I took a golf trip by myself. Here’s why (and why you should too)

At one point during one of my partner’s golf outings, I had a moment of deep appreciation mixed with complete disbelief.

How exactly did this group of clowns pull it off? How did each of us agree to the plan, find availability, get to the same place, agree on courses and tee times, and share the experience of doing something we love so much?

And, more importantly, how soon can we do this again?

The journey of respected friends – and the very low expectations it inspires – is the most exciting experience this game can offer mere mortals. It’s also a nightmare for the system.

It’s no wonder why more travel agencies and operators are entering the global golf tourism industry that is expected to grow from $25.7 billion by 2024 to $42.9 billion by 2033.

Those tasked with planning a trip know that it is ultimately a task of negotiation and coalition building, not consensus. For each person involved, there is a different idea of ​​how the journey should go. Every final decision becomes its own problem.

Are all these problems worth it? Definitely. But this tour is not the only way to enjoy a golf tour.

Last month, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s, I experienced a version of golf nirvana that I never thought possible: When I coordinated an impromptu golf trip, everyone who planned to go was aligned with the location, time, lodging, courses, and how the days would be spent, without and on the links.

That’s because everyone was me. And only me.

First, a little context:

— My wife and I are parents of two school-going boys, aged 9 and 6. “Vacation break” is a misnomer. Time off from school requires more than usual vigilance, including occasional intervention when conflicts become an episode of National Geographic’s “Animal Fight Club.”

– The advertising agency where I freelance closes the last few weeks of each year, giving the staff a much-needed reset. My wife, a funeral director, couldn’t take time off during the busiest time of the year.

– The boys’ grandparents – angels, each and every one of them – are retired and willing to host them occasionally when my wife and I want/need to travel.

For weeks before the Holiday break, I floated to my wife the possibility of even getting a few days off during the holidays to get out of town as a family. Coastal Oregon, the Black Hills of South Dakota, the North Shore of Lake Superior here in Minnesota, wherever. But such a trip was not in the cards.

Finally, my wife suggested a more drastic alternative.

“Obviously, you really need to go somewhere,” he said sincerely. “Why aren’t you going anywhere … alone?”

Planning a golf trip for friends with less than a few weeks notice is a fool’s errand, especially during the holidays. As such, I was not at all happy that any of my friends might be in the same situation, free to go out of town for a few days with their responsibilities. I was also assured by my in-laws that they would look after the boys if I went on a trip, and give my wife a little vacation herself.

One benefit of planning a last-minute trip is making a more confident decision based on the national 10-day weather forecast. Cold and wet weather was expected in many of the forecast areas I initially considered, including the Carolinas, Southern California, Arizona and Florida. Coastal Oregon was battered by strong winds and fog. Only one area offers cool weather (mid-50s) and no threat of rain: Southwestern Utah.

(Side note: International travel was never on the table. “Last-minute flight deals” during the holiday season – even to Mexico or the Caribbean – are not really a thing. Although I was admonished by my wife to be selfish, my penny-pinching instinct revolved around playing golf on the plane.)

So, about a week after my wife first floated the idea, I took a direct flight from Minneapolis to Las Vegas with nothing but my carry-on bag and my golf clubs. I picked up a rental car and drove two hours northeast on I-15, cutting through the rugged beauty of Nevada’s Valley of Fire Basin and winding through Arizona’s Virgin River Gorge before arriving at Sand Hollow Resort in St. George, a hot area covered by Mars – like a desert and the Navajo lived in the Sandstone for more than 18 years.

Over the next three days – oblivious to the possibility that I might end up capturing my experience in writing – I maximized all the benefits offered by a solo golf trip. And, as it turned out, it was more brilliant than I imagined.

The following is not a contradiction against a trip with friends, but rather a solo golf trip for those with limited opportunities, unpredictable schedules, and the desire to call their shots on the go. Here are a few reasons why you should consider getting one yourself.

You control the clock

I will admit to being the type of golfer who often shows up more than an hour before tee time, especially if it’s a new course. I like to squeeze in a full driving distance, then adapt my short game around the greens and bunkers. Oftentimes, this is the most stressful aspect of a friend’s golf outing – making sure all comers get to the tee on time, never mind a proper warm-up.

I’m also a sucker for a bucket of balls from the back of the cycle – a splitting move I’ve been hooked on a few times. (I get it. Why should a 15-handicap behave like Bryson DeChambeau on a Wednesday evening before the official, grinding while fully aware that the cameras are rolling?) In both cases, there is no burden to shepherd the slow pokes in the group, and there is no pressure to speed up the clubhouse bar if there is a hook to pull to fix.

Golf doesn’t have to be a side pursuit

Beyond golf, St. George is a top destination for outdoor activities such as mountain biking, rock climbing, canyoneering and UTV riding. Even if I read.

Of course, I would have made time to visit a nearby trailhead to enjoy a great hike at sunset, or drive 30 minutes to visit a corner of Zion National Park, or at least wander around downtown St. George to try the food place. Instead, my daily agenda consisted of golf and only golf – and more Chipotle burrito bowls than I care to share in public.

Singles have great power

Scheduling a tee time for the day of arrival is the best bet that cross-country travel plans won’t involve any delays. It is an offensive game especially during the holiday season.

Fortunately, I came to St. George during the day (as planned) and I was able to take time off at the last minute to play the back 9 at The Ledges in St. George as an individual. Good chance we could play anywhere if I needed 2-3 times for a large traveling group – assuming they want to add more golf to the agenda.

No explanations are necessary

It’s one thing to add golf to a trip. It can be even more controversial to downsize when that little voice tells you that a little golf will be fine. You don’t have to walk the line between too full a schedule and too little time or navigate how others feel about a change in schedules. If for any reason you want to cancel a tee time, no reason is required.

The people you meet may surprise you

I get it: Playing with a partner you don’t know can be difficult, and in many ways it makes it more challenging to play well. Golf is hard enough without the social aspect. But this is the part where I tell you one of the highlights of a solo golf trip may be the people you meet along the way.

While I managed two rounds of nine holes by myself, I was paired with a couple of Torontonians, Anthony and Antonio, during my round of the Champion Course at Sand Hollow. Lifelong friends going on for 35 years, the middle-aged men were embarking on an ambitious golf trip: 10 courses spanning three states.

After a round full of friendly banter and over-canyon- and cactus-filled golf balls, Antonio graciously shared a dozen photos and videos he’d taken of the Ray-Ban Meta AI sunglasses he’d been wearing. They are reminders that for now have softened the severity of a scorecard full of double bogeys.

For all the fun and superstitions they offer, the friends tour is the best golf experience ever. But a solo golf trip offers something different and, at this stage of life, very important: freedom. Freedom from behavior, from letting go, from waiting for a known late friend on the team who will not be given a tee time late enough.

It may be the best way to experience the game you love taking it to a new place.

I’m alone.

Andrew Miller is still a working journalist, late and full-time senior vice president of creative and media relations at Colle McVoy, a Minneapolis-based creative agency.