Solo play and penalties

[chrisronline]

So I played a round this morning and hit it OB quite a few times (at least 4) and I didn't count them out of frustration of doing it. At the end of the round, I realized that I had no idea my true score because I didn't know which holes I had gone OB so I couldn't add strokes, so I had to throw out the scorecard (since even though I had a different state of mind when not counting penalties in real time, I can't bear to know that I didn't shoot the score that I had written down)

Does anyone find it hard to keep yourself honest with penalties while playing by yourself?

[Stretch]

I don't keep score when playing by myself. I just consider it to be practice time and will hit two balls in, play out of various lies, kick it into the bunker etc. In theory I think the rule here is that any card submitted for handicap purposes has to be signed by another player, but it's not generally observed.

[MulliganGolf]

No. If you know the rules, follow 'em. If you don't, make them part of your "practice" too. I encourage you, however, to turn in that card without counting all the strokes... it'll make playing a match against you that much more fun for your friends.

[O.B. Right]

I have tried several times to keep score when playing solo but I can never do it. Usually there is a group in front of me so there is a lot of extra time to hit 2 balls, take mulligans, etc. Unless the course was wide open ahead of me, I don't think I could keep score.

[golfnuub]

i count everything when i play by myself so i can get an accurate scoring average for myself. if there is congestion on the course, then i will hit the ball that counts, and then hit an extra ball or two from different lies/locations just for practice and to kill time. i just pick them up and continue playing my original ball. i use golfshot to keep track of my score and mark on my scorecard with a permanent marker where each shot goes so i can retrace them in case i forget what shot i am on.

[Fabfivefigo]

I frequently play solo and this is never a problem. Even in cases where i do play 2 balls, I keep track of each one and end up with 2 scores at the end of the round. It's interesting how different some of those scores can be. I think I had a 15 shot difference once.

[Shripe]

I do need to pick up a pocket rulebook, though I do try to follow the basic rules (Lost balls, OB, etc) when playing alone, and score accordingly... Though since I'm not maintaining a handicap, it's just for my own practice anyway, so it's not all that important to me at the moment. For example, my first "real" round (par 3 and 4 course) when I topped a ball a few yards off an elevated tee box, I ended up re-teeing for my first shot. *shrug* It's all practice for me still, and probably will be through the end of this season and probably into the next.

[saevel25]

I don't mind playing two golf balls, or hitting a second. I know I can't do that in a match, but i usually play practice rounds when i am by myself. But i can usually keep score because there is one golf ball that is always played by the rules of golf. The others are just for my practice. Now i know that this bypassess alot of rules, but oh well.

[zeg]

The only trouble I have is occasionally knowing the procedures, not keeping myself honest. When I'm tempted to kick a ball or take a free drop, I step back and give myself a minute to calm down. I think ahead to where you find yourself: wondering what my score would have been. Sure, it's frustrating watching a round go south, but what if you give up halfway through and shoot lights out the rest of the way? Usually after a moment I can appreciate my predicament as a chance to try to be creative, or at least to demonstrate to myself that I can resist the urge to break the rules.

When something comes up for which I don't know the rule, I do carry the pocket rules book in my golf bag. However, usually I make my best guess as to the procedure rather than waiting to look it up. Then I make a note on my scorecard and look the rule up after the round and correct my score if necessary. Part of the reason for this is that the situations where I don't know the rules are often odd enough that I really want to consult the Decisions more than the Rules, and I don't think there's a pocket-sized Decisions book.

[Zeph]

If I'm playing a round for the records, I usually decide on it before I tee off. If I just go out to play golf and hit a poor shot, I'll drop a new ball and forget about the score for the rest of the round. Telling myself before the round that I will play it according to the rules and write every shot and penalty helps me stay focused. Contrary to just go out to play golf.

[Fourputt]

I take the penalty, regardless. Like the OP, I just can't fool myself into thinking that I scored better than I really did, so I just don't try to. Whatever I shoot for each hole goes on the scorecard.

[breakout89]

I never keep score when I play by myself.

[ezmorningrebel]

i always keep an honest score by myself. if i shot really in the end the whole round would be tainted. i called a penalty on myself this evening while alone that in the end prevented me from breaking 40 on 9 holes.

[DarkPrince]

I almost exclusively play by myself. It's not a choice thing though, it just always ends up that I go out on the course with no one to join up with. I'll always play my first ball as my absolute real scorekeeping ball, but if I hit a sloppy shot, or just feel like practicing I'll drop a few more and just make sure I play my real one. When the course is busy and I get up to a spot where I find my ball entered a hazard or OB but can't find it, I just drop a ball (since someone is likely already hitting in to the hole) and stop keeping score then and there since I can't count it as a real score. I'll have a ballpark estimate of what I likely shot, but I know better than to keep it as a legitimate score. I've had days where I'd have shot one hell of a round had I not lost a ball on the last hole or something and just written down my 2nd ball score, but by the time I get to the clubhouse I've reminded myself I just can't do it, and change it back to what it should be. Something about golf just teaches you that it's just not right to lie to yourself or your friends about your scores since it's your responsibility to know/abide by the rules :P

[KenStone]

I almost always have to play alone. So I either play a "legit" round or a "whatever" round. Legit rounds are taken as if I'm in a tournament situation. I only drink water, putt everything out, etc. Typically I walk these as well. These I do for handicap purposes. If it's whatever, then maybe I'll have a beer and take a putt for granted. Hit a couple balls waiting for those in front of me, whatever.

My wife wants me to play more "whatever" rounds as she says I take it too seriously. I'd rather play more legit rounds.

[xxsoultonesxx]

I just play against the golf course when I play solo. I just treat each hole as its own entity. Par is still a good score for me, and I just kind of tally up the par or better holes in my head, and I can call it a good round when i shoot more than 5 pars.

[MJP]

I don't mind playing two golf balls, or hitting a second. I know I can't do that in a match, but i usually play practice rounds when i am by myself. But i can usually keep score because there is one golf ball that is always played by the rules of golf. The others are just for my practice. Now i know that this bypassess alot of rules, but oh well.

The only reason it is against the rules of a stipulated round is because you are practicing on the course. In a sense you have more time to warm into your swing for the day and fix any swing flaws on the course.

That's unfortunate that is a part of handicap posting because I don't know many singles who stand and wait 5 minutes before each shot. They hit multiple shots after the group clears because they know they will be waiting anyways. I'd wager 95% of singles who do post handicaps probably do this but follow every other rule of golf to a tee. 4 hours of golf would be so damn boring if half of it was spent standing and waiting. Not saying it's a legitimate handicap round if one posts it (even though no one can verify any "cheating" so it does count), just stating that is what most people would do.

[soloredd]

Strangely, I find myself being even MORE aware of the rules when I play by myself because I don't have that extra set of eyes/brain to call out on. Even if I play a "practice" round, I keep track of my penalties out of habit, I think it's something that just should be done.

I go as far now to have the USGA Rules app on my iPhone and I'll pull that out when needed.

Now, I do have some rounds like Zeph where I'll decided in advance if I will play for an "official" score or not and usually these involve rounds with friends that are just going out to have fun. I recently took a good friend out when his marriage was going down the drain and I didn't find it appropriate at that time to be concerned with having a legit round.