The Short Answer
Most charity golf tournaments and corporate outings last 5 to 7 hours from check-in to awards. A typical timeline:
- Check-in and warm-up: 1 hour
- Round of golf: 4 to 5 hours
- Dinner and awards: 1 to 1.5 hours
If you're just playing (no dinner), plan for about 5 hours on-site.
What Affects Tournament Length?
Format
Scrambles play faster than stroke play. In a scramble, everyone hits from the best ball — fewer total shots, less time per hole.
- Scramble: 4–4.5 hours
- Best Ball: 4.5–5 hours
- Stroke Play: 5–5.5 hours
Field Size
More players = longer rounds. A full field of 144 players (36 foursomes) will take longer than a 72-player event.
- 72 players (18 groups): 4–4.5 hours
- 100 players (25 groups): 4.5–5 hours
- 144 players (36 groups): 5–5.5 hours
Shotgun vs. Tee Times
Shotgun starts (everyone tees off at the same time from different holes) mean everyone finishes around the same time. Tee time starts stagger groups, so the last group finishes much later.
Sample Tournament Timeline
Here's a typical schedule for a charity scramble with 120 players:
- 10:00 AM — Check-in opens
- 10:00–11:00 AM — Warm-up (range, putting green)
- 11:00 AM — Shotgun start
- 11:00 AM–3:30 PM — Round of golf (~4.5 hours)
- 3:30–4:00 PM — Players finish, turn in scorecards
- 4:00–5:30 PM — Cocktails, dinner, awards
- 5:30 PM — Event ends
Total time on-site: 7.5 hours (10 AM – 5:30 PM)
How to Speed Things Up
- Use a shotgun start. Everyone finishes around the same time, which keeps the schedule tight.
- Play a scramble. Fewer shots, faster pace.
- Limit field size. Smaller fields play faster. If pace is a priority, cap at 100 players.
- Set expectations. Remind players this is a tournament, not a leisurely round. Ready golf keeps things moving.
- Station volunteers at slow holes. If a par 3 always backs up, have someone there to keep groups moving.
- Use live scoring. When players enter scores on their phones, you don't have to wait for scorecards at the end.
How Long Should You Block on Your Calendar?
- If you're a player: Block 6 hours to be safe.
- If you're an organizer: Plan for 7–8 hours including setup and teardown.
- If you're a sponsor with a booth: Ask the organizer when players will come through your hole — usually 1–3 hours after the start.
Final Thought
Plan for 5–7 hours depending on your format and field size. Build buffer into your schedule, communicate the timeline clearly to players, and have a plan for keeping pace on the course.
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