Planning Your Bay Time: How Many Minutes a Simulator Round Really Needs

A solo player who knows the software can usually finish 18 holes on a golf simulator in about 45 minutes to an hour. Bring in a second player and a round typically runs past two hours, and a foursome often takes well over three. Those are typical ranges rather than fixed times, since the software settings, the skill of each player and the habits at the table all move the clock.

Most of the difference comes down to how many people are waiting their turn. The planning table below gives typical ranges by group size and round length. The sections after it explain what speeds a round up, what slows it down, a worked example with the arithmetic shown, and how to book the right amount of time at a commercial bay.

How we put this together: these ranges are planning estimates built from typical reported play times, not timed sessions by this site. Links on this page may earn us a commission.

Planning table: minutes per round by group size

Who is playing	18 holes	9 holes (about half)	Notes
Solo, experienced player	About 45 to 60 minutes	About 25 to 30 minutes	Auto putt or gimmes on, few practice swings
Solo, beginner or high handicap	A bit over an hour	About 35 to 40 minutes (estimate)	More shots per hole, so more time over each one
Two players	Typically over 2 hours	About an hour (estimate)	Taking turns adds up fast
Three or four players	Often over 3 hours	About 1.5 to 2 hours (estimate)	Mixed skill levels stretch it the most

For comparison, an 18-hole round on a real course is often cited at around four hours on average, and rounds of five hours or more are not unusual. Course length, pace of play and the number of players on the course all affect that figure, so check current local numbers if you want an outdoor baseline.

That gives a rule of thumb you can use for booking. Budget roughly 45 to 60 minutes per player for 18 holes with gimmes switched on. It is a derived estimate rather than a measured figure, but it lines up with the table and gives you a quick way to size a session.

Where a virtual hole saves time

A simulator removes most of the walking that stretches a real round. You stay in one bay and the next shot is a few steps away, so there is no walk from ball to club and no trek from one tee to the next. Holes flow straight into each other, and many software packages will auto-advance to the next shot and the next hole once everyone in the group has played.

Lost balls take no time at all. The software applies the penalty and places you back where you hit from, so a wayward drive costs seconds rather than a search through the rough. Weather and daylight don't matter either, which means a round can start at nine in the evening on a Tuesday as easily as at noon on a Saturday. There are no tee times to book in advance and no group ahead of you to wait for.

Solo players skip the waiting entirely. Nobody is in front of you, so you move straight from one shot to the next. That gap explains most of the difference between solo rounds and foursomes, and it is the main reason a simulator can feel so quick for one person.

What stretches a simulator round

Group size is the biggest single factor. The rest add up shot by shot, and a few minutes lost on each hole adds up to an hour over 18 holes.

Software choices that change the clock

• Putting out every hole versus auto putt or a gimme radius. Auto putt removes manual putting entirely, and it is one of the easiest settings to change before you start. For setup details, see putting on a simulator.
• Fast greens, tough pin positions and penal rough add strokes for most players, and every extra stroke is another swing to wait through.
• Mulligans and replays add shots. Each one is a repeat swing, so a group that uses them often will run longer.
• A warm-up on the virtual range before the round adds time, even when it helps your swing.

Player habits that change the clock

• Practice swings. One or two per shot keeps a steady pace. A long series of practice swings before every shot is where the minutes disappear.
• Skill level. Higher handicaps take more shots per hole, and each of those shots takes its own time to set up and play.
• Familiarity with the simulator and the virtual course. Players who know the hole layouts and their own club distances choose faster.
• Breaks, chat and analysing every shot in a group. Talking through each swing together can be a bigger drag than the shots themselves.

Hardware and setup that change the clock

• Shot processing delay between strike and ball flight. A slow read adds a pause after every swing; see shot delay and latency.
• Teeing up each ball by hand versus an auto-tee device, on setups that include one.
• Misreads that need re-hits. Each re-hit is an extra swing and a reset, which is why misreads that force re-hits matter for pace as well as accuracy.
• Slow computer loading courses. A PC that is short on power can make every course change feel like a wait. Check PC specs for smooth play before you blame the software.

Worked example: a Friday-night foursome

This example is illustrative. It uses the planning rule above rather than timed sessions, so treat every figure as an estimate. Assume four players of mixed skill, gimme radius on, and no warm-up on the range.

1. Four players at 45 to 60 minutes each comes to 180 to 240 minutes, or about 3 to 4 hours for 18 holes.
2. Add 10 to 15 minutes for setup, choosing a course and switching players. The total becomes roughly 3 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes.
3. Switch to 9 holes. Nine holes is roughly half the round, so call it 1.5 to 2 hours, plus the same setup time. That puts the session at about 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 15 minutes.
4. Switch to a team format such as a scramble, where the team plays one ball and the best shot is used. The number of shots drops, so the round tends to shorten. The saving depends on how the group runs the format, so no fixed figure is given here.

For this group, the choice is clear. Keep all 18 holes and the evening runs past three hours, or drop to 9 holes or a team format and it wraps up closer to two. Booking the longer slot anyway is fine if everyone wants the full course, but it helps to know the difference before you reserve.

Fitting a round into a lunch hour

A full 18 won't fit into a lunch break, but a shorter round often will. These changes help most:

• Play 9 holes, or the front or back nine of a favourite course.
• Turn on auto putt or a generous gimme radius.
• Skip the range warm-up and take a few swings on the first tee instead.
• Limit practice swings to one or two per shot.
• Play ready golf in groups. The next player tees up while the previous shot is still on screen.
• Pre-select the course and player profiles before the session starts, and keep the PC and launch monitor on and connected.
• Turn off mulligans and keep course conditions moderate.

Compare home golf simulator packages ↗

How long a practice session should last

A practice session is a different thing from a round. Many people who search for simulator timing want to know how long to spend hitting, not how long 18 holes will take, and open-ended ball-beating tends to produce tired hands and little progress. Structured blocks with one goal each work better.

One simple template is a warm-up, one technical goal, a target game and a short finish. Scale the blocks to fit the time you have. A 30-minute session might give 5 minutes to warm up, 10 to one technical goal such as face control with the driver, 10 to a target game like closest to a pin, and 5 to a finish with a few full swings you enjoy. A 60-minute session can double each block. This is a suggested structure you can adapt, not a finding from a study.

Pair the session with a plan you can repeat week to week. A structured practice plan keeps the goals concrete, and how simulator practice helps explains where the time pays off and where it does not.

Booking a commercial bay: how much time to reserve

Commercial venues commonly rent bays by the hour. Before you book, check whether that hour includes setup time, because picking a course, loading player profiles and getting the first shot off can eat into it. Some venues start the clock when you walk in, and others start it when the screen is ready.

The rule of thumb from the planning table is about one hour per player for 18 holes with gimmes on, and a little less for experienced players. A group of four who want the full course at a relaxed pace should book 3 to 4 hours, or choose 9 holes and book around 2 hours. Those are estimates to help you size the slot, not guarantees from any venue.

Ask whether the venue's software defaults include auto putt or gimmes. If they do not, you can change the settings at the start of the session, but it is easier to know what you are paying for before you arrive. If you are comparing venues or thinking about opening a bay yourself, see commercial simulator bays for the venue side of the picture.

Formats that make rounds shorter or longer

The format a group chooses often matters more than the course. Short formats with fewer full shots per player finish sooner, while formats that score every putt and enforce strict rules run longer.

Format or setting	Effect on the clock	Why
9 holes	Shorter	Half the holes, about half the time
Scramble or alternate shot	Shorter	The team plays fewer total shots per hole
Closest to the pin or long-drive games	Shorter	Often a few shots per player, depending on the rules
Stroke play with every putt holed	Longer	Every hole is played out in full
Harder course settings	Longer	Tough pins, fast greens and penal rough add strokes
League or tournament play with strict rules	Longer	Scoring and rules checks add pauses between shots

If you run a league or want a more structured competition, see tournament and league formats for how the rules are usually set up. For how a simulator handicap works when players of different levels share a bay, see simulator handicaps.

Round-length questions before you book or buy

Short answers to the questions that come up most often are below.

How long do 9 holes take on a simulator?

Roughly half the 18-hole time. An experienced solo player can often finish 9 holes in about 25 to 30 minutes, while a group should plan on an hour or more. These are planning estimates derived from the 18-hole ranges on this page.

How many players can share one bay before the round drags?

Two to four players is common. Four players for 18 holes often runs past 3 hours, so larger groups tend to do better with 9 holes, team formats or rotating games.

Does putting out every hole make a big difference?

Yes, especially in groups. Auto putt or a generous gimme radius removes much of the time spent on the green, while full putting is better kept for practice sessions. No minute figure is given here because it depends on the software and the players.

Can a slow launch monitor or PC add real time to a round?

It can, though usually in small amounts. Processing delay and slow course loading add a little to every shot and hole, and misreads that force re-hits add more on top.