In a hectic world, sometimes less is more. In golf terminology, nine holes is better than none.

The U.S. Golf Association has been officially pushing “Play9” the past five years. The Hawaii State Golf Association pushes the game’s original format here. So do the other Hawaii associations and many clubs and fundraisers, for so many reasons.

It takes much less time. You can finish in 90 minutes while walking a few miles and burning hundreds of calories. If it’s crowded, 2 hours is easy, unless you are behind Bryson DeChambeau.

You can easily post a nine-hole score for your official handicap index, so that is no excuse. And it doesn’t have to be on one of the 15 nine-hole layouts that show up when you search Hawaii on the USGA Play9 link. The National Golf Foundation estimates 90 percent of U.S. courses offer nine-hole rates, which start at $9 at Kahuku and $11 on Oahu’s five other municipal courses.

The USGA’s “9 Great Reasons to Play9” includes all those, along with offering a better way to practice beyond the driving range, hundreds of new nine-hole leagues and tournaments around the country, getting in quality family time and getting to know new courses.

But maybe the most overlooked and overwhelming reason to “Play9” is its innate ability to introduce golf in a comfortable atmosphere, to people of all ages.

Ask Mid-Pacific Country Club member Monique Rice, a former “golf widow” who started playing in California when her husband gave her a set of clubs. She gained enough game and confidence with him to start with the ladies group, then was excited to be asked to consider team play.

“I was invited to play a round with the leaders of the team so I could be taught all about team play in one round,” she recalls. “It was a nightmare. Rather than enjoy the round, it was filled with unnecessary criticism about aspects of the game of which I was unaware. The criticism was so severe, on the 16th hole I broke down and cried. It was the first time I didn’t enjoy playing golf.

“It was then I knew there needed to be a safe haven for beginner lady golfers to not feel the pressure of performance, but just enjoy the game, learn about the game, and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow lady golfers without judgment.”

She started a nine-hole group with the sole rule of maintaining pace of play. A foursome mushroomed into more. When she and her husband joined Mid-Pac she discovered other women who wanted to learn the game and needed to do it “without the structure of more experienced golfers.”

The Niners club was born in Lanikai, meeting every other Friday for a group lesson with head pro Mark Sousa, nine holes of pressure-free golf (with walkers and riders) and a relaxing “10th hole” in the clubhouse. Now some go out every Friday.

Rhea Yamashiro joined Mid-Pac specifically to play with them. Gail Boyd started golf after retiring from Matson and, thanks to the Niners, was Mid-Pac’s most improved female golfer last year.

It has grown to nearly 40 players in six years. Now there is also a Niners Times 2 group that plays 18 holes Tuesdays and is trying to get the hang of tournament play. Others have graduated to the original 18-hole women’s group.

“We’re all learning the game of golf and enjoying each other’s company,” Rice says. “Many ladies that had stopped playing golf came back and became mentors for the newer players. They bring so many stories and everyone loves the experience.”

Including the club, which is attracting new members who contribute a lot. Niners members are in the top 25 percent of its “monthly spenders” and now help with merchandising. They will host a fashion trunk show in December featuring clothing they chose for MPCC.

They enjoy each other’s company so much they now get together for Tai Chi, Mahjong, painting, hula, lei making and to listening to music.

“What I love best about the Niners is that they are a good fun group of women,” Sousa says. “Score is not a big deal, but fun and camaraderie are. We have women from all skill levels and life experience.”

Many thank Rice for the creative innovation that brought them together and brought them joy.

“About a year ago I was told about the Niners by my hula sisters and was asked to join,” JoAnna Dwyer says. “I was very reluctant at first, but I decided to give Niners a try. I was so pleasantly surprised. What I encountered was a lovely group of women who wanted to play golf for fun. There was no pressure, no competition, just a lot of fun.”