Problem while playing solo

[DavidY]

Lately, I have been playing golf solo.....mainly taking almost every Friday afternoon off work. As a result, my usual golfing partners are unable to join me for a round. My problem while golfing solo is locating the flight of the golf ball off the tee when using the driver. When playing in a group, my partners usually help me out...I usually have the hardest time within the group to locate the balls in flight as others are teeing off.

Every round while playing solo, I have had to hit several provisional balls since I don't know where (not a clue) the first ball off the tee has gone. Since my swing speed isn't very fast and have a very inconsistent swing (not close to breaking 100 yet), I am guessing that my drives are in the 180-220 yard range. I usually slice when I manage to hit the ball decently. Otherwise, the ball may go anywhere (ie. hook, wormburner, miss the ball completely or top the ball). I have also been using coloured balls (mainly bright yellow) to help my eyes locate the ball out of the air....still no luck usually.

I wear eyeglasses with the magnetic clip on shades (greyish blue) and have a very high prescription for being nearsighted. I also have a set of prescription sunglasses with an amber/brown tint....would this different tint allow me to better locate the ball while off the tee?

Any other advice would also be appreciated. Thanks.

Dave

[Hacker]

I have a bugger of a time picking up the flight of the ball as well. I am color blind and have a disease in the cornea of my right eye ............ the only advice that I can offer is to post on the boards here and find yourself some playing partners.

[jvincent]

I have also been using coloured balls (mainly bright yellow) to help my eyes locate the ball out of the air....still no luck usually.

I've been tested with better than 20/20 vision and the easiest colour of ball to see is white.

Yellow is spectrally close to green, so will tend to blend into the grass.

[mcnorth]

Maybe take off the sunglasses. I have a heck of a time seeing the ball with sunglasses on. My eyes are very light sensitive but I have a natural Clint Eastwood western type of squint that I rely on on the links.

Usually when I can't see the ball off the tee I won't be able to hit that ball again anyway because it's gone, gone, gone... to some other fairway.

As well, if you're struggling with your tee shots settle down and settle for a nice solid 150 yard plunk into the fairway. I started with that as my first improvement this season and have managed to increase my tempo and distance as the season has gone on. SLOW take away, EASY transition, FINISH your swing. It'll go farther and be more predictable and I'll bet you'll be pleasantly surprised with your score once you start taking one stroke off the tee rather than three.

[DavidY]

I always have preferred using coloured balls.....they usually much easier to find when I go hunting. A majority of the other golfers typically use white balls and ask if a particular white ball is theirs (slows down play IMO).....this is especially problematic when holes have shared fairways and when everyone is on the green.

The only time I avoid using yellow golf balls is in the spring when the dandilions are up and it's yellow everywhere.

Someone at another forum suggested that I use my amber sunglasses instead. These are suppose to be better for reading greens too. I will definately try with and without the amber sunglasses out the next round of golf. Thanks for the suggestion.

mcnorth,

Unfortunately, I have been told that I have an extremely fast takeaway and an inconsistent tempo. I will be using my Refiner dual hinged 5 iron next summer to "slow" down my takeaway and improve my tempo. My swing needs to be corrected big time too.....currently, as a RH, my left arm is significantly bent during my backswing.

Dave

[sharkshooter]

I also have some dificulty seeing the ball off the tee. For me, white ball and no sunglasses works best. Of course, keeping the ball in "my" fairway also helps.

[byerxa]

I have excellent (corrected) vision and I have trouble picking up the ball on the horizon in spring and fall, expecially early or late in the day. The sky seems more "white" along the horizon this time of year. It is bad enough trying to stay down through a shot at the best of times, but when you are worried about not seeing the ball, arg! You have to convince yourself that you will be able to locate the ball based on the feel of the shot and stay down (easier said than done).

[ironmaster15213]

If you have trouble seeing the ball against the sky try using an orange ball while you play alone. But be forwarned that orange is a hard color to see on the ground in the rough so try your best to follow where your ball is going to while you are able to see it in the air. Once the leaves start to fall go to a yellow or green ball.

[Sakuraba]

I'm intrigued by this:

www.radargolf.com

[Big Johnny69]

The real problem about playing solo is what happens if you get a hole in one? Who will believe you.

[jvincent]

The real problem about playing solo is what happens if you get a hole in one? Who will believe you.

Since I tend to play solo pretty often (late afternoon, rainy days, etc) I actually worry about this. I have come close quite a few times when playing solo and unfortunately the greenskeeper that's on the USGA commercials probably won't be there to witness it.

[Txxxxxxx]

I played solo this morning and will for the rest of the week. I had a couple of holes where I couldn't see the ball because of the shine off the dew on the fairway. Good thing I hit them down the middle or I could have had no idea where they went.

[Wknd_Warrior]

I play alone a lot of evenings after work. I don't have great eyes so picking up my ball in the air can be a problem. I hit two balls alot if I'm not sure. Usually I have some sense of where I hit it and find the ball without any problems (assuming it's still on the course). Sometimes playing with a foursome is worse because I walk up to what I think may be my ball just to hear "oh, you're ball is back there..." lol

When I'm driving ok I manage to follow a lot of them on a reasonably clear day. When the ball isn't where I was planning to find it I have problems picking it up in the air.

know your ball flight good and bad, or just hit it in the fairway all the time.

[Golfbum]

I played 9 holes solo this morning because my course is so wet and there was no one around when I got there.
Now I don't mind the odd trip around the course alone, it gave me a chance to try some chips etc from different areas around the greens.
The thought that crossed my mind was this. There is 3 Par 3's on each 9 at my course. Now what happens if I dunk a tee shot? NO WITNESSES Not a good scene at all is it?
This actually happened to a friend of mine. He had came out and joined my group on the 5th hole one morning. By 18 he had a great round going and wanted to finish. Asked me to come along but I had to go as I had to be somewhere. He went out, parred #1 and you quessed it, ACED the 2nd hole! No witnesses Now I know he would not lie about this and gave him credit for his ACE. But some people would not do that.
I actually almost had this happen to me. I caught a twosome on the 12th one day. Asked if I could join up. They commented on how they were hackers and did not want to hold me up. I said not a problem, I am not in a hurry. So it was ok with them and away we went. next hole, Par 3 175 into the wind. BINGO I aced it! Thank God I joined that twosome!
So think about that next time you play solo!

[manitoulin]

Try not to swing so hard. try to hit in the fairway. Go to the practice green and find out what your nature swing is and your natural direction