Playing with friends vs playing alone.

[meenman]

I play much better in the company of relaxed people (friends or strangers).

I play horribly when I am with a club thrower and bad when I am by myself with no one in front of me - there is just something wrong with playing a round in 2 hours or less - it takes away from the relaxation part.

The major exception for me has been the last couple club tournaments - I have been paired up with real nice and supportive guys but I have choked in the worst way.

[kevin.chan]

On the day when I play without any " thoughts " , relax and cheerful ( either alone or with friends ) , i normally will have an "A" game !

[Mrd19abhs]

I personaly play better with friends but i think your problem might be that your rushing if your worried about being late for class and so on.

[DaveCenker]

I think when you play the best depends upon your personality and the way your mind works (and potentially the day of the week!). Some days I am just NOT in a social mood. On those days, I like to get away in the early evening and play 9 holes by myself as a way to clear my mind. Often, when I am in these moods, I play really well because my mind is not concentrating on golf. My instincts take over and you don't focus on the fact that you have a 5 foot putt for birdie ... you just react and it seems the likelihood of it going in rises. At other times, I play better when I am playing with a group of buddies or singles that I meet on the first tee.

One thing I always try to do, however, is not watch other golfers' swings. I watch where the ball goes to help them spot it, but I don't watch their mechanics. For some reason, my mind sees someone else's swing (good, bad, or indifferent) and subconsciously tells my body to do the same thing ... funny, eh?

In any event, I think the bottom line is that you need to focus on your mechanics, pre-shot routines, strategy, etc when you are practicing. In my mind, there is a fine line between focusing too little and too much while on the course. I tend to try to focus less on the course and let my swing go into autopilot mode from all the time spent on the range/putting green. It is in these times (either with or without playing partners) that I find I play my best.

[golfaddiction]

I would rate how I play on the following scale (from worst to best):

1. Alone (I usually play 2 balls)
2. With randoms that are worse than me
3. With friends (usually about equal or slightly less skilled than me)
4. With randoms that are better than me

So, as the skill level of those I am playing with increases, so does my own game. I imagine it's all about focus. Usually people better than me are very focused, and it's very easy to stay on track while trying to match their shots.