Random Single Golfers

[Elmer]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:34 PM, gregsandiego said:

Why do so many relatively good golfers take a single slot tee time with just whatever the club has available.

I tend to sign up as 2 ( wish I had a reliable 4) and we often get some random guy, with varying ability, personality etc. Sometimes they just play their own game quietly, sometimes they're much better and we struggle to keep up.

Or in one case we had the too serious golfer getting angry at every imperfect shot. 

Why don't these people have any golf friends?

In any case I don't enjoy being teamed up randomly and the experience encourages me to get a regular 4-some together.

 

 

 

 

 

I have never been able to coordinate 3 other people and tee-times.
I find it easier to just play as a single and fit in with any group of any level.
I am not the worst golfer, not the best. I play quickly.
I will be sociable without being over bearing.
I dont talk politics or religion, and if the group does, I try to keep my opinions to myself.   
I will also buy drinks for the group from the cart person. 
And when I am done, I am gone.....

14 hours ago, colin007 said:

I think in all the years I've been playing, and the hundreds of people I've played with, there were a grand total of 3 ass clowns. Still finished the round with them.

I always worry when playing randoms, if they are not the ass clowns, am I?

[StuM]

2 hours ago, Elmer said:

I have never been able to coordinate 3 other people and tee-times.

"Never"?  Seems like it should have worked out at least once.  Are you really trying? 🤪

[p1n9183]

I love to get out to the course on my own at around 2/3 pm. Those are the best training moments.
I enjoy playing with others but when its time to grind my game I go out alone and I refuse any invitation to join any other group.  

[NZ Golfer]

4 hours ago, p1n9183 said:

I love to get out to the course on my own at around 2/3 p.m. Those are the best training moments.
I enjoy playing with others but when it's time to grind my game I go out alone and I refuse any invitation to join any other group.  

Yes these days I play around 50% of my Golf by myself during the working week (I'm a sharetrader so can go out whenever I want) love going at my tempo and playing two balls ..basically practice rounds .. then the other 50% I play in local comps at my club or other clubs or with my wife or kids .. and every so often I might get out with Family and Friends but much less than other rounds pa ... 

There is something special about just chilling in your Golf world and focusing on your game ... I find it mentally and physically positive and helps with my work clear my head ..get out of the digital world..

I first fell into addiction with the game playing with 3x other mates weekly ... but they moved on time issues after a few years etc 

[TapOut64]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:34 PM, gregsandiego said:

 

Why don't these people have any golf friends?

 

 

 

 

 

I come from the worlds of power lifting and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu where I am a retired black belt.  You don't find many golfers in these two worlds.  My buddies would rather go to the gym or learn neat and interesting ways to choke you unconscious and tear every ligament in your body.  Not to mention I work from my house and my closest co-worker is 2 hours away and doesn't golf.   I have also managed to work full time and play 97 rounds so far this year with a two day club tournament this weekend, rounds 98 & 99.  Not many people at 59 can keep up with me.  I thinks it's pretty obvious that there are numerous reasons for this, probably none greater than their love of the game and the fact that it is a sport that you can play alone.  

[RayG]

I play a lot more solo rounds because my usual golf buddies can't get the time off or have family obligations. I can take more Fridays off and I get out where I can find a slot. With them, we might get out twice a month if we're lucky. 

And as someone else mentioned, I'm not the type to chat up strangers I meet up with and exchange numbers to meet up and play again sometime. I am more likely to run into the same guys anyway every so often and then they aren't strangers when we meet up randomly again. A couple of years ago, I would show up (walk on) around the same time at a local and meet the same guy about 4 or 5 times over the course of a couple of months. He might be with different friends each, but a couple of those were repeats as well. 

[ChetlovesMer]

On 9/3/2023 at 10:34 PM, gregsandiego said:

I tend to sign up as 2 ( wish I had a reliable 4) ...

Why don't these people have any golf friends?

How come you don't have more golf friends? 

On 9/5/2023 at 10:26 AM, DaveP043 said:

I'm struck by a bit of a contradiction.  @gregsandiego signs up as 2, so apparently he has only one regular golfing friend.  Then he asks why these other folks don't have golfing friends.    Does anyone wonder why Greg doesn't have more golfing friends?

That was the thought that immediately went through my head. 

On 9/4/2023 at 8:43 AM, billchao said:

I’m just not the type of person to meet someone and then exchange numbers. I just don’t like the feeling that I’m imposing myself on others. Maybe they have a regular group and one happened to drop out or something and that’s how I got the slot. Or maybe they didn’t care that much for me and were simply being polite/diplomatic during our round together. Either way I’m still the outsider and I’m not looking to force my way into anyone’s regular group. And yes, I understand these are mostly issues my end and in my own head, but that’s just how my brain works. It’s a fundamental aspect of my personality that’s shaped a lot of the things I have done and not done in my life.

You can join my group anytime, brother. 

On 9/5/2023 at 10:38 AM, Pretzel said:

I have golf friends, and I play with them whenever it works out for both of our schedules. I also like to golf outside of just the times when my golf friends are available to play. Just because they can't play doesn't mean I can't play either.

Usually I play better than the people I get paired up with, but it's never an issue to me of them "keeping up" or anything like that. I enjoy having company out on the course, and if those I get paired up with don't feel the same then I also enjoy just being out there to play a round of golf. You're not burdening anyone by playing your own game out on the course so long as you keep up with either the group ahead or the standard pace of play, and if they feel that way you are more than welcome to tell them to get bent because they're a jerk anyways.

This

I go out as a single a lot. This year nearly all of 18 hole rounds have been as a single. There are a lot of reasons for this. The biggest one being that my work schedule is a lot more flexible than most of my golf friends. Plus I work a territory and often find myself in an area away from home when I suddenly have time free. Maybe my meeting ran short or got canceled. Anyway, I will sometimes try to find a course near by and go play. Which means I'm often a last minute addition to the tee sheet. 

On 9/3/2023 at 10:34 PM, gregsandiego said:

In any case I don't enjoy being teamed up randomly and the experience encourages me to get a regular 4-some together.

Yes, it is great to have a regular group in which to play, but I think you are missing an opportunity here. 

Firstly, I find playing with people who are better than me improves my game. 

Secondly, There are a couple of guys in my golf-phone-tree who've I met by being paired up with them and I'll call/text them to play often. As they will for me. Think of it this way, you automatically have something in common with anyone you meet on the golf course. What kind of a weird person doesn't want more friends? ... Especially golf friends? 

Thirdly, Playing alone or in a twosome on a crowded course makes it "feel" like everyone is playing slow, even if they are not. 

Fourthly, Perhaps that guy or gal you get paired up with will be the one that finds your ball at 2 minutes, 58 seconds, when you were just about to give up and take a stroke plus distance. 

Lastly, it's true you might not find your next BFF on the golf course. But I only remember one time ever being paired up with a group of D-bags. ... I'm pretty sure all three were wearing white belts. I guess I should have known. The warning signs were there. ... So, maybe that one's on me? Most people I meet on the golf course are good people, just out enjoying a round of golf.