It may sound sacrilegious to suggest this, but – would golf be better off with 12 holes? Stick with me on this for a few moments. Yes, we love our golf; but is nearly 5 hours of play just too much in the modern era? If you break down your round how much of it do you actually enjoy. Think about all that waiting around between shots and behind that dawdling four ball in front. Consider the endless delays in getting the job done over 18 holes. Is it really the most economical use of your leisure time on the weekend or whenever you get to play?

Is It Time To Reduce The Size & Length Of The Game Of Golf?

We live in a slick, super-fast world where convenience is king in all things. Except golf, which is this ancient stick and ball game where process is everything and the results hit and miss. How many shots, out of the hundred or so you play in a round of golf, come off the way you would like? How many do you fondly remember post-game? How many bring you back for more? Not many I bet. Sometimes more of something you love is not a good thing. Less can be better in golf!

Less Can Be Better In Golf 18 Down To 12

Picture this, you are navigating your way down those last few holes on the back nine. You are desperately trying to hold onto a pretty good score. The outcome is, however, all too familiar as the bogeys and doubles mount up to torpedo your hopes once more. Imagine for a moment that golf was 12 holes instead of 18 and what that would mean for your score and performance. It is bloody hard to concentrate over such a long period of time. It is beyond most of us much of the time.

18 holes of competitive golf is just too long.

Golf Is Too Demanding A Game For The Modern Era

The challenging thing about golf over all other sports is that you have to keep changing gears constantly. Think about it, in tennis you serve, you hit backhands and forehands, and maybe volley. In football you kick the ball, tackle, and pass it by hand depending upon what code you play. Whereas in golf, you drive the ball off the tee, you play long irons, fairway clubs, mid irons, short irons, wedges, sand splashes, chips, shots over, around, and under trees. Then you have to putt with great delicacy and judgement. There are so many gear changes over a 5 hour round of golf that it can make your head spin. The playing field is rarely flat and even. The weather is often windy and inclement. The rough can be deep and gnarly. There are water hazards on many golf courses. 18 holes of this activity over 5 hours can have you ready to be committed. Many of us get down on ourselves for missing crucial putts.

Hells bells we are involved in a marathon of angles, shaft lengths, slopes, buried lies, bunker shots, bad bounces and rubs of the green. It is a wonder that so many of us make it home in reasonable mental shape.

Could Golf Be Better Off With 12 Holes?

Think about it – would golf be better off with 12 holes? 6 less would reduce the demands by a third. 3 and a half hours instead of 5 plus would make our nearest and dearest happier in most cases. We would return home fresher and far less beaten up by the golfing gods and an unfair geography. The oft kicked dog would thank his lucky stars if such a change was achieved. Golfers everywhere would most likely be more content with this strategic dose of less. Life would be gentler and probably far more fulfilling. Less is more in golf. The club captain could get home earlier after factoring in all the daily scores. Our golfing equipment would last longer and require less upgrading. Who knows maybe we could get away with carrying less than 14 clubs for a 12 hole round.

12 Is A Very Special Number

More Courses Or Real Estate Dollars

Golf courses everywhere could have a secondary 6 hole course with which to alleviate crowding and generate extra revenue. Alternatively, they could sell off the land for many millions to real estate developers and use those funds to make their clubs better.

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