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Golfing alone and playing two balls... good form or bad form?

I actually do that a lot. During the week I usually tee off between 6:15 and 6:30 and majority of the time I am the last to do so. If I am walking I will usually stick to 1 or 2 balls played like you described However times when I am riding in a cart and I will play anywhere from 3-5 balls. At that point I figure I'm just out there for practice. After a hole is completed I also like to drop 5 balls in a bunker or behind a bunker and work on my short game shots. As long as I'm not holding anyone up it's all good and fine with the course. My course lacks a good short game area so I have to use the actual course to provide me with a good practice session for those shots. Also since I am a member at the course I'm not really concerned about getting in a full 9, I can walk off after 6 holes of great practice and be happy.
 
I do not see an issue with playing 2 balls. Especially with it being winter and the courses being quite empty I don't see a problem at all but in the busier times of the season this could be an issue. I believe as long as your are aware of what is happening on the course you should be fine.
 
I do this all the time after work if nobody is coming up on me. I use a white & yellow ball to tell the scores apart. I just have to be conscious that no one is closing in on me - if not, as far as I'm concerned, it's not hurting anybody...
 
I generally don't do it from the tee because I'm so errant, but when I play the executive and par 3 courses near me I will do it if it isn't busy. Just a way to get more practice
 
I usually play two shots...like a two man scramble. Last time I actually had the guy at the clubhouse tell me to play two balls because it was a little busy and I was behind a 4 some.
 
No big deal, as long as someone doesn't start catching up. I've done it before as well; I find it interesting to play one ball "safe" and the other "risky" and see which way goes better for me (bet you can guess which one is usually better!)
 
I check with the Pro first, before I do that. but usually they don't have a problem with it.
 
Kobey said:
I wasn't saying not to do it, just to be aware that others might not understand. We've all seen the stories about or encountered first hand the inpatient people that can't get it through their head that there's nowhere to go. I was just giving a heads up about that.
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Wasnt directed towards ur comment at all. In fact I agreed with your comment. You basically said the same as i did. I was almost going to quote you, agree and just add to it further about what you said there and here too.

Some others have said "as long as its not crowded" and my view is same as yours. It shouldnt matter because those behind are going to wait anyway. But unfortunately as we both mentioned, they probably wont see it that way. Will be unable to look past whats ahead, unwilling to understand it, or to see the whole picture and probably be jerks about it.
 
as long as theres no one behind me i do this sometimes to work on things usually practice rounds but i usually know whens good times to go and try to do this as well. i go when its not crowded or to a lesser course where i know it won't get busy.
 
as long as you're not holding up play, go for it
 
As a onesome it actually makes sense and helps keep the pace of play. Let's face it......one guy playing one ball with a cart can make a mess of things on the course. He keeps running into groups of 2, 3 and 4 and having to play through multiple foursomes during a round can easily ruin your day as well as aggravate the larger groups that let you play through. As long as you can maintain your pace of play and not keep anyone waiting behind its the best way to play.
 
JoeyMac said:
When I'm back in the states, I often try to cut out of work early once or twice a week or so to hit 9 holes or so. It's usually alone, in a cart and I'm just golfing to get away and practice. Usually, unless it's super crowded or backed up at the course, I'll tee up two balls and play them as separate scores on my card. Golfing alone in a cart, even with 2 balls, is pretty quick - so groups rarely ever come up behind me unless I'm stuck behind other slow groups as well (in which case I only play one ball). An alternative I've done once or twice is basically do a solo scramble... play two balls and advance using the best ball.

Is this poor etiquette or bad form or against some unwritten rule? Does this make me an a-hole?
I'm just curious about what others think about this practice.
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I don't see anything wrong with this as long as you do so and not bother others on the course. I've done this many times when comparing clubs or different balls. Only at off peak times though.
 
ddec said:
I actually do that a lot. During the week I usually tee off between 6:15 and 6:30 and majority of the time I am the last to do so. If I am walking I will usually stick to 1 or 2 balls played like you described However times when I am riding in a cart and I will play anywhere from 3-5 balls. At that point I figure I'm just out there for practice. After a hole is completed I also like to drop 5 balls in a bunker or behind a bunker and work on my short game shots. As long as I'm not holding anyone up it's all good and fine with the course. My course lacks a good short game area so I have to use the actual course to provide me with a good practice session for those shots. Also since I am a member at the course I'm not really concerned about getting in a full 9, I can walk off after 6 holes of great practice and be happy.
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Sometimes we also do this when it is the two of us playing. Usually Friday night after work is our standing date night on the golf course in the summer weather permitting. Most times then not we have a couple holes where we both play multiple balls or drop a bunch in the bunker or in the rough and see who can get it closest to the pin for who has to do dishes or buy dinner.
 
I do this ALL the time. But I dont do a scramble. I play 2 balls all the way through, and keep score for each ball. Just to see how my scores differ. I think you paid for your round, you do what you want!!
 
Count me as another that does this quite often. Either for practice or too avoid running up on the group ahead of me.
 
I do the same thing as you only when the course is empty
 
I need to try this. I've never gone out as a singleton.
 
One-T said:
I do this ALL the time. But I dont do a scramble. I play 2 balls all the way through, and keep score for each ball. Just to see how my scores differ. I think you paid for your round, you do what you want!!
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My home course allows this if the course is not busy, but another local course here clearly states on the card that only one ball should be played. I asked one time about this and the owner said "you paid for a round of golf which means one ball". He went on to say if you want to play two balls, then pay two fee's. I rarely play there. Just another school of thought I guess.
 
I agree with my fellow hackers. its all good as long as youre not holding folks up.
 
For me, this comes down to 'pace of play', like a lot of questions do. You are not holding anyone up, so have at it! I found playing 2 balls a good way to see what was the 'smart' play on some holes; iron off the tee or driver, etc.
 
no problem at all with this. Good way to practice.
 
I don't see any issue with doing this as long as you are not holding up play, and from what you have said in the OP it does not sound like you are.
 
This is what I sometimes do, and if the course is empty and you are not holding up anyone, go for it.
 
I play twilight rounds at my home course with a buddy and we play 5 holes in about 3 hours practicing. The Marshall said its all good as long as we dont hold anyone up and let everyone go by. At the most we come across one group out there besides us.
 
If I play alone i tee up one ball but will often hit 2 or 3 from the fairway. I did this quite a bit last year as part of my Morgan cup prep work. Found it really helped me get used to playing with new irons and wedges.
 
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