Playing alone question

The only rule I break is playing two balls!  If I'm behind a group, rather then playing through I'll just drop a second ball and practice some shots.  I figure since I don't have a playing partner I can't validate a good round anyway that I might as well practice a bit.

I find I play better with others. I think I experiment with the swing too much when I'm alone. When I'm with others, I pay better attention to keeping the ball in play and playing for score.

Well said. I do the exact same. But I do find playing by myself isnt "as fun" because when I play with others I like the competitive feeling and then golf becomes a "game".

Same here, must be the hockey player competitiveness coming out in me. Love to compete so when playing alone it's much easier to stray for the competitive engaging nature of golf when played with alongside someone else. I find myself playing for speed more than for score, and that is very frustrating

Has no affect on how I play other than I take advantage of the extra time to slow it down a bit.

Makes no difference to me.  I'm always playing for a score because I post all my rounds except as noted below.  The only concession I make to playing alone is if I have a long putt where I would normally have the flag attended I putt with the flagstick in.  I even say the word Provisional when I hit one even if there is no one there to hear me.  Although if I am behind a slow group and cannot play through and do not have anyone behind me I will convert it to a practice round that I won't post and do some short game work on each hole until the group ahead is on the next green.

Good question because I used to enjoy playing alone until very recently. Last year I joined a CC, and have been playing regularly with (against actually) a bunch of other members, and now I find when I play alone I just don't fully concentrate on each and every shot. Generally speaking, I used to play very well by myself. Now, it seems I need other players there to be fully engaged, and even worse, I need to have something on the line like a $5 Nassau. Hmmm, am I going in the right direction?

sometimes I try shots that I should never try when I'm playing alone - high risk, high reward stuff that could balloon a score on a hole

Sounds like I'm in the minority, but I find I play better/concentrate more when I'm alone.  When I play with others I tend to feel rushed, like they're waiting for me to play so they can hit or something.  When I'm alone, I take more time to line up the shot and my practice swing(s) are more deliberate and with better tempo.  It's my own fault for not taking ownership of my own game, but it's a big reason why I perfer to play alone.

I will say for myself also, that I'm not someone who will come out at 9am on a nice day and expect to be let on the course by myself, especially because I walk most of the time.  I'm almost always first on the course, OR I will come later in the afternoon when it's slower, at least on the tee sheet.  I may run up on some people, but unless I'm chasing the setting sun, I'll be walking and taking my time so as not to play behind people.

i am with you for sure.  i play faster and more focused golf when i am alone.  when i am with people it seems like it gets a little less serious--which is fine--and more about the company than the game.

Although I rarely play by myself, I still play the same as I always do.  For me, it just isn't golf unless I'm playing by the rules.  It sounds silly, but even on a 50 foot putt I still walk up and remove the flagstick before I putt.  I know that the odds of hitting it may be 100 to 1 or worse, but I still know that I'd penalize myself if I hit it, and I can't accept that just out of laziness (I do have a lazy streak a half mile wide ).

As you get more serious with your practice, playing alone just becomes the norm, I find that while it is more boring not to have a mate around to talk to about life outside of golf, it can be more productive, I tend to drop a few balls around the green or in the bunker if im playing on my own, or if I hit a shot a little iffy, i will go straight to my bag and pick out another one to correct my swing.

I do prefer playing with people, but playing on my own is certainly better for my golf.

Greatly said, sounds exactly like myself.  To many people get caught up in the notion that playing alone isn't fun or productive.  It can be very productive if you approach the game with the right mind set.

Yes, this is basically a great idea.  I used to play alone all the time.  But I never would now, especialy if it was like a bacelor party or my birthday.  The course I play at is pretty much dark or dusklike all the time, and it is very uncomortable because right behind the parking lot is a huge graveyard.  I don't believe in that stuff, but one night when I was playing with myself I swear to you that I saw some type of phantasm or disembodied spirit.