Putting your hands on a new golf course project is always exciting. But it begins with a fundamental question: how many acres for a golf course?
To create a comprehensive golfing experience, the required acreage varies. An 18 hole golf course is the most standard, which will require approximately 150 acres of land. An area of 60 to 100 acres is needed for a 9 hole golf course. Similarly, it only requires 20 to 40 acres of land for a par 3 golf course.
Today, we will have a broad discussion on the acreage needed for different types of golf courses. In the end, you will know how much land you need to build your preferred golf course.
How Many Acres for a Golf Course?
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To know how many acres in a golf course, you need to determine the type of golf course you want. For a standard 18 hole golf course, you will require around 120 to 200 acres. Considering a 9 hole course, you would need 60 to 100 acres.
Now, you might be thinking about an 18 hole par 3 golf course, which is a more compact option. For such a golf course, you would only need about 20 to 40 acres. This is because par 3 courses have tightly packed holes with fewer buffers between them.
Apart from the course itself, the practice area is also essential. For a driving range or practice area, you would need 4 to 7 acres, with dimensions of 50-100 meters in width and 200-300 meters in length. And for various formats of 18 hole golf courses with driving ranges, you would be looking at 75 acres and above.
If you want a driving range with three playing holes, you would need 8 to 12 acres in total. For a 6 or 9 hole par 3 executive golf course with a driving range, you will need 15 to 30 acres. A standard 9 hole golf course with a driving range would require 30 to 50 acres.
If you are planning to build an international standard 9 hole championship golf course with a driving range, it would typically need 50 to 75 acres. With that said, an international standard 18 hole championship golf course needs 120 acres or more.
How Many Acres for an 18 Hole Golf Course?
If you are wondering how many acres is a golf course that has 18 holes, the answer can vary based on several factors. According to experts, an average 18 hole golf course normally covers about 150 acres of land.
To be more specific, approximately 100 acres of that total are devoted to the maintenance of turfgrass. Within this 150-acre area, a regulation-sized golf course can be designed by a golf course architect. It will measure from 5,000 to 7,000 yards from hole to hole.
Different experts provide slightly different acreage estimates. Some state that a full-size 18 hole golf course would need between 120 and 200 acres. Others suggest that par 72 golf courses could require anywhere from 140 to 180 acres of usable land.
These varying estimates take into account several important factors, such as the inclusion of practice areas. Often, golfers expect high-quality courses to have practice facilities like driving ranges, practice greens, and chipping areas. These facilities can increase the overall land requirement. Budget, location, and project timeline can also influence the acres needed for a golf course.
So, the average land area for an 18 hole golf course is around 150 acres.
How Many Acres for a 9 Hole Golf Course?
If you are curious about how many acres for a 9 hole golf course, you will be pleased to know they occupy roughly half the land of a standard 18 hole course. In total, you will need between 60 and 100 acres.
Despite their smaller size, 9 hole courses can be just as exciting as the bigger 18 hole ones. Plus, they are a great choice in areas where land is limited.
It is worth noting that 9 hole courses are more common in the UK, where land is often scarce. In the United States, the average 9 hole course usually covers about 75 acres, although this can vary depending on the specific site.
So, on average, you are looking at 75 acres for a 9 hole golf course.
How Many Acres for a Par 3 Golf Course?
Par 3 golf courses are a great choice for urban and suburban locations with limited land. These compact courses cost less to build.
As stated by the American Society of Golf Course Architects, you can construct an 18 hole course of all short par 3’s on as little as 30 acres. In the United States, par 3 courses are quite popular. On average, these courses occupy around 20 to 40 acres of land in the US.
It is not just about saving land and budget, either. Many see these shorter par 3 courses as a way to engage the younger crowd. Together, they can complete a round in less than 90 minutes.
So, on average, you would need about 30 acres for a par 3 golf course.
How Many Acres for a Championship Golf Course?
When it comes to championship golf courses, they usually require more acres. Often, such courses remain close to the upper range of 120 to 200 acres. This is to make sure there is enough distance for competitive golf.
A “championship course” doesn’t always mean it has to be beyond 18 holes, relatively long, and challenging, according to Golf.com. So, a championship golf course is not the same as a stadium golf course, which is designed with spectators in mind.
Stadium courses may need over 200 acres. This larger space accounts for the distance required from the back tees for competitive golf. Moreover, there should be enough spacing between holes for the smooth movement of spectators.
So, on average, an 18 hole championship golf course would need 200 acres or more.
What Makes Up a Golf Course?
When you examine the components of a golf course, it is better to divide them into two main categories: Turfgrass and Non-turfgrass.
Turfgrass:
Of the entire 150-acre golf course, approximately 100 acres are dedicated to maintaining turfgrass. This includes:
- Fairways — 30 acres. These account for one-fifth of the course. They require frequent mowing and seasonal fertilization.
- Rough — 51 acres. The largest part of the course, which covers nearly one-third of the usable area. It is often used to add challenges to the course.
- Practice areas — 7 acres. This area encompasses driving ranges, practice greens, and chipping areas for golfers to hone their skills.
- Greens — 3 acres. Greens may make up just 2% of the course. However, they demand the most attention with regular maintenance tasks like aeration.
- Turfgrass nurseries — 1 acre. Some golf clubs maintain nurseries to supply turf for patching on fairways and tee boxes.
- Tees — 3 acres. Although they occupy only 2% of the course, tees need constant maintenance to repair divots.
- Clubhouse grounds — 3 acres. These are the turfed areas around the clubhouse and create a good first impression.
Non-Turfgrass:
The remaining 50 acres are allocated to non-turfgrass areas, including:
- Non-turfgrass landscapes — 24 acres. These are areas like woodlands and parts within the course boundaries.
- Parking lots — 4.5 acres. These areas, around 3%, are set aside for parking facilities.
- Buildings — 6 acres. This covers structures such as the clubhouse, halfway house, and storage facilities.
- Water bodies — 11 acres. Natural and man-made water hazards account for about 7% of the total area.
- Bunkers — 4.5 acres. An integral part of golf course design. They occupy around 3% of the usable land.
Final Words
So, are you still wondering how much land do I need to build a golf course? I guess not. As we have discovered, standard 18 hole courses typically demand between 120 and 200 acres, while 9 hole courses fit within 60 and 100 acres. Par-3 courses, designed for a quicker and more compact game, require only about 20 to 40 acres.
Understanding how many acres for a golf course is essential for golf course developers, architects, and enthusiasts.
