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Playing Alone

I no longer play alone, but when I did I enjoyed it very much. It gave the opportunity to concentrate on my game 100%. When I play with others I lose my concentration often and if it is a bad day hitting the ball, I find it harder to get back to better ball striking again. Until I retired I did not pay much attention to my score, just enjoyed playing with the guys who I worked with during the week.
 
I love playing as a single, peace and quiet are fantastic. Plus I can work on my short game between holes if there is a group in front of me.

As far as getting paired up with others as a single when you play alone, I would say it is natural to be a bit nervous, but don't be. I use to get nervous about playing with strangers, etc to the point where I would even cancel around the day before. Looking back it was silly, most people suck at this game and are just out to have some fun and the people who are good get what it's like to struggle.

I play 1 or 2 rounds during the week as a single and 99% of the time I have a really good time. Don't focus on how good you are, just go out and have some fun.
 
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I love playing golf alone.
 
This year I've been playing a solo (walking) round once every three weeks roughly.

It gives me a chance to use my push-cart, really take my time, and occasionally drop a second ball after a mis-hit to work on some correction.
 
i usually play with my family but sometimes after work on a Saturday i will head over to the course and play by myself. it can be peaceful and relaxing
 
I can’t track my ball anymore therefore I don’t bother playing alone. Only started in the last couple years and I think it’s illness related.

I generally know where my ball went but it’s too frustrating playing alone.
 
Back a few years ago when courses weren’t packed I did it all the time and enjoyed it. I use to hate playing with others. Now I enjoy both. When I play alone I just look at it as me taking a nice stroll through nature. (Well the nature I like - perfectly manicured:p:p).
 
Inferno2ss said:
I love playing as a single, peace and quiet are fantastic. Plus I can work on my short game between holes if there is a group in front of me.

As far as getting paired up with others as a single when you play alone, I would say it is natural to be a bit nervous, but don't be. I use to get nervous about playing with strangers, etc to the point where I would even cancel around the day before. Looking back it was silly, most people suck at this game and are just out to have some fun and the people who are good get what it's like to struggle.

I play 1 or 2 rounds during the week as a single and 99% of the time I have a really good time. Don't focus on how good you are, just go out and have some fun.
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This right here. I used to get nervous being paired up with randoms, but after realizing most people are not good at the game of golf, it got much easier. As said above, most people are just out there to have a good time. Don't worry about hitting bad shots in front of other people - everybody struggled to get their game where it is.

Also, it helped me when I looked up the handicap distribution of golfers. See the chart below provided by TheGrint, keeping in mind I believe it is from many years ago, but you get my drift. According to this chart, only 63% of golfers break 90 on a "good day." Decipher this chart how you want, but seeing stuff like this really helped me get past playing with randoms.

Golf-Handicap-Distribution-2.jpg
 
Smiter said:
I can’t track my ball anymore therefore I don’t bother playing alone. Only started in the last couple years and I think it’s illness related.

I generally know where my ball went but it’s too frustrating playing alone.
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Don't know your age, but it is age related sometimes. I have a problem following my ball as it descends. I know the area it is in directionally, but not depth wise. I have had this problem for a half dozen years. Now my wife has it as well. We both are in our late 70's and I see this in others as they get older.
 
Love playing alone!! And many I speak to who do thus find they okay much better golf. When you okay alone it’s just yiu golf and the nature around you !! I would take it any day
 
I like playing with other people, even strangers, but can play a round by myself. As long as I have some music and a cigar I'll be alright
 
Gus R said:
Don't know your age, but it is age related sometimes. I have a problem following my ball as it descends. I know the area it is in directionally, but not depth wise. I have had this problem for a half dozen years. Now my wife has it as well. We both are in our late 70's and I see this in others as they get older.
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I’m 41. I have an illness and either it or the medication to treat it has impacted it. I see maybe 50% of full shots. I almost always know which way it went based on the strike. Usually I either track it fully, see it come down in the expected area, or don’t see it at all. In the course of a round, even losing 2 balls unnecessarily adds strokes I don’t need.

Prior to the illness and subsequent medicine, I couldntrack my ball 95+% of the time. Now it’s about 30% on drives and 70% on irons. With irons though I rarely lose one. I know for sure if I’m left, right, or straight. Driving it I’m never certain. My best guess is usually within 10 yards of the ball. But sometimes I’m not even close.
 
I need a mix. Too much golf by myself and I start to lose focus.
I'll get paired up no problem. Usually people are good to play with/etiquette. Some courses are better/worse than others as far as how skilled the average player might be at some venues. 5-6 hour rounds kind of thing. Eesh. Have a course near me that I avoid pretty much for this reason.

One weird phenomena I've experienced is just plain animosity toward a single. I used to walk in 2:30 to 2:45 and would still have people hit into me or look completely exasperated like I'm holding them up. It's like just seeing a single out there makes them angry.
 
I play alone all the time and I love it. I have never met a bad person golfing.
 
Until I retired, I played a lot of golf alone. I did belong to a 9 hole after-work golf league, and maybe once a month got to play on a weekend, but the majority of my golf was walking and playing golf alone.

I never minded it back then, but now I wouldn't do it. At age 72, I find golf more social and enjoy that aspect as much as the game itself. I play with the same bunch of 4-5 OG golfers, we BS, reminisce, solve all the world problems, puff on some good cigars, and play golf. For me, it doesn't get much better than that.
 
Playing alone is cool but I like having others there to sort of compete against.
 
I don't mind a bit. I honestly love golf, with friends, strangers or alone. Nothing like an empty course trying to break my speed record(with a cart, lol jogging)
 
M2Giles said:
I like playing alone so long as the course is empty in front of me.

Nothing worse than playing alone and getting stuck on a busy course.
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This, I asked to be paired over playing between groups with no way to play through.
 
Thanks all. I think I just need to get over it and do it. I do like solitude and am an introvert. I just for some reason have a fear of playing alone and strangers if I don't have a friend with me.
 
I used to play alone all the time. Before I retired my days off were Sunday and Monday. Always like playing on Monday because everybody else had to go back to work. Nowadays I've got three compadres who I play golf with almost every time I tee it up. Playing alone doesn't have the same emphasis now since I got some great friends to play golf with. (y)
 
I am fine playing solo. Put in my earbuds and play/practice.


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I've had enough bad experiences playing with randos that I avoid it. It's a gamble whether or not it will be an enjoyable time, and life is too short to not have an enjoyable time when I go out to play golf. A few have been great, but there have also been some that I absolutely couldn't wait for the round to be over. When I play alone, at least the only a**hole I have to worry about is me! :ROFLMAO:

For me, playing with friends > playing alone >>> getting paired with randos.
 
I have not issue playing alone except for people on the course that won't let you play through. I get being nervous but just get out there and go you will be just fine.
 
I sign up for the majority of my rounds alone. Rarely am I actually playing alone but I get a tee time as a single and get paired up with whoever. I did it on Friday and am doing it again tomorrow morning. I do it because I was a member at a club for a long time then left and didn’t play for quite a few years now I don’t have a regular group.

I generally don’t mind it I generally meet nice people and enjoy the round. Do it and have fun. Relax and play your own game nobody cares how you play.
 
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