The Solo Golfer’s Guide: Pros, Cons, and Actionable Tips for Playing Alone
Even if you are a social golfer, playing golf alone is not as lonely as it may seem. In fact, it can be one of the most valuable habits for golfers looking to improve.
When you play solo, you gain the freedom to focus entirely on your own game.
There are no distractions, no pressure, just pure practice and reflection. It’s a chance to experiment with different shots, work through swing changes, and develop better course management skills at your own pace.
This article explores what you can learn from playing golf alone, why it’s worth trying, and a few tips to help you find ideal solo tee times.
Playing Golf Solo (Key Takeaways)
If you don’t have time to read our entire guide on playing golf solo, here are a few of the key takeaways to keep in mind.
- Playing golf by yourself gives you a chance to work on your skills and to focus on your golf game with no distractions.
- Use technology like HackMotion on the course to ensure you stay on track during your round, and don’t lose sight of your goals because you are not playing a match with friends.
- Choose the right time of day to play golf alone; waiting for a foursome in front of you is frustrating.
- If you think that your emotions are getting the best of you on the golf course, play a few rounds by yourself to see if you can tone things down and become more level-headed on the course
- Try playing a round with two golf balls, keep score on each and see if it helps you try different shots and approach the game differently.
Contents
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
Benefits of Playing Golf Alone
Playing every round of golf alone may not be ideal for most golfers, but incorporating occasional solo rounds can offer a healthy balance.
It’s a great way to work on specific areas of your game while also appreciating the quiet, uninterrupted time on the course.
Here are some of the benefits of playing golf alone.
Break Down What is Working and What isn’t
Solo rounds are the perfect opportunity to focus on your swing without distractions and the best place to start is your wrist angles.
Wrist positions directly impact the clubface, and the clubface controls the direction of your shot.
If you’re missing fairways or greens, chances are it’s not just alignment it’s your ability to square the clubface at impact.
That’s where HackMotion becomes a powerful tool. It helps you understand whether your wrists are causing the clubface to be open, closed, or perfectly square at the moment of impact. Playing alone allows for the kind of focused attention needed to gather meaningful data.
Try this: wear HackMotion for the front nine to capture real swing data in a playing environment. Then take it off for the back nine and simply focus on applying what you’ve learned. Later, compare this to a range session.
You’ll start seeing patterns, how your lead wrist extension or flexion affects ball flight, and where consistency breaks down under pressure.
Learn How to Become Consistent in Your Routine
Solo rounds are the best time to lock in your pre-shot routine. Without distractions, you can focus on making it consistent taking the same steps, same tempo, every time.
It’s much harder to build that rhythm when you’re chatting with friends or rushing between shots.
Use this quiet time to dial in a routine that works: get the yardage, make a plan, visualize the shot, take a single practice swing, aim, step in, and go. Keep it quick, keep it repeatable, and most importantly, commit to it.
Enjoy the Course Around You
People are often shocked by the fact that golf is supposed to be good for your mental health.
Being out in nature, taking in your surroundings, and trying to enjoy some peace and quiet are major reasons to play golf solo.
When playing in a group, you often forget to appreciate the beauty of the course surroundings or the weather. Use golf to help your mental health, not hurt it!
Bring Technology with You to the Course
One of the best and most underrated benefits of playing golf alone is that you can bring technology with you out on the course.
Sometimes during a regular round with a foursome, there is just too much going on for you to put down your launch monitor and record some data. Additionally, you may feel rushed if you are trying to gather some on-course HackMotion data.
When playing golf solo, you can utilize your technology to finally see how your golf game compares both on and off the course.
Work on Your Golf Course Management and Strategy
Solo rounds are the perfect time to experiment with strategy. Try hitting a 5-wood instead of driver off the tee, or play two balls using different approaches—aggressive vs. conservative.
Compare the results and see which strategy actually lowers your score. No pressure, just learning.
Drawbacks of Playing Golf Alone
Playing golf alone is something that you should mix in from time to time. It’s not necessary to go all in right from the start.
Here are a few of the negatives you can run into when trying to play golf by yourself.
- Tee times can be limited – Early morning or late afternoon is your best bet.
- Pace may be slow – You’re stuck behind groups with no one to talk to.
- No witnesses – Great shots don’t feel the same without someone to see them.
- Can feel repetitive – Without a goal or something to work on, it gets dull.
- Some courses pair singles – Call ahead if you want true solo time.
- You miss the social side – No laughs, no competition, just you and your game.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
What to Bring with You for a Solo Golf Round?
Playing alone is the perfect time to gather feedback, test equipment, and dial in your game. Since pace can slow down, it helps to bring a few tools to stay productive and focused between shots.
- Rangefinder or GPS – Track yardages and work on performance from specific distances using strokes gained apps.
- Speaker – Add music to stay relaxed and keep tempo. Some models also offer GPS yardages.
- Launch Monitor – Measure carry distance, spin, and attack angle in real-time and compare it to your practice sessions.
- Training Aids – Use this time to test gear like HackMotion to track wrist angles and how they affect clubface control during actual play.
How to Get Time on the Course Alone
Getting solo time on the course isn’t always easy, but with a little strategy and flexibility, it’s absolutely possible.
One of the best ways to secure a round for a single is by booking the very first tee time of the day. Early mornings often mean fewer players, faster pace, and a higher chance of playing alone without being paired with others.
Another option is to aim for the late afternoon or early evening, especially after the final scheduled tee time.
Some courses allow extra play during these quieter hours. Also, keep an eye out for courses hosting morning events or leagues; once those wrap up, the course may be wide open in the afternoon. With a bit of planning, you can create ideal conditions for a focused solo round.
1. What do you want to improve in your full swing?
FAQs
Here are a few of the most commonly asked questions about playing golf solo. You won’t have to ask my opinion twice; I think every golfer should take the opportunity when they get to play golf solo.
Is it fun to play golf alone?
Golfing alone is a lot of fun, but not something that most golfers would enjoy for every round. The worst part of golfing alone is having no social interaction and not being able to celebrate good shots with your friends.
Is it weird to golf alone?
It is not unusual to golf alone; in fact, many great players recognize the importance of time on the course to hone their skills and improve as players.
Why do I play better golf alone?
Playing golf alone allows you to focus on the task at hand and be less distracted by those around you. If you play great golf when you are alone, you will need to learn how to incorporate some of that back into your game and become a better overall player.
Golfing solo etiquette: Can I play through?
Playing golf is a touchy subject. Technically, the foursomes on the course have the right to decide if they will let you play through as a single. According to golf course etiquette, you should only be allowed to play through if there are open holes in front of you.
If you are on a packed golf course and people are lined up through all 18 holes, don’t expect anyone to let you play through.
How fast can you play golf alone?
Playing golf alone should take about 2-3 hours for 18 holes. Most of the pace of play is going to be a result of the golfers in front of you, not your game. Make sure to book your time on the course accordingly so you don’t have to worry about slow play.
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, you now feel more confident in your ability to play golf solo, and you may even feel more motivated to do it. Golfing alone is an opportunity to work on your game, improve course management, and ultimately become better at scoring.
Don’t forget to take some golf technology with you out on the course; it’s a perfect time to use HackMotion and pick up valuable data and stats to work with.
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