Playing Alone

[acetoolguy]

I enjoy it. I usually play two balls and have a match between them. Makes the shots mean something and keeps me interested.

[ghalfaire]

Solo rounds are something I do once or twice a month.   I pick a time, usually late afternoon, when I know the course isn't busy and just use the time to practice.  I use the round to do a lot of short game stuff and hitting different clubs from the same distance/lie, hitting different clubs from the tee and sometimes even different tee boxes, and putting on the course of course.  In general I use the time to just evaluate my own game and enjoy the solitude.

[dfreuter415]

I like playing with others, but often play alone.  I find I score better as when I play with others I tend to try to hard.  Being an 51 year old rookie (been playing just under 8 months) playing alone is great so I can work on things and take my time.  I try and walk 9 holes every morning (Mon-Friday) weather permitting.   I get to the course around 6:30am before anyone gets there and it is peaceful and great way to start out my day.

51 year old rookie?  Welcome to the world of golf. My wife started golfing after our daughters were out of high school, took a few lessons, and joined a golf league with ladies of the same ability level. She's hooked, and I know this is an activity that we will enjoy together for years to come.

It looks like you are off to a successful start as well. Playing 5 mornings a week? That is a great way to start your day and work on developing your game in a non-stressful setting. As your game improves you will find it easier to play with other golfers.

Best wishes, and as I've always said: a round of golf is about the journey, not the destination.

[dave s]

You haven't played with me. You've never played with Gretchen either. What a Beotch! After a few rounds with her, I did anything to avoid getting paired with her. She must be dead now since that was 20 years ago and she was in her 80's then. RIP

Actually, I've only met a few over the years myself. Often the guys (and sometimes gals) I get paired with are really interesting. From all over the world. I've fallen in love a couple of times, but alas, I'm married.

You'd really enjoy being in a group with my wife.  We're at a place where the group in front of us just vacated the green.  Just on the other side of a stand of trees (hidden from us) same group was teeing off.  My wife hits her 4th shot into a par 5 green with water all the way to green.  Her ball hits the bank short of green and rolls back into water.  Very loudly, she yells across the fairway to me (and in the same direction of guys teeing off on next hole) "CAN YOU F%^$KING BELIEVE THAT?!!!"

Thirty seconds later, a gentlemen from the group teeing off comes back into our area and says to me in a wonderful British accent, "If you ever divorce your wife, I'll marry her the next day!"

Another thing she does ... duff a 5-hybrid shot = 'dammit.'  Duff a second and it's, "Where the he!! is that BEER LADY?!!!"

Actually, she's more fun to play with than most guys because playing badly doesn't really bother her.  Playing well she's just giddy!

dave

[bwdial]

I play a par 61 course alone in the evenings and some weekends. I'm able to focus on my game and take a little extra practice with chip/pitch/putt (provided no one is right behind me).

I haven't gotten up the nerve yet to go to a par 72 course alone and join a group. My game is improving but I guess it brings up the question....are men receptive to playing a round with a woman they don't know? I've been asked to join groups of guys ahead and behind me that see me play on the shorter course. But sight unseen just teeing off on the first hole? Never tried it.

Is it Steel Canyon or The Hooch?  I've played Steel Canyon a few times, but I've never played The Hooch.  I have played the par 3 course next to The Hooch a bunch of times, usually after the kids have gone to bed.  It's lit, and open well after dark.

[Golf Girl]

Steel Canyon. I played the Hooch last summer and enjoyed it. SC is closer to home so I usually go there. The greens aren't the best right now though. Headed to the driving range at the Hooch on Friday. I need to check the rates and get up there sometime this summer. Have you played Hampton Golf Village in Cumming? My goodness that's a hilly course. I played Mirror Lake in Villa Rica and Traditions in Braselton last week. Both were in fantastic shape.

[dchoye]

I rather play golf with others. I 'll been alone if there is something about my swing/stroke/ or drive and hinge mechanism that Im working on and trying to improve.

In a sense you never play alone, as the course and pin placement is setup by the course maintenance crew, without them you cant really play.

[Mop Bucket]

I love playing alone and do it whenever I get the opportunity. Of course I'll never turn down a buddy when it comes to a round, but I feel I get so much more out of flying it solo. Something about being 100% focused on your game and what you need to do helps me tremendously. Some of my all-time best scores came from  playing twilight rounds by myself.

[bwdial]

Steel Canyon. I played the Hooch last summer and enjoyed it. SC is closer to home so I usually go there. The greens aren't the best right now though.

Headed to the driving range at the Hooch on Friday. I need to check the rates and get up there sometime this summer.

Have you played Hampton Golf Village in Cumming? My goodness that's a hilly course. I played Mirror Lake in Villa Rica and Traditions in Braselton last week. Both were in fantastic shape.

I played Steel Canyon during the week of spring break, and the greens were pretty bad then.  I remember that one of the greens was just spray painted dirt.

I have not played Hampton yet, but I got passes from Costco to play it twice from my wife for Father's Day, so I am looking forward to it.  Sugar Hill Golf Club is really hilly too, so I'm hoping that it will prepare me.

[Golf Girl]

I played Steel Canyon during the week of spring break, and the greens were pretty bad then.  I remember that one of the greens was just spray painted dirt. I have not played Hampton yet, but I got passes from Costco to play it twice from my wife for Father's Day, so I am looking forward to it.  Sugar Hill Golf Club is really hilly too, so I'm hoping that it will prepare me.

There's a hole at Hampton -12, I think-that from the women's tee is like hitting into the side of a mountain. Will tell you that there are a free holes where you can't see the flag from the tee. I played Georgia National recently-nice course. I played Cherokee Run in Conyers. The fairways were zoysia-no roll at all. Course played so long. I play Royal Lakes and Chicopee Woods (both in Oakwood area) the most often.

[Fourputt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bwdial

I played Steel Canyon during the week of spring break, and the greens were pretty bad then.  I remember that one of the greens was just spray painted dirt.

I have not played Hampton yet, but I got passes from Costco to play it twice from my wife for Father's Day, so I am looking forward to it.  Sugar Hill Golf Club is really hilly too, so I'm hoping that it will prepare me.

There's a hole at Hampton -12, I think-that from the women's tee is like hitting into the side of a mountain. Will tell you that there are a free holes where you can't see the flag from the tee.

I played Georgia National recently-nice course. I played Cherokee Run in Conyers. The fairways were zoysia-no roll at all. Course played so long.

I play Royal Lakes and Chicopee Woods (both in Oakwood area) the most often.

This is all .  PM or another thread please.

[Golf Girl]

This is all :offtopic: .  PM or another thread please.

Ok. Noted. :)

[nevets88]

Why I wake up at 5 a.m. to golf alone [Newshour]

Quote:

There is an irrational fear based on social stigma that going solo to a public activity like dinner or a movie won’t be as enjoyable as going with a group. A study that’s set to publish in the Journal of Consumer Research in August found that people opt out of doing things all the time simply because they don’t want to go alone. But the study also found they’d be happier if they just took the stag by the horns.

To my surprise, a psychologist recently said I was an introvert. I knew the definition, but couldn’t fully grasp how it applied to me — until I began golfing alone.

Golfing alone allows my mind to go fallow for a few hours. It offers me the space to think through conflicts at work or home. It helps me recharge emotionally.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/wake-5-golf-alone/

[Chunky]

I play a lot as a single and play alone often. I wouldn't say that I only play my best when I am alone, but as good as my best at times. I find my game has more to do with flow and people. If the pace is comfortable and there is some talk but not too much I play my best. If I get with people that talk more I get distracted and don't focus as well.

[DrvFrShow]

I found that if I didn't play alone, I probably would end up not playing at all or only in league events. One must not overlook the difficulty of making new friends at 62.

[Lilfrier]

I've only played alone, and it was for 8 holes (playing partner left after 10). I kind of liked the feeling, partially because it let me play music (which can make it more enjoyable), and I don't have to worry about being slow when he and I share a cart and hit opposite ways or one of us plays poorly. Still, I'm not big on playing alone, it's just kind of boring, in a way. I like having back-and-forths on holes with my cousin, who I play with (we shoot around the same scores), and getting a little extra feedback on bad shots is always helpful. I might actually go it alone tomorrow, just because I haven't had a good, clean round of golf since early-June (it rained a bunch in June, so the last two rounds I played were water-logged), and I don't have anyone to go with me tomorrow.

[BuckeyeNut]

The only time that playing alone makes sense to me are times when the course is slow enough that I can tee off and play without catching anyone.  If I need to play around or through 1-2 groups to finish..that's fine.  If there are enough golfers on the course to not allow this, I always pair up.    Playing as a single behind slow 4-somes is pure insanity.

[Mop Bucket]

The only time that playing alone makes sense to me are times when the course is slow enough that I can tee off and play without catching anyone.  If I need to play around or through 1-2 groups to finish..that's fine.  If there are enough golfers on the course to not allow this, I always pair up.    Playing as a single behind slow 4-somes is pure insanity.

My biggest pet peeve is people who don't let one-somes play through. You don't even have to wait for the tee box, just let them go through mid-hole if there is any kind of gap in front of you. Because once you let them go ahead, you'll never see that person again for the rest of the round- solos can quite literally fly through a round in an hour and a half. But like you said, there's no reason for someone to play by themselves on a day where the course is packed and stacked... I think that falls on the ranger's shoulders more than anyone though, courses just shouldn't allow it.