The Solo Golfer’s Guide: Pros, Cons, and Actionable Tips for Playing Alone

Playing golf alone is not as lonely as it may seem. In fact, it’s a really good habit to get into if you are working on improving your game.

I love golf for all the social fun it can bring, but sometimes an afternoon with just you and your golf game is a tremendous way to spend a day.

I’ll show you what you can get out of playing golf solo, whether or not it’s worth it, and even some tips to find available times to play solo.

Playing Golf Solo – Key Takeaways

If you don’t have time to read my 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 skills and to focus on your golf game with no distraction.
• Use technology like HackMotion to ensure you stay on track while out on the golf course, 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

Benefits of Playing Golf Alone

If I played every round of golf by myself, I would not enjoy it. However, mixing up some solo golf with group golf seems to be a good fit for me. I have found the perfect balance of how to work on my game and how to also enjoy the alone time out on the course.

Break Down What is Working and What isn’t

Now is your chance to really focus on your golf game and see where you need the most work.

I recommend first looking at your skills and what are lacking and then looking at your course management.

Are you hitting the golf ball to the right off the first tee because you don’t know how to square the clubface? Or are you hitting it because you are aiming incorrectly and you don’t have the right target line.

If you are struggling with issues in your golf swing, it’s likely causing the clubface to be either open or closed at impact. Use HackMotion to learn to square the clubface. When playing golf by yourself, bring HackMotion out there with you!

Wear the HackMotion for nine holes and then take it off for the back nine. Compare your data to a practice session on the range, and get some of that instant feedback while you are in the middle of your round of golf.

Learn How to Become Consistent in Your Routine

When playing golf solo, be sure to pay close attention to your routine. It’s important to ensure that your pre shot routine is the same every time and that you are setting up for your shots and giving yourself the best chance of success.

Consistency in the routine is hard to think about when playing with three of your friends.

Get this process down during a solo round, and then work to continue it the next time you head to the course.

I like to get my yardage, think of my plan, visualize the shot, take one practice swing, aim, walk into the ball, look at the target and then swing. The entire routine is fast and doesn’t take more than a few seconds, but I make sure I commit to it with every single shot.

Set Your Own Pace of Play

Are you a fast or a slow golfer? What’s worse than being a fast or slow golfer? Not knowing if you are a fast or slow golfer.

When you play golf alone, you can learn the pace that you play best. Try to book your round for when the course is slightly empty, and you don’t have to worry about groups ahead or behind you.

Set your pace of play so that you can play your best golf. I play fast, and I play better when I play fast. If I try to slow myself down, it gets ugly.

An average par 3 takes 10-15 minutes, par 4 15-20, and a par 5 will take 20-25 when you are playing with a foursome. As a single, these times are probably cut in half. Take a look at your watch and play around with these times a bit to find your pace.

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 of the peace and quiet is a major reason to play golf solo.

When playing in a group, you often forget to pay attention to how nice the course surroundings are or the weather. Use golf to help your mental health, not hurt it!

Bring Technology with You Out on the Course

Lastly, 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. In addition, you may feel rushed if you are trying to get some on-course HackMotion data.

When playing golf solo, you can use your technology and finally see how your golf game compares on and off the course.

Play Around with Your Golf Course Management and Strategy

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to hit a 5 wood off of the 6th tee instead of trying to hit your driver? Now is your time to try it.

I like to even play two balls sometimes and play them using two different strategies. At the end of the hole, you can compare the two scores and see which strategy works the best.

Drawbacks of Playing Golf Alone

Playing golf by yourself is probably not going to be your new favorite way to play. Instead, it’s something that you should mix in from time to time.

Here are a few of the negatives you can run into.

Hard to Find a Tee Time

Most golf courses are booked with one group after another for the majority of the day. If you want to get in there and play golf by yourself, you are going to have a hard time. Some private country clubs may have openings, but for public golf, this can be tough.

Look to play first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon. This is your chance to ensure the pace of play is not incredibly slow.

Pace Could be Slow

Be aware that the pace of play on the golf course can be really slow. Pace is determined by the groups in front of you, and if you have several foursomes in front of you, there will be long waits before each of your shots.

When you have friends with you, it takes longer to play, so the pace is not as big of a problem.

Lack of Support

The first time I hit an incredible shot when playing golf alone, I instantly realized why this is not the best way to play. When you hit a chip in the hole or even just hit a drive straight down the fairway, it’s nice to have some support, motivation, and validation.

When playing golf alone, you will lose this.

It can Get Boring

I don’t get bored on the golf course when I play by myself because I usually have things I want to work on. Having technology out there and using it as a time to collect data and then even analyze some of that data makes it much less boring.

However, if you play a lot of golf by yourself, there is a chance you could get bored with it.

Again, golf is supposed to be fun, and it’s made a lot more fun when you are doing it with people you enjoy spending time with.

What to Bring with You for a Solo Golf Round?

When playing golf by yourself, I would look at bringing a few extra things with you out on the course. Having this gear out there will help you if your pace of play ends up getting a little slow.

Rangefinder or GPS

Make sure you bring your own yardage measuring device. If you are used to playing in a group, you may not have the numbers that you usually get from your teammates. Use the rangefinder or the GPS to pay close attention to your performance from certain yardages.

You can do this really easily with a strokes gained app.

Speaker

Having a speaker on your golf cart or one that connects to your golf bag is a great benefit. The music you play can help with your tempo and just make the experience on the golf course that much more enjoyable when golfing solo.

Some of these speakers also have GPS yardage, which is another benefit.

Launch Monitor

A launch monitor will help you measure your distances and keep an eye on things like spin, attack angle, and more. If you have a portable launch monitor, bring it with you for a solo round and throw it down on the fairway a few times.

When you are finished, compare that data to the data you get when practicing. What’s different about it?

Training Aids and Feedback Tools

When playing golf solo, it’s time to bring out any feedback tools or training aids that you might have.

HackMotion can be worn on your wrist while you play a few holes, and this session will record for you so that you can see the effectiveness of your wrist action on the course.

With the wrists being in charge of the angle of the clubface, you can make a lot of progress just by getting your wrists in the right place.

How to Get Time on the Course Alone

Here are my best tips for getting time out on the course alone. This process isn’t always easy, but if you are smart and sometimes creative about it, you have a chance!

• Look for the first tee time of the day.
• See when the last tee time is and if the course opens for play after that; look for times in the late afternoon and early evening.
• Look for courses that have an event that plays in the morning; sometimes, the afternoons are open because the event keeps everyone away during the morning hours.

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 weird to golf alone; in fact, many great players know they need time on the course alone to be able to work on their skills and become better 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 through in 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, only really should let you go if there are open holes in front of them.

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 individual 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 a bit more confident in your ability to play golf solo, and maybe you even feel more motivated to do it. I look at golfing alone as an opportunity to work on my game, improve my 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.