EMJL

I have used a rangefinder on a green once. For anyone who has played Landmand, or seen the YT videos about the course you might understand why. I was dead center on one of the greens and I knew I was over 100’ to the hole so I brought my rangefinder just to find out the exact distance. I had a 45 yard putt. I felt very good about that three putt, lol

Reminds me of a friend who is notorious for shooting everything. Luckily, he never holds up play, so no need to fault him. But that doesn't mean we don't give him grief for it. 😂 😈

(This was posed as a joke - Hanoi, Vietnam, 2022.)

I’m like a lot of others here.
I use a GPS watch (went from Garmin S60 to ShotScope X5) for general measures and laser for anything less than 150 yards. I like to laser for my approach type shots because I often want to know not just distance to the pin (I still shoot for middle of the green) but also distance to carry hazards etc. Knowing I have a good distance measurement makes me much more confident in club selection.
 I’ll usually eyeball things like chip and pitch shots unless there’s something I don’t like about it.
 
 

I've always been a big fan of knowing the exact yardage and I've been using a Rangefinder and golf GPS on my phone in tandem for years. Even if I'm not precise enough to hit it right on the number, it can help with course management, understanding pin position and getting an idea for slope.
That being said, I typically don't use anything under 80 yards or so. I consider myself a feel player who's pretty good with their hands. When it gets down to those shorter pitch shots, having an exact yardage isn't going to help me. On those shots I like to picture a landing zone and a shot type and try to execute it.

In the past, I would schedule golf trips into my work. Now that I am retired, I may decide any week to head somewhere warm and play golf or during the warm months, head to a casino and play golf. My wife does not have an issue with it, she gets some time to her self.

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

Lots! All good experiences too. Met some great people along the way. Played some very random courses and made incredible memories along the way. 
Don't have to do a ton of planning, but most courses around the world will set you up with tee times by email. Usually the tricky part is travel in between if you are going city to city. 

Met some great people along the way. Have even met up with some of those people at later dates at different venues. 

I've played several nice courses by myself before I met my wife.; met a lot of great people!  Now I have a partner to travel with to play.  However, it costs twice as much now. 😂  You are right that the big-named golf resorts tend to book a lot of groups... buddy trips.  I wonder why you would want to experience a place like Bandon and other similar golf destinations without taking a golf buddy along to share the memories.  It's really difficult to get on Bandon these days even as a twosome or foursomes.  These resorts cater to groups and booking a single means that they need to find another single to fill out the tee time.  It's probably possible, but you may have to inquire with the course months in advance.  In 2010 it was easy for my wife and I to book a stay and play at Bandon Dunes... difficult now and much, much more expensive!

I guess this is why I don't play a lot of the "big name" golf courses.  I just enjoy the game and am more than happy to play rounds solo and not having to coordinate with anyone.  Those memories you talk about are mine and I don't need to share them 🙂  
We are all different; some of us are just loners.   

I travel to many different states, cities, and towns for work. Depending on the weather and my schedule the clubs come along for the ride. I’ll either just show up to a course or call the day of looking to get squeezed in somehow. It has always worked out and I’ve been on some real nice courses. Even managed some high end private ones. Also met a lot of nice people.
Just go for it!
 

Same here.  Solo rounds are fine with me... played lots of them in MT.  I typically played two-ball for the practice and to keep pace with groups ahead.  It's 36 holes for the price of 18 👍.  My biggest fear was that I'd finally get that evasive ace (and my card out of the "Still Aceless" thread) and have no witness 😮.

I will be playing as a single for the next few days… My history of doing this; is that 90%+ of the time it has been either a good or at least an okay time being the single playing by myself or being added to a group. I am hoping that I am not the jerk that I have occasionally been paired with in the past. 

I am a lot like that. I would not say that I am a loner, but have fun going on a golf trip alone. I don't have to hear others complain about food choices, prices, etc. I don't like skimping when I go on a trip.

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

Good to know, thanks. Also related to @fixyurdivot's followup, it seems like golf resorts are set up more for buddy groups than for singles. That was what prompted the question. I don't know anyone that has gone to Bandon or other comparable places on their own.

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

Good to know, thanks. Also related to @fixyurdivot's followup, it seems like golf resorts are set up more for buddy groups than for singles. That was what prompted the question. I don't know anyone that has gone to Bandon or other comparable places on their own.

Has anybody gone on a golf trip alone? Good experience? Bad?

Has anybody gone on a golf trip alone? Good experience? Bad?

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations). 

How/Why play golf? I played a few weekends each year with my dad and/or grandfather when I was a kid. I probably just liked to try to hit the ball as hard as possible. 
 
Why keep playing? Golf can be many things. Some days I'm feeling competitive and so I head out to the course with a goal of scoring well. Other days, I want to relax and just enjoy being outside and doing a little exercise. (and yes, my better scores are often on the relax days where there are no expectations).