Playable Enough: Golf Practice Rounds and Letting Go

I didn’t set out with a plan. No scoring goals, no expectations — just me, a tee time, and a quiet course. But somewhere between fairway drills and slow waits behind a foursome that never offered to let me through, this round turned into something else entirely. It became an unexpected lesson in golf practice and letting go — of control, of perfection, of pressure. With no partner, no pace to chase, and no need to impress, I found space to experiment, re-hit, and rethink my approach to the game. Not just technically, but mentally too.

My First Truly Solo Round

This was my first time playing a round truly solo — no friend, no family, no familiar face, not even someone riding along. I was paired with Josh, a University of Michigan student studying computer science, for the front nine. He was a kind, supportive partner who carried his clubs (on a $460 student pass — unlimited walking rounds!), and we had a good rhythm.

But after the turn, he called it a day. And just like that, it was just me and the course. I’ve never done that before. Every other round I’ve ever played, even if I was paired with strangers, I had someone I knew — a niece, a partner, a friend, a teammate. This time I finished on my own. And honestly? I liked it.

Practicing Without the Mulligan

One of the biggest shifts this round was internal. I gave myself space to re-hit occasionally, especially on holes where a poor swing or bad judgment made it worth trying again. But more often, I just… kept playing. I practiced dealing with the result of an imperfect shot. I leaned into the idea that not every mistake needs a do-over. Sometimes, the real practice is in the recovery — in seeing the lie, making a plan, and executing the next shot without spiraling.

That mindset helped when I pushed a 3-wood or chunked a wedge. It also made my few good up-and-downs feel even more satisfying — because they came after real misses, not mulligans.

Best Hole of the Day: 15

Hole 15 was a perfect example of this new rhythm. I missed the fairway right, then flubbed a 3-wood — but that miss turned out to be a gift. It left me short of the sand guarding both sides of the green. I had 95 yards in and pulled my pitching wedge. The swing was clean. The ball landed 11 feet from the pin. And then I rolled in the putt.

Resilience, strategy, and execution — all wrapped into a bogey-free par.

Playing Two Balls, One Fairway

With the pace slowing and the group ahead never offering a play-through, I started hitting two balls on a few holes. Not as a mulligan, but as an experiment: How would I play this differently? Where else could I aim? What did the original tee shot teach me?

It wasn’t about chasing score. It was about learning — exploring my club decisions, shot shapes, and dispersion. Playing two balls let me compare the smart miss against the aggressive swing. It also made the solo part of the round more engaging. I was my own partner and coach.

Shot Highlights and Takeaways

• Driver felt great all day — my misses were small, and I hit a season-high number of fairways.
• Woods were a little chunky, especially the 3-wood. I need to get back to my full swing pause.
• Short game gave me options, especially on missed greens. I trusted my chips and lag putting.
• Mental game win: I didn’t spiral on misses. I stayed in it — practiced, adapted, and moved on.

Also, shoutout to the ranger Bill, who stopped by mid-round to chat and handed me a ball he found. Could have been mine from earlier. Might not have been. Either way, it was kind and reminded me: this course has good people.

Practice Plan Moving Forward

This round made it clear: I need a range day. I’ve been prioritizing course time (and loving it), but my long iron distances and dispersion need reps. I also want to spend time dialing in wedge carry distances, especially with partial swings, and tighten up my fairway wood confidence.

I might sneak in some time tomorrow morning before my next round. We’ll see what the weather does.