9 or 18 ?

[Keelin]

Usually just play 9 as it’s easier after work and can just walk it but do enjoy a nice 18 every now and again when I have energy to do so 

[frazzman80]

33 minutes ago, PaulOrz61 said:

I am a member of a 9 hole course and love the fact I can play after work on a weeknight.  I enjoy playing 18 when I have the time, but get many more rounds of 9 in during a work week.

For you (and others) who are touting the 9-hole courses, I've played many of them here in rural South Texas and I've always wondered why they don't have 2-holes/flags on each green (one for the front 9 and a different one for the back 9) with different colored flags. I mean, I've always played 9 from one tee box and then 9 from a different tee box to make the holes different, but the 2nd 9 you gain an inherent advantage from the hole location being the exact same (you already know the contours of the green and can get reads off putts from the first time through). 

Standard colored flags for the 1st 9 and then checkered flags for the 2nd 9 (as you'd already know the pin position of the checkered flag from the first playthrough of the 9 holes). Why don't they do that?

Edited June 14 by frazzman80

[JWMurray68]

When I was younger I would play 36+ on the weekend. Now I enjoy going out after work with my wife and our dog Enzo and playing 9 holes before dark. Never crowded just us and a few other people.  Not trying to shoot a great score, just enjoying time with my wife and enjoying hitting a little white ball around in a beautiful setting.  Life is good.

[msizzle]

I always prefer to play 18. I recently started playing in a Wednesday night league and it is only 9 holes. We play at a course that has 2 separate 18's so we rotate to a different 9 every week. I don't mind the 9 holes, but with the new handicap system I feel like entering 9 hole scores every week isn't giving me as accurate a handicap as when I played only full 18 hole rounds. I don't always put 2 good 9's together so a higher 18 hole score is more accurate than 1 good 9 hole score and 1 bad 9 hole score. 

[Rob Person]

2 minutes ago, frazzman80 said:

For you (and others) who are touting the 9-hole courses, I've played many of them here in rural South Texas and I've always wondered why they don't have 2-holes/flags on each green (one for the front 9 and a different one for the back 9) with different colored flags. I mean, I've always played 9 from one tee box and then 9 from a different tee box to make the holes different, but the 2nd 9 you gain an inherent advantage from the hole location being the exact same (you already know the contours of the green and can get reads off putts from the first time through). 

Standard colored flags for the 1st 9 and then checkered flags for the 2nd 9 (as you'd already know the pin position of the checkered flag from the first playthrough of the 9 holes). Why don't they do that?

We have a dual tee box 9 hole course about 30 minutes from here. It's the first course I ever played, and it was a blast!

[JAYER38]

As far as handicap goes I let the app take care of that haha. That system is very confusing to me and I don't play serious enough to actually track it.

I will say in the summer time I've really grown to enjoy playing 18 after work and 9 on the weekends. Seems backwards but its cooler in the evenings and alot less people on course so no real waiting. 9 holes on the weekend allows some flexibility with the crowds because I dread waiting on a Tee box for multiple groups.

[frazzman80]

17 minutes ago, Rob Person said:

We have a dual tee box 9 hole course about 30 minutes from here. It's the first course I ever played, and it was a blast!

Duel tees I've seen everywhere on 9-hole courses. Dual pin positions is what I'm questioning/wondering about.

[RillRed]

I haven’t played just 9, ever. I’ve considered it though as time gets restricted and I get the itch to play. But then I think “what if I have a spectacular front 9??? How could I just stop” . A cool 9 hole par 3 just opened up by me that I’m going to try. It has night golf too. I just struggle with paying the $40 to play there.

[MCMSR]

>99% are 9-hole rounds! Being retired, I’m able to play daily (weekends reserved for ‘My best wife! Yet!’). It’s more convenient as my course has multiple, daily leagues (mornings/afternoons); high school (alternate season) teams as well. So, gym workouts in the mornings with the 2-hour window to play starting around 1230/130 ….

[MadHatter]

I like both, but for different reasons. I like to walk 9 holes mainly for exercise. Since I generally keep an obscene amount of found balls in my bag, it's on the heavier side and makes it almost like a ruck walk (I've taken 10+ lbs of golf balls out of my bag before ). But I like 18s because I feel like that's a truer test of my golf game, not to mention I'm always up for "more golf". 

[Manny]

I cant remember the last time I only played 9. That is never in the cards for me.

I have put all the effort to get to the course a little warm up and only play nine?

Not a chance.

[mackdaddy]

One of the best benefits of working at or being a member of a course/club is being able to play any number of holes that time or weather allows without concern for costs.

[kyleagrant]

If I can get out and play, I will take whatever I can get. 

[Jackbus75]

I like to play 18.  9 holes just doesn't seem like enough, but as I get older I can see that 9 is in my future.  I think at this stage in my life, 12 would be perfect.

[FallenSaber]

I prefer playing 18 but mostly play 9. The thing I like about 9 holes is that I can get out, play 9 first thing in the morning then I'm getting home shortly after my kids wake up. So I don't have any guilt from missing time with them and I'm able to get a little bit of me time in.

[CsBear]

I'll play 9 if I don't have a lot of time or I just really need a tune up and am practicing.  But if I have the time, I'll definitely play 18

[Calls16Golf]

I think 18 especially if you play with faster players in the mornings as we are done in about 3 to 3 1/2 hours easily. This gives us time to go home and keep the honey do list up to date.

[DiscipleofPenick]

18 holes always & ever. Mostly because it's just the lack of cost difference at this point. It's hard for me to justify $25-$30 for 9 holes, when there's plenty of courses I walk 18 for under $35. It's because the guys who want to play 9 are just going to relax and have a few beers after work. Just not worth it.

[VistaKing]

I find that 9 holes a day fits into my daily schedule, playing front & back on alternating days. Been part of my routine for 16 years.

[NCDuffer]

I play 9’s almost weekly.  I play 3-4 four hole “rounds” after work weekly.  Walk the four holes - 2 par 4s, a par 3 and a par 5.  Sets up a simple loop since 2 green isn’t far from 8 tee.  I play 18’s about 2 times a quarter if I’m lucky.  It’s just time, family and work.  However with 18, one 9 is typically much better than the other.  One Saturday I shot 37 front 9, 48 back 9.  The very next Saturday I shot 50 front, 36 back on the same course.  

[jbern]

On 6/11/2024 at 10:24 AM, KC Golf said:

Any golf is golf… so if I can only squeeze in 9 that’s definitely fine to me!

Exactly my thought! 
 

I will say that I’m always wanting to play more after 9 holes (or 18 for that matter), but if I only have time for 9 than I’ll take what I can get. 

[garrett5]

Either is great with me. That being said, I've got 3 young children and a very demanding career so most of the time it's 9 holes for me. My oldest (9) is starting to get into golf and comes with me alot of the time 

[dlygrisse]

I enjoy an after work 9.  18 on weekends or if I take the afternoon off. 

[mike4vo]

I like getting out in the morning and walking the back 9 at my local course. Gets the blood pumping and seems to improve my mood for the day. With friends, 18 is good with a cart.

[Beakbryce]

Retired. 18 or bust. BTW, why are we limiting it to 18 as a high number?

Again, retired.

BTW, watching the three best players in the world get eaten alive by the 5th hole. their 13th, so suspect they wished they had played 9...

Edited June 14 by Beakbryce

[Calls16Golf]

44 minutes ago, DiscipleofPenick said:

18 holes always & ever. Mostly because it's just the lack of cost difference at this point. It's hard for me to justify $25-$30 for 9 holes, when there's plenty of courses I walk 18 for under $35. It's because the guys who want to play 9 are just going to relax and have a few beers after work. Just not worth it.

Totally agree as well if you do not have a membership!

[rbgntx]

The small town where we spend the summer in northeast Oregon has only a 9 hole course.  It is fun to play and an easy walk.  I just play 9 holes since playing the same 9 again isn't that exciting to me.   I have found that when I get back home to the Dallas area, I am opting to just play 9 since the courses are much more crowded and pace is slower.

[GolferXY]

I'll almost always play 18 if I have a choice, but there are times when I walk on to a course to practice an aspect of my game and will roll with 9. Rare, but it happens.

[KINGWinston]

I just want to play but nothing beats a round of 18 with the boys. 9-hole twilight out here in Sac in key because it gets so hot. If you're not playing early morning, its brutal. One of my favorite 9-hole tracks was a course called Sunrise in San Diego and was the 9-hole course on the other side of the tracks from Riverwalk (was owned by Riverwalk until they sold the property). Quick 9 holes for some great practice and they only charged you $12 to walk it?! I think i played there every Saturday and Sunday for a good year before they closed it down.

[Dead Solid Bogey]

Harkening back to yesteryear in a small, very small town with two 9 hole courses. … 18 holes a day was great.. 36 holes was even better. Play either the muni or the country club course then switch to the other course for another 18… Driving time was NO more than 10 mins…. The gambling, drinking, and trash talking were legendary… The actual golf; NOT so much.