Golf – a sport loved by many and with connotations of spectacular scenery and a day away from the family.
What many may not have considered when playing or watching golf is how many miles is it around an 18-hole course.
In this article, we’ll have a look at the mileage for an 18-hole golf course and see how far does the average golfer walk when playing.
Founder, Editor
Ed is the founder and editor at EEE Golf. He’s been playing golf for over 20 years, competing in many top amateur events. He’s played courses all over the world and played with some of the best players in the game. His aim is to help educate people about the game of golf and give insights into the sport he loves most.
How Many Miles Is An 18 Hole Golf Course?
How Many Miles Is 18 Holes Of Golf?
No two golf courses are the same, however, on average a golfer will be walking 3.75 miles per 18 holes.
This length can vary based on a few different variables such as; course difficulty, course yardage, par values and other features of a course like water hazards and sand bunkers.
To me, this sounds like a lot of walking and if I’ve had a tough week, I think I would enjoy the aid of a golf buggy (of course I would still claim I’ve walked the full distance to those none the wiser).
When it comes to working out the average distance of a golf course, there are a few calculations that come into play and it is important to work out what the average for each of a par three, four and five are.
For a par three, the average is around 150 yards, for a par four the average is around 380 yards and a par five averages at around 520 yards.
There are many minor details involved in what determines the average for an 18-hole round of golf.
Looking beyond average yardage for each par, these will include even slight things such as the position of the tee box, whereby the golfer will have to walk further to the next hole from the previous one.
How Many Calories Do You Burn In 18 holes Of Golf?
On average playing golf can burn between 200-500 calories an hour (to give perspective it would take about 40 minutes of running to burn 500 calories).
According to the Bupa calorie calculator, an hour of golf burns more calories than housework, a weight training session or gardening.
When carrying around your own bag and walking the entire distance around the 18 holes you are looking at burning around 1,400 calories a round, according to a study conducted by the Director of the Center for Health and Sport Science and reported on by the New York Times.
This number of calories being burnt is surprising considering the game is played at such a slow speed but of course, is played over a long period of time.
Even if you do play a round of 18 with the use of golf carts, a study by the World Golf Foundation shows that you are still likely to burn between 800-1,300 calories, which is still extremely reasonable.
The most strenuous part of the round of golf is actually having to carry your golf bag around the course layout.
Perhaps it’s time to invest in a caddie to carry the heavy goods, maybe it’ll result in a less tiring round of golf and some better shots for me.
When calculating how many calories you are burning whilst playing a round of golf can vary quite drastically.
It could vary based on small details such as whether you carry your golf clubs as opposed to pushing them on a cart. However, the difference in calories burnt is rather small.
Why Is Walking Around A Golf Course Good For You?
Talking from a personal standpoint, golf has always been a form of relaxation for me as much as it is also a form of competition and a joyous activity.
When out on the course, I’m sure this is the same for many people, you just feel a sense of calm whenever put on the course.
This is important as it acts as a distraction from the world and the stresses everyone experiences on a daily basis.
It allows one to feel at ease and the worries at the forefront of someone’s mind will be distant from the first tee-off.
Ed’s Top Tip ⛳
After a long day or week at work, there’s literally no better way to take your mind away from the office and destress than playing 9 holes on the golf course.
Whether on your own or with a mate, spending time out in nature playing a sport you love is the best way to clear your mind. Leave the buggy and get walking for the real benefit.
As touched on before, there are many health benefits to playing golf such as the aforementioned burning of calories, but also it reduces the risk of serious health risks like a stroke or heart disease.
It can also result in weight loss and can boost your immune function. All these health benefits point in the direction of being a very positive hobby to acquire.
Walking around a golf course is also seen as the correct way to complete a round of golf.
The former president of the USGA David Fay said that “We strongly believe walking is the most enjoyable way to play golf and that the use of carts is detrimental to the game.”
The health benefits of such a long distance walked over a long period can only be positive and I’m struggling to find a negative to walking around a golf course.
Final Thoughts
Many would have never thought about the mileage on average it takes to walk around a golf course but seeing how far you actually walk is staggering.
I believe due to the sheer enjoyment of the game it is forgotten that your legs may be tired, or you may be struggling to stay up with the pace.
Golf is a game that can be enjoyed by everyone, and seeing the benefits of walking around a golf course should be an eyebrow-raiser and encourage many to take it up, not only for its health benefits but also for the love of the game and the competition that comes with it.
FAQs
Here’s a few frequently asked questions which relate to the number of miles of an 18 hole golf course.
How many miles are walked in 18 holes?
The average distance walked for 18 holes of golf is 3.75 miles, although the actual walking distance can vary from golf club to golf club.
How many km does it take to walk 18 holes of golf?
It takes around 6.036 km to walk a full 18-hole golf course length. The km length a golfer walks can vary on factors such as the par of the course and the difficulty.
How many calories do you burn playing 18 holes of golf walking?
Most golfers will burn about 1400 calories when playing a round of golf assuming that they walk the course and don’t use a buggy.