If you are regularly playing with the same golf buddy, there are times when your calendars do not align and there are just no dates that work for you both. For many golfers they decide to wait until everyone is free, however why not hit the fairways alone. Being confident to take to the fairways alone enables you to be spontaneous and practice while enjoying some of your own company. And with what has been going on in the last 12 months everyone needs to think of themselves now and again. We look at the top 5 reasons why playing solo is good for you and your game.
Benefit of playing golf alone, number 5 – Stress free alone time.
After what has been a very uncertain 12 months, walking a round of 18 holes can be a great stress relief for many. Not just for those who are working in a stressful job, getting some fresh air is good for someone’s wellbeing. When feeling stressed and anxious teeing off enables you to channel your tension and stress into something productive.
At number 4 – Plenty of Practice Opportunities
Depending on how busy the course is will determine how much practice opportunity you will have, but for some where you are approaching an earlier group of people who may not allow you to play through, you can use the time chipping and putting around the green. For those who do this you can start to see improvements as you’re getting practice on actual greens.
You can also play certain games like a two-man scramble or even a two-man worse shot. See how good you really are by playing the worst of your two shots on a hole or two. This makes you really focus in and hit two quality shots at every spot. What a challenge!
Number 3 – More time enables you to figure out which club to use when hitting off the tee.
Playing solo enables you the privilege on those 330-yard par 4s to experiment, playing 3 balls on the same hole. Hit a 3-iron off the tee with one ball, a 3-wood with the 2nd ball and a driver with the 3rd ball. Doing this enables you to understand what club is right for you and gives you more confidence in your club selection.
Number 2 – Potential pace of play
Now this is down to picking the right time to play at your chosen club. Certain times of the day will enable you to have a much faster paced 18 holes. Some find early in the morning or late afternoon is always a good time. Of course, avoid those Saturday mornings at 8am, the course will be busy and you will struggle getting a round as a single. When you find these perfect tee times, you can really enjoy some fast-paced golf.
Number 1 – Walking 18 holes is Great Exercise.
When playing 18 holes you can burn between 800-900 calories. Carrying that 10-15kg bag between 3 and 6 miles is a great way to spend a few hours when you can find the time. On a typical round you’ll be almost constantly moving, and this sustained activity helps keep your heart rate up and an optimum level for burning calories.
Tips for Playing Golf Solo
Primarily we would say the key would be to find the right time of day. As detailed in number 2, when you pick a quieter time, you have the option to either play a normal round or do some practice work on your shots. The Golf Pro would be a great person to get some advice from who can confirm the best tee times for solo players who want to enjoy their 18 holes and not feel rushed.
Next piece of advice would be to make sure you have the right mindset, even picking a quieter tee time, be prepared to be matched with someone else. Golf courses are a business and if demand is high, they need to maximise their revenue. Adapt to your surrounding and situation, if the course is busier than normal be prepared for a more fast paced 18 holes.
At the end of the day, you are getting out in the fresh air, enjoying what you love and improving your mental well being and burning up to 900 calories at the same time.
If you play golf solo and have any tips or training techniques, we would love to hear from you in the comments below. If you are looking at joining PlayMoreGolf click through to our Explore Page to find a home club near you. For those current members, our explore page is a great opportunity to explore all our partner courses and enables you to make bookings using your flexi points.
