pairing with other single?

[Gilles]

Was playing by myself yesterday morning (8:20 AM). Wanted to try some shots on the course, mostly regarding approach shots between 70m - 100m (80-110y), one of my weaknesses.

4 minutes after I tee'ed of, an other single player starts his round (I just came onto the green), and he's a bit faster than me. so by hole 3 I suggest to let him through (full hole in front of me and couple behind him wasn't exactly playing bogey golf...) He suggests to pair up.

Does etiquette say that I have to accept this invitation to pair up? Since you never know how the pace of play will evolve, you might be the one creating slow play and I've always been told that solo players never have priority...

(To complete the story : I kindly decline, telling him I'm trying out some shots, sometimes dropping a second ball at a certain distance from the hole and that if we notice that we're creating slow play, we would pair up... We both finished our 9 holes in 90 minutes, not holding up anybody)

Gilles

[Fontaine]

Nothing wrong with how you handled it. I can see the need to pair up when the course is crowded, but in a training round like this, there is no need to.

[soloredd]

Agree with Fontaine. As long as the pace on the course is good and it's not affecting any other groups, I don't see why you can't stay as a single. There are times I prefer to play alone (pretty much everytime I'm playing like crap) and I would have done the same as you had I been in that situation.

[Zeph]

There are no etiquette that force you to join others on the course. At most times I will do it, but your reason for not doing it was definitely valid. He could of course have not cared about you hitting multiple balls and joined you still.

[breakout89]

Sounds like you handled it fine.

[mdbuschsr]

I had the exact same thing happen yesterday. My plan when I went out was to practice some things during my round. As I teed off on the first hole, a guy is walking into the pro shop to pay his greens fee. Says, "Hey if you hold on for a moment, I'll join you." I politely declined saying that I wanted to work on some things.

I let him play around me on the 3rd tee. I told him that maybe next time I saw him out there we could join up... He seemed like a really nice guy. He proceeded to play one of the fastest rounds of golf I have ever witnessed. Granted I was working on a few things, but I certainly wasn't playing slow. By the time I reached the 5th tee, he was on the 7th green. Glad I didn't change my mind and join up with him. I dislike speed golf.