Solo Golf Trips - Anyone Taken One?

[Mike Hendren]

How much risk do you want to take with this trip?
TH

A man who would screw up a trip to Scotland is seriously flawed.  

Mike

[Brent Hutto]

Tom brings up a good point. If I were going to the UK or Ireland for a month I'd be much more sanguine about wandering about doing some combination of playing solo, seeking out GCA guys and finding locals to play with. Given my personal constraints we're talking 10-12 days, tops. I would think most people are in a similar situation.

[ForkaB]

Tom

I never mentioned 3 weeks in Dornoch (it was only 4 days that 1st time).  Your memory is getting more and more selective as you age.  On another thread you even spout the nonsense that you are a CinnabarHillsophile!  I have copies of numerous rants in 2001 which prove otherwise, but being the good guy which I am, I'll never reveal them to a wider audience........

[Tom Huckaby]

Rich - reply #11 - you took a three week trip to Scotland.  Error by me in transposing all of that to Dornoch only.  The point is you had three weeks to spend at one time.  Not many are that lucky.

As for Cinnabar Hills, I have had a love-hate relationship with the place.  But my rants were mainly against the PRICE, which doubled after the first year; and against some weirdo who would be crazy enough to think any of the combinations of nines would be superior to Pasatiempo.  In any case, wanna talk about the recent changes there?  Oh, I forgot, you remain thousands of miles away....

 

[Tom Huckaby]

Bogey:

Sometimes events happen that are out of one's control.  Do you want to tell Ed Getka he's seriously flawed?  His solo trip turned out OK, but he did spend a lot of time waiting for potential playing partners who at some times were never offered.  I had the same thing happen once to me.

That's the risk.  This romantic view that the Scots are just sitting over there dying to play with lone Americans, and take them into their bars and homes, is only partially true.

 

[Cory Lewis]

Wow, I've taken so many solo golf trips I've lost count.  Main reason I go solo is flexibility.  I play as much as I can and it's easier to do that when I'm solo, both in accessing courses and in having more time to play.  Earlier this year I took a trip to Hilton Head by myself and was able to play 14 courses in seven days, twice I played three courses in one day.  You can't do that when you have the wife or a group of guys with you.  When you are solo you can do things like drive 3 1/2 hours on a whim to play TPC Sawgrass, which I did, and not have to worry about the logistical problems of getting a group on the course or where you are going to stay if you undertake such a road trip.  

[Mike Hendren]

Tom,

There is much truth in your post.  Specifically, I was a little more than disappointed when I was turned away from a near empty New Course with three hours of daylight left, the explanation being that the starter had gone home.  Proof positive that the Links Trust doesn't need the money.  According to the bartender at the Dunvegan "that's not Scottish."  That said, I used the balance of daylight to walk about town and knock down a few more Tennants.  Not a bad consolation prize.  

As for my friends, they'd never understand my delight in stumbling across Allan Robertson's grave and the quiet time I enjoyed admidst the cathedral ruins.  And I've got great friends.

Mike

[Tom Huckaby]

Bogey:

There is much wisdom in your post as well.

I just wonder if you couldn't stumble across Allan Robertson's grave, and enjoy your quiet time, in a few hours taken from them.

I've done a lot of that... solo hours stolen away from the main group.  They give me a lot of crap for it, but that too is part of the fun.  

In any case the main point here is that it's just not a given that a solo trip would be filled with the raucous good times with Scots.  Now take it over to Ireland, and perhaps we have more of a guarantee.    In any case it is something to keep in mind; as another poster here said, you do have to be content with your own company at least to some extent.

[A.G._Crockett]

I don't take golf trips per se by myself, but when I vacation with my in-laws the understanding is that I will be playing golf every day, sometimes 36 holes.  

Consequently, I play with whomever I am paired.  Almost universally, I meet really, really nice people who love the game and are as happy as I am to be seeing a new course.  There are a few exceptions, but very few.  This is one of the great hidden pleasures of golf, and I would urge anyone contemplating a solo trip to go for it.

Like others here, I also dearly love being alone on a golf course early in the morning with dew on the ground or late in the evening as the sun gets low.  I can feel layers of stress peeling away at those times.

Can't see any negatives to solo golf, except for excess talking to myself.

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

By the way, Turboe, who's dunking the ball on the picture in your profile?

A younger much more svelte Turboe.   I now restrict my dunking to new golf balls in water hazards.

A negative was that two times, once at Dunbar and another at Kilspindie I was nearly forced to play solo until I waited for an opening with a threesome for two hours. The problem at both was a club competition with twosomes going it alone and not wanting an outsider.

I played Panmure alone, but only because there was no other groups in site on the tee sheet for the day so the pro said I might be waiting a while for game.  I went out by myself and even playing what I thought was slow taking it all in, I quickly caught a forsome.  I tried to stay back and not intrude as I was in no hurry and taking lots of pictures.  As soon as they saw me however they waved me through.  We chatted breifly on the tee and off I went.  However as you said being out on a course like that with no guidance can be tough.  A hole later I walked onto the wrong tee and proceeded to play a hole I had already played.  I did not realize it until I started walking after my second shot towards the green.   By the time I back tracked the foursome was on the tee of the correct hole.   When they saw me coming back down the fairway they waved me up.  I wanted to hide rather than face them.  However they said "Best you just play in with us."  I said I did not want to intrude and would be happy to just play behind them the whole day, they would have none of it and we played in with 5.  Great guys, come to find out one of the guys daughters lived in "Carolina" as he put it, and figured out she probably lived 20 minutes from me.  Unfortunately I never heard from him on my offer to get him a game if he was ever in the area.


Also at St Andrews I met what now appears to be a lifelong friend here in the states.  Waiting in line in the darkness the first guy in line was from Birmingham, AL, I was second in line, and the third guy was from Johnson City, TN.  We were all  from probably 400 miles away from each other, but had to fly halfway around the world to meet.  Well the first group of the day was supposed to be a three some so Mr Birmingham was slotted.  When one of the three didnt show I was on the tee with them.   I eventually played at both his and the guy from TN home clubs here in the states, and Mr. Birmingham and I have become freinds playing or seeing each other about one or twice a year.   When we sat down over dinner one night and compared notes on our Scotland trip we found that we had both flown into Edinburgh he left on a clockwise direction.  I started counter clockwise around the country, and low and behold we were in Dornoch on the same day (and again in St Andrews on the same day about a 5 days later) almost getting paired together by the pro at Dornoch, except I got to the course about 5 minutes too late.  I had a picture of him and his caddy walking off the first tee when I first arrived at the course.  The pro told me "I had another Yank out here by himself, I would have sent you with him if you were a couple minutes earlier (little did I know that I would go on to know this guy anyway).  But I am probably glad I didnt get put with him, because then I wouldnt have met the member that they put me with.  Who upon being introduced to me by the pro proceeded to tell him that he was sponsoring me on as his "Guest" thus cutting my greensfee by about 70% much to the dismay of the pro.  He also introduced me to his hip flask of scotch on the back nine, then to his wife who wandered out for the last few holes..   We had dinner that night (an experience as well) and he lobbied me for hours to abandon my plans and stay in Dornoch and play for the next week with him.  While i would have loved to, I wanted to see too many other places in Scotland as well.

I could go on and on, but I need to run and get to work.

[Brent Hutto]

Back over the holidays we were eating dinner with my parents. I said something or another about playing golf and my mother asked in all seriousness, "What do you do if you get to the golf course and there's no one to play with?". She was quite mystified when I told her I went ahead and played by myself. She couldn't imagine there being any fun in that...

[Daryl "Turboe" Boe]

Tom,

There is much truth in your post.  Specifically, I was a little more than disappointed when I was turned away from a near empty New Course with three hours of daylight left, the explanation being that the starter had gone home.  Proof positive that the Links Trust doesn't need the money.  According to the bartender at the Dunvegan "that's not Scottish."  That said, I used the balance of daylight to walk about town and knock down a few more Tennants.  Not a bad consolation prize.  

As for my friends, they'd never understand my delight in stumbling across Allan Robertson's grave and the quiet time I enjoyed admidst the cathedral ruins.  And I've got great friends.

Mike

Would that be Sheena at the Dunvegan?   Who bought me hot bacon sandwiches and coffee when she learned I would be waiting in the pre-dawn darkness the following day at TOC.  I still get a Christmas card from her and her Yankee husband.  Great people, if I go back I will stay at the Dunvegan.

I have some great pics on a foggy morning when TOC was closed due to fog, and there were a couple massive crashes on the roads so no one reccomended I get in my car, I walked up to the cathedral ruins and found Allan's grave as well as Tom Morris's.   Some of the Cathedral Pics with the fog are just unbelievable.  I wish they were digital (instead of 35mm) so I could post a couple.  Maybe I will get motivated some day and scan a few.

Man I am getting teary thinking about that trip.

[Tom Huckaby]

There is definitely something to be said for solo golf.

But there's also something to be said for golf with good friends.

And Turboe - those are great stories - others here have given similar ones - lots of great things CAN happen like that.  I have a great one myself re meeting a Canuck on the first tee at Turnberry, ending up traipsing all over Scotland with him.  BUT, again not to be too much of a downer, but lots of instances can also occur like Bill Weber mentions.

Thus for those contemplating a solo trip, rather than just saying how great it will be, I try to give full disclosure.

I hate being a downer though!

TH

ps - Sheena and her husband are very nice indeed - to this day I believe they rigged the ballot to get me my second time at TOC.  But remember they're also very nice to groups!  My guys stayed at the Dunvegan and they were very nice to all of us.

[Steve Pozaric]

I spent 6 months in England and made numerous long weekend trips and a couple of week long trips.  Unfortunately, it was pre golf - I remember being at St. Andrews thinking that I really should take up this game.  The key is if you don't mind trying to meet people on your own.  If you do mind, it can be pretty lonely.  If you can handle it, there is a good feeling, as others have said, that you can pretty much go where the wind takes you.

As to solo golf trips, I have taken a few semi-solo trips (with the non-golfing spouse) and always had a good time.  Just like showing up at a course as a single and seeing what the luck of the draw has in store for you.;

[Bill_McBride]

Turboe, Jack Willoughby (Sheena's husband of the Dunvegan) is going to pissed off when he finds out you referred to him as a Yankee!  That boy is a Texan, from Houston, Texas!  

[Martin Del Vecchio]

I did solo golf for many years, but under different circumstances than what has been discussed here.

My wife and I visited her mother in Palm Springs during three consecutive winters.  We traveled with my wife's sister and brother-in-law, which enabled me to sneak off to the golf course while they went hiking in the desert.  

I would book the earliest tee time I could find, so that I could join them for fun afterwards.  I managed to get 3 or 4 rounds during each week-long trip.

Since I didn't have access to any private courses, being a solo was a good thing; it made it easier to get a tee time.  Particularly through the last-minute tee time service I used; they almost always had an early tee time available for a solo.  I often ended up playing by myself, which was fine for me, since I could sometimes play 36 in the time I had claimed for my 18-hole round.

One time I played with "The Coach", who is a local sports radio personality, and a lot of fun.  Most of my other pairings were on the neutral to negative side.  The worst was the time I finally got on the Stadium course at PGA West.  I played with one guy who had never played golf before, and two others who were just plain terrible, and slow to boot.  Eventually I asked them why they chose this particular course, and they told me that they were in town for a convention, and that a supplier was paying for the round, and he was two groups ahead.

I asked them if they realized that they were playing the golf course that was designed to be the hardest golf course in the world, and they did not.  They also didn't seem to care.

[Mark_Rowlinson]

The nice thing about playing golf on your own is that you always win.  And if the course isn't busy you can always play two or three shots rather than have to put up with your only shot, a lousy one at that.

I think it was Faldo who used to practice on his own by playing two balls in a match - draw against fade.

[Brent Hutto]

The nice thing about playing golf on your own is that you always win.

Ah, always nice to meet a golfer who's also an optimist.

[Gerry B]

a few times- including 2 trips to bandon -as i couldn't find anyone who wanted to go on short notice - made some lifelong friends out of those solo excursions

would not recommend for everyone but gives one freedom in terms of scheduling and flexibility

[peter_p]

Financially its more expensive for lodging and rental cars. The plus side is you're an explorer in uncharted territories and you're the boss with no employees. I've gone solo many times, usually extending a trip which may not be related to golf. It's usually been a family reunion or a golf tournament.
Doak's Confidential Guide, Steel's Classic Golf Links or a book on Australia Courses are classic planning guides.

Trip 1: Excuse- A family reunion in Deal in October. Sunningdale New & Old (two days after Di's funeral), Woking, Royal Ashdown Forest, Royal St George's, Littlestone, Chart Hills, Isle of Purbeck, St Edenoc, Westward Ho, Saunton x2, Burnham & Berrow, Royal Porthcawl, Pennard, Tenby, Aberdovey, Harlech, Nefyn & District, Woodhall Spa, Hunstanton, Brancaster, Royal Cinque Ports, Rye. Played Monday-Friday with one double a week. Usually a morning round, lunch at the club, one sightseeing stop a day. Weekends was sightseeing and long travel. I'd pick lodging central to golf for a 3-4 day stay whenever possible.

Trip 2- Excuse July family reunion in Bath.  Painswick, Cruden Bay x2, Dornoch x2, Machrihanish x2, Machrie x2. Airport-Manchester. Spent two days at each course. Found out you can' play Dornoch and expect to reach the ferry to Islay on the same day.

Trip 3- Excuse: found a tournament (NLE) that played Royal Melbourne, Victoria, Yarra Yarra and Kingston Heath.
New South Wales, RM-W, Kinsgton Heath, tournament, Metropolitan, Commonwealth, Huntingdale, National-Jones,
Barwo Heads, Dunes, Royal Adelaide, Kooyonga, Royal Hobart, Tasmania.

Trip 4 - Excuse- Playing golf in World Master's Games in Melbourne. Tournament, RM-W, RM-E, National-Norman,
Royal Sydney, Newcastle, Royal Canberra.

NOTE: The World Masters Games will be in Sydney, Australia in October 2009. The minimum age for participation in golf is 35.
Great jumping off place for NZ, Tasmania, Melbourne.

[cary lichtenstein]

The nice thing about playing golf on your own is that you always win.

Ah, always nice to meet a golfer who's also an optimist.

If you play 2 balls, do you concede putts and who do you pull for?

[Mark_Rowlinson]

But you also make the rules and you don't have to have an Extraordinary General Meeting to alter the Bye-Laws.  It's so simple.

Occasionally I've played two balls all the way round and, truthfully, kept both scores, trying hard on each shot.  There is rarely much difference in the scores, but tactically I am naive and if I mess up on a hole with one ball I probably do with the other ball as well, so my eclectic score is hardly any better than either single ball.  

Funnily enough I found my old eclectic score for TOC the other day.  I've never parred the 1st or 17th, but with a few handy birdies and one eagle, my eclectic is below par - not bad for a 15 handicapper.  Probably that was achieved over 20 rounds, all in the late 1970s or ealy 1980s when you could just walk onto the course in April or May, the gren fees were very reasonable and with a round lasting very little over two hours it was easy enough to play two rounds either side of a substantial lunch and play a round somewhere else as well.

[johnk]

I posted this a while back, and of course can't find the thread with the GCA search engine...

As I re-read it, I'm glad I saved it - it contains some good advice for me for this year's trip that I'd forgot

Here's some intentionally cryptic advice derived from my off-the-beaten path May trip:

1. Fife is big, and the driving time from the southern part to the northern part or from the eastern part to the western is not to be under-estimated. The south coast roads/towns take a lot of time to move through.

2. Similarly, it takes a lot of time to get from North Berwick to St. Andrews. Think about that when planning around Edinburgh.

3. You can never go wrong visiting Braids Hills in Edinburgh, at least once.

4. Boat of Garten is the greatest course under 6000 yards in the world.

5. Stay in B&Bs and eat Bacon&Eggs for breakfast every day. Then play golf, have a late soup and ale for lunch and eat dinner really late or not at all.

6. Don't play 36, instead, linger way too long in clubhouses until someone thinks you belong there, and converses with you.

7. Cadbury is good stuff for those long drives. Irn-Bru is not just for hangovers.

8. The more I visit Scotland, the more that I realize that I don't understand 85% of what they are saying to me. I assume that's true from the Scot POV as well.

9. If you find a really good B&B, stay an extra day.

10. A good B&B will have a very big bathtub, with very hot water.

11. If you are driving on a farm road or narrow road, you are doing your job as long as your passenger mirror is kicking up dirt from the embankment on your left. Paying for the car insurance is strongly advised.

12. You are a stupid if you travel with fewer than 2 pairs of golf shoes. Also balls are cheap -- in America.

13. Don't bother using course guide books, they won't help. You can buy them, but keep 'em in the bag so they don't get wet.

14. See how cheap you can be! Try not to do more than 1 course per week that costs more than 100 quid. Bonus points for rounds where locals sponsor you!

15. Get a UK cell phone. That and a UK golf guide will serve you well.

17. Most counties/regions have a Tourist Info Centre which you can call at 5pm when you are desperate for a B&B that nite. Get a book that lists these numbers. Call ahead, it's amazing how B&Bs can be full at the oddest times and places.

16. Don't bother bringing: shorts, tee-shirts, tennis shoes.

17. The BBC classical channel (BBC4) is great. Make sure you tune into some Scottish local stuff as well.

18. On the cheap front: only buy exactly 1 logo apparel item the whole trip. Choose wisely.

19. Save people's contact info, email and addresses so you can write them when you get home, and in advance of your next trip. Invite them to your home when they visit here, as well.

20. Last driving thing: just remember to put your side in the middle of the road. Passenger mirror to the embankment, you go in the middle. That can save your life...

[SPDB]

Guys - Thanks for the responses. There is some really great stuff here, both from nostalgia and advice perspectives.

Keep 'em coming.

[cary lichtenstein]

20. Last driving thing: just remember to put your side in the middle of the road. Passenger mirror to the embankment, you go in the middle. That can save your life...

Pay heed to this quote, I have a friend who was killed driving on the wrong side of the road there.

Ditto with the one about  making sure one set of wheels is kicking up dirt and gravel