Practice on the Course

Jesse Nelson, Grand View Lodge

Playing alone can be a tough concept for some golfers, myself included. I didn’t enjoy it as much as playing with my friends or in tournaments. Without the social part of the game, it can feel different.

However, using that time alone on the course can be majorly beneficial to your game and can be used as extra motivation and practice when you can’t find someone to join you. I encourage you to take those opportunities to go out solo and turn some play into practice. Here are a few of my favorite things to do alone on the course that have helped improve my game.

The Penalty Game

Any shot you hit out of the fairway, fringe, or green is a one-shot penalty. This creates a fun competition with yourself but also changes your shot selection and encourages you to be a little more mindful and intentional.

Irons only

Leaving the woods in the vehicle and just playing irons around the course. This is a great way to work on long irons on the tee and into greens.

Evens and Odds

Only use even number clubs on the front nine and odd number clubs on the back nine. This will help bring out your creative side and get you hitting some different shots.

I hope you can use this or a similar version of this to work on improving your overall game while playing alone or with others on the golf course. Enjoy the 2023 season!

“My students come from all over the state,” Sharpe said. “From Roseau to Grand Forks to local kids, just to use the facilities out at Deacon’s is going to give me students the opportunity to keep getting better.”

One of those facilities Sharpe is excited to use is the driving range at Deacon’s Lodge. “They have in my opinion the best driving range in the state,” he said.

Sharpe mentioned working in a place like the lakes area makes him feel a little spoiled.

“We have a lot of great courses from The Classic to Cragun’s to Deacon’s Lodge to Grand View,” he said. “The facilities we have are incredible. Waking up every day and getting 1% better every day and building those relationships and adding things to my students is exciting.”