Playing a Round of Golf Solo

[boogielicious]

37 minutes ago, Valleygolfer said:

Was he really jogging or just jogging to his ball?

Jogging to his ball. He never looked at our tee. 

[JonMA1]

7 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

You might want to check this link.

Here is a thread post that might help too.

I can't use 26-1c unless I see the ball lying in the creek or creek bed, correct? Otherwise, there's no certainty it didn't just go deeper into the woods or under some debris. The image below shows how thick the woods are in the spot where I pulled my drives. From the tee box, all you see is the ball heading towards the tree line.

[CarlSpackler]

45 minutes ago, JonMA1 said:

I can't use 26-1c unless I see the ball lying in the creek or creek bed, correct? Otherwise, there's no certainty it didn't just go deeper into the woods or under some debris. The image below shows how thick the woods are in the spot where I pulled my drives. From the tee box, all you see is the ball heading towards the tree line.

The ball doesn't necessarily have to be wet to be in the hazard. My guess would be that the entire area past the creek bed is OOB. If it's a course you play often, I would ask in the pro shop to be sure. 

[Brian W]

I play solo at least 2 times a month.  Because it is "not official", I generally just use them as practice rounds.  There are times that I don't even bring a score card, times that I just count my good swings/golf shots along with my bad shots I wanted back and finally there are times I am just working on specific practicing that normally come as follow up from my 5 minute practice or just generally something I want to work on.

I do enjoy playing by myself but I really hope I never ace one while I am alone

[Fourputt]

4 hours ago, JonMA1 said:

I can't use 26-1c unless I see the ball lying in the creek or creek bed, correct? Otherwise, there's no certainty it didn't just go deeper into the woods or under some debris. The image below shows how thick the woods are in the spot where I pulled my drives. From the tee box, all you see is the ball heading towards the tree line.

You are correct.  unless you find the ball within the natural boundary of the stream, you can't just assume that it's in there.  The only recourse is to proceed under Rule 27-1. 

3 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

The ball doesn't necessarily have to be wet to be in the hazard. My guess would be that the entire area past the creek bed is OOB. If it's a course you play often, I would ask in the pro shop to be sure. 

It pretty much does in his case.  Since the hazard isn't marked, you have to use the natural boundary of the stream, which is essentially the river bank.  Anything outside of that is not hazard.

[CarlSpackler]

6 hours ago, Fourputt said:

You are correct.  unless you find the ball within the natural boundary of the stream, you can't just assume that it's in there.  The only recourse is to proceed under Rule 27-1. 

It pretty much does in his case.  Since the hazard isn't marked, you have to use the natural boundary of the stream, which is essentially the river bank.  Anything outside of that is not hazard.

This is why I would ask in the pro shop. I've noticed on scorecards of a lot of courses with unkempt wooded areas that they are considered hazards. If not, then you are SOL.

[Fourputt]

2 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

This is why I would ask in the pro shop. I've noticed on scorecards of a lot of courses with unkempt wooded areas that they are considered hazards. If not, then you are SOL.

And marking such unkempt areas as hazards is not allowed under the Rules of Golf.  Water hazard is clearly defined in the rule book, and what you describe does not qualify.

[imsys0042]

6 minutes ago, Fourputt said:

And marking such unkempt areas as hazards is not allowed under the Rules of Golf.  Water hazard is clearly defined in the rule book, and what you describe does not qualify.

The pro at my place is keenly concerned about this.   We have a number of "hazards" that are there for pace of play.  Plus drop areas on the other side of the water.  Plus forced OB for pace of pay.  Plus areas where you hit and you cannot determine where the ball is, or have a chance to see it.   So they are thinking about removing some trees.

[WUTiger]

2 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

... I've noticed on scorecards of a lot of courses with unkempt wooded areas that they are considered hazards. If not, then you are SOL.

My home course runs through a residential development, and 14 of 18 holes have OB and/or hazard on both left and right side of hole (tight!!). Hazards are those wonderful "native grassland" areas marked in red, or creekbeds overgrown with trees, also bordered in red.

Key idea: on tee shots, I favor the hazard side of the hole.

[CarlSpackler]

22 minutes ago, WUTiger said:

My home course runs through a residential development, and 14 of 18 holes have OB and/or hazard on both left and right side of hole (tight!!). Hazards are those wonderful "native grassland" areas marked in red, or creekbeds overgrown with trees, also bordered in red.

Key idea: on tee shots, I favor the hazard side of the hole.

I see that a lot these days, but courses use a local rule to define "All Landscaped/Wooded/Whatever Areas" as lateral hazards instead of spending the time and money to put out hundreds of red stakes.

[WUTiger]

8 hours ago, CarlSpackler said:

I see that a lot these days, but courses use a local rule to define "All Landscaped/Wooded/Whatever Areas" as lateral hazards instead of spending the time and money to put out hundreds of red stakes.

The USGA had a ruling a few years back that "ecologically sensitive" areas (you don't go in) could be played as hazards. You drop a ball "two club-lengths/no closer" to where your shot crossed the hazard line, take a 1-stroke penalty, and play on.

(I found the "ecologically sensitive" item in a FAQ segment a while back, but couldn't resurrect it via Google.)

Possibly the  "All Landscaped/Wooded/Whatever Areas" arose out of a liberal interpretation of this "ecologically sensitive."

And, thanks for clarifying... I think we have a couple of Whatever *#~! areas at my course.

At some courses, I've seen a heavy red paint stripe marking the hazard, but no red stakes.

The residential development model - with lots of single, isolated holes -  has increased the need for red paint and stakes 5x to 10x over older courses.

[CCC]

I think that the worst thing about 'Playing A Round of Golf Solo' includes....

I started off a solo round last week. The first hole - I was on the green (par 4) in 2. 30' from the hole my putt goes right in. Amazing. I've never birdied this hole. Second hole a par 3. I manage to land on the green with my drive. I'm still about 35' feet from the hole. Uphill putt. The flag is way back at the end of the green. I'm in the lower left part of the green. And I sink the putt.

So, now I've just birdied the first two holes, from the other side of the green. But, I'm by myself with no witnesses. This is a once in a lifetime score for me. A 5 for the first two holes.

Would have been a little bit more happy to have been playing with a group when this happened.

Ended the front 9 with a 46. Yes, the Golf Gods soon caught up with me.

I play alone, most of the time. I'm wondering when I'm going to have a 'hole in one' when I'm playing a 'solo round'. Yes, that would be the worst thing to happen when 'Playing A Round of Golf Solo'.

BTW - I already have a 'hole in one' with witnesses. :)