Playing 9 or 18 by yourself.

[dave67az]

Originally Posted by bplewis24

Yeah, right.  I don't believe you.

Typical Lewis.  Gotta see it yourself.  lol

[metrybill]

Originally Posted by Golfizit

Play by myself 2 -3 times a week. That is practice, more realistic and can get the shots you just can't get on most ranges, such as uphill and downhill lies. And while doing this I can work on what I need the most, whatever that is. Just think of the pros and I can guarantee they play alone a lot as their practice.

Practice on the course, playing alone, IS more realistic than at a driving or practice range - I use my regular golf ball, not range balls.  Much better able to determine my true distances with every club in my bag. I can hit shots I could never practice on a range and putting that cannot be created on a putting green.  Wind variations.  Obstacles.  Trouble shots, through, around, and over trees ....

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by metrybill

Quote:

Originally Posted by Golfizit

Play by myself 2 -3 times a week. That is practice, more realistic and can get the shots you just can't get on most ranges, such as uphill and downhill lies. And while doing this I can work on what I need the most, whatever that is. Just think of the pros and I can guarantee they play alone a lot as their practice.

Practice on the course, playing alone, IS more realistic than at a driving or practice range - I use my regular golf ball, not range balls.  Much better able to determine my true distances with every club in my bag. I can hit shots I could never practice on a range and putting that cannot be created on a putting green.  Wind variations.  Obstacles.  Trouble shots, through, around, and over trees ....

That's not practice, that's just golf.

That's why I don't call such rounds "practice" and I do play them by the rules. That has pretty much always been my philosophy.  It's one reason why I get bored on the range.  No matter what you do, you are still only playing from one type of lie, and that perfect fairway lie is probably the one I see least when I play the course.

If I have the opportunity to choose between play and practice, I always play a regulation round because for me, that's the best kind of practice.

[Party]

I play league every Thursday and get together with friends whenever possible.  However, I play by myself more often than not.  Many times the schedules with friends just don't work when you get older.  I really enjoy getting out early in the morning when there are few on the golf course and there is still a little dew on the grass.  It is one of the most peaceful things for me.  Plus it keeps the wife happy as I am back home early in the morning and we still have the whole day.  If I am not getting out early in the morning then I usually ask the course if there is anyone I can join up with.  During the day on the weekends play is so slow I would probably lose it as a single.

[dfreuter415]

Originally Posted by formula428

So, since I have no one who currently wants to golf, how "lame" is it to just go and play 9 or 18 by yourself?  Does anyone routinely do that?

Not lame at all.  In  fact, I will go out in the winter months around 35° - 40°, when no one wants to play, and walk 18 holes.  This past winter, at age 62, I set a new course record for me, I walked 18 holes in 2 hours and 10 minutes.  (I shot an 82, too.)

[Golfingdad]

Played my first solo 9 this morning. "Back nine and breakfast" special at a nearby course I've never played. First tee time of the day (6 am), actually teed off at 5:45, and finished 7 on the nose. Grabbed my breakfast burrito and coffee to go and was home by 7:45 before anybody had even made it downstairs. ;) The downside was that even tho there was nobody in front of me or behind me on the whole course, I still felt rushed the whole time because it was always my turn. Never had a chance to stand around and breathe while others were hitting. Just hit, go, hit, go. Ill be better about not rushing myself next time. :)

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

The downside was that even tho there was nobody in front of me or behind me on the whole course, I still felt rushed the whole time because it was always my turn. Never had a chance to stand around and breathe while others were hitting. Just hit, go, hit, go.

Ill be better about not rushing myself next time. :)

When I started getting serious about golf 3-4 years ago, I would go out of my way to play at times when courses would be near empty because I sucked so bad.  I went out as a single a lot.  Maybe once a week.  It took me a while to get out of the routine of feeling rushed all the time.  It was always something:

The 3some behind me can see me from the teebox (while I'm on the green), better pick it up.

The marshal just drove past, better look like I'm playing at a good pace.

I better create some distance between myself and the 2some behind me if I want to hit multiple tee shots each hole.

A foursome just allowed me to play through, better play this hole quickly so they don't regret it!

Eventually I got over this.  I can now play as a single at a good pace but without ruining my round due to self-induced pressure.

[JAY1987]

I went out on my own earlier today to play a small 9 hole par 33 (2250 yards). I was having an absolute stormer was +3 thru 4 (really good for me) then joined up with a guy in front of me, and started playing awful, ended on a 48, 15 over. I'm not used to playing with people I don't know but its an objective I must overcome!!

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by JAY1987

I went out on my own earlier today to play a small 9 hole par 33 (2250 yards). I was having an absolute stormer was +3 thru 4 (really good for me) then joined up with a guy in front of me, and started playing awful, ended on a 48, 15 over. I'm not used to playing with people I don't know but its an objective I must overcome!!

Sometimes that happens with me as well, especially if the guy is a talker.  Sometimes all the chit-chat can be distracting to my game.  I'm one of those guys that sometimes comes off anti-social because I like to really focus in on my game.  But I was like that in my other sport(s) as well.  I wasn't the guy you wanted to talk to before the football game because you couldn't get much out of me.

[saturday]

Played 9 holes at local par 3 by myself couple days ago. Would've enjoyed it more if I wasn't stuck behind a tonne of seniors that wouldn't let me play ahead. They actually said no, first time I've seen that.

[Billmc]

Originally Posted by dfreuter415

Not lame at all.  In  fact, I will go out in the winter months around 35° - 40°, when no one wants to play, and walk 18 holes.  This past winter, at age 62, I set a new course record for me, I walked 18 holes in 2 hours and 10 minutes.  (I shot an 82, too.)

that Is great, i always try to play under 3.50,never can do it. And shooting a 82 on top of that great job.

[MS256]

Originally Posted by saturday

Played 9 holes at local par 3 by myself couple days ago. Would've enjoyed it more if I wasn't stuck behind a tonne of seniors that wouldn't let me play ahead. They actually said no, first time I've seen that.

I don't think I'll ever understand why somebody would rather have somebody right on their tail all day than to let them pass.

There were some women in front of our group one day and they were playing at about a 5 hour round pace and we were playing at about a 2 hour round pace (not my choice but typical of that group).

One of our guys asked them if we could play through and they said no. A lady in our group (and a hell of a player) said she would ask them again. She came back and said we could play through but they weren't happy and told us to thank them. After we teed off we all thanked them as we passed them but they were obviously mad as hell and just glared at us. Probably took our entire group less than 3 or 4 minutes total to be completely out of their range and we were on the second green past them when they got done with that hole.

[Billmc]

I always joining a group or going out by my self, but I am always solo. I pretty much play the same way,i am a boggy golfer. I found out when I play by my self, i rush my self a bit. Its something i have to get out of the habit of doing. I should actually play better.

[saturday]

I don't think I'll ever understand why somebody would rather have somebody right on their tail all day than to let them pass. There were some women in front of our group one day and they were playing at about a 5 hour round pace and we were playing at about a 2 hour round pace (not my choice but typical of that group). One of our guys asked them if we could play through and they said no. A lady in our group (and a hell of a player) said she would ask them again. She came back and said we could play through but they weren't happy and told us to thank them. After we teed off we all thanked them as we passed them but they were obviously mad as hell and just glared at us. Probably took our entire group less than 3 or 4 minutes total to be completely out of their range and we were on the second green past them when they got done with that hole.

It's absurd how they wouldn't let you. And really there's no reason. To be honest next time I encounter someone like that again I'm gonna make sure fire some hot rockets wheny they're on the fairway. Just drives me crazy.

[bplewis24]

Originally Posted by MS256

I don't think I'll ever understand why somebody would rather have somebody right on their tail all day than to let them pass.

Me neither.  During my round this weekend, a 4some was in front of me and another guy I got paired up with.  We waited on them from holes 2 through 7, and they had a full hole in front of them by hole #5.  On the 8th tee box, we actually holed out before they finished teeing off.  They were actually having a "while we're young" moment, patronizing the cart girl, when we pulled up.  The next group in front of them was walking off the green of a par 4.

I fully expected them to offer us to play through, seeing as how they still hadn't settled up with the cart girl yet.  Only one guy had teed off.  Instead, guy #2 sprints to the tee box to tee off while #3 & #4 settle up, and prepare to tee off.  In all, I'd say we waited 3-4 minutes for them to tee off, and then another 6-7 for them to get clear so we could tee off.  Our 2some could have probably finished the hole by then.  It just didn't make any sense.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by saturday

It's absurd how they wouldn't let you. And really there's no reason. To be honest next time I encounter someone like that again I'm gonna make sure fire some hot rockets wheny they're on the fairway. Just drives me crazy.

Just jump ahead of them and go back to play that hole later. Flip them off on the way.

[bplewis24]

Does anybody else think that shanks-a-million (or is it Sean Miller?) is back when Slice of Life posts now because of his avatar?

[Slice of Life]

My apologies for the confusion.

With that said, I'm keeping the avatar.