some beers and food on Wednesdays for Men’s night at my club every week and it’s a blast. Would I prefer to play 18. Yes. But just can’t because of work. Get out there and play whenever you can! 

[Rob Person]

Our course is 3 separate 9 hole courses , + a 9 hole par 3 course. Sometimes I just want to play 1 particular course that I have had issues with on a few holes to break that nagging feeling of what could I do better

[SM Johnson]

I will regularly play at least 9, 12, 14, or ever how many holes almost every day....I am fortunate the club let's me sort of do and go where I want, I may play 3-4 holes on one course, and jump over and play 4-5 on another course, jump over and play the last 3 holes on another course, as long as I am not cutting in on any groups....I am blessed.....I will always play a full 18 holes and walk every round whenever we escort a group to the U.K. and / or Europe, which may be several times a year....age is catching up on me, 73 this December, but am blessed with great orthopedic doctors (have replaced a shoulder, 2 knees, a hip, and 4 -level ACDE),  and an incredible pain management team, and an incredible wife who lets me do my thing.   Have long given up competing, but there is nothing like hitting that soft draw into a tight left-side pin, or the drifting cut into that tucked right-side pin.....as 45-year member of the PGA of A, I have given my full adult life to the golf industry and the game.  I have traveled to many places throughout the world, worked with virtually every major golf course architect and loved every minute of it ; what little I had to give to the game,  it has given back to me 100-fold over.....get out and play some holes, 3, 6, 9. whatever you can!  For it is the game of lifetime!