While it may be restricted to the summer months and shortly before that or afterwards, the evening is a wonderful time to play golf for so many reasons. Your conscience is free as you’ve ticked off your daily chores, and now it’s time to head out and immerse yourself in your favorite activity.
The course is quiet… so faster golf
One of the very best things about evening golf is that you stand the best possible chance of having the course to yourself. At worst it should be quieter than earlier in the day, and this means that you are far less likely to be stuck behind a fourball of sleepwalking and wayward golfers meandering the fairways, looking for balls that they failed to keep an eye on. This means that you get to play at your own pace, so you finish more quickly and you don’t burst a blood vessel waiting for people to get out of the way.
Play a match against yourself
If the course is quiet and you are on your own, you can add spice and fun to your evening game by challenging yourself to a match! It’s less likely to be an option if you are the kind of golfer who follows a slice with a snap hook, but if you generally hit a consistent shot, you can play two balls and keep the score of one against the other. Just how generous you are with your gimme putts is entirely up to you, but there won’t be any arguments on this, and at least you are going to end up a winner!
Play cross country (e.g. 14th tee to 16th green)
Rather than the traditional routing from 1st tee to 1st green and so on, when the course is particularly quiet, you may well have the opportunity to plot your own path. You might want to finally try that drive that is 90 degrees from the normal line, and play over the valley to an unrelated fairway before lofting one over that stand of trees that would never normally come into play. And if you are stuck behind a slower group, you can simply head off elsewhere. You’ve always wanted to design your own course, well here is your chance.
Your playing partners can film your game
Slow play can be a big issue, and we normally only have time to prepare and execute our own shots while keeping up with the game in front. If there is no-one behind you - and please make sure there is a substantial gap - there is the chance to get one of your friends to film your swing on their phone. This can be an invaluable training tool as no matter what we think we look like, the reality is seldom the same. Film from behind, or sideways on, or from an elevated bank overlooking the tee, and there is much to be gained from seeing what we really are doing.
A great way to unwind after work
You’ve had a hard day at work, or elsewhere, performing some of the many tasks that life throws at you. An evening game is perfect for throwing off the shackles of the day and enjoying fresh air, good company, and your favourite hobby. It’s your reward to yourself for the earlier efforts you have put in, and the exercise and general wellbeing that comes with golf will do you nothing but good. But you might just want to avoid playing with your boss!
Into the setting sun, there is a real incentive to hit it straight
It’s all too easy to stand on the tee, look at the generously wide fairway ahead, and then not pick a precise target because “anywhere up there will do!” We all know this is wrong, but many of us still do it all the time. Playing into a setting sun is nature’s gift to keep us concentrating on a straight hit. We aren’t going to be able to look up and see where the ball is going, so hit and hope is not an option. A setting sun can be a real focus for the mind.
You can take just irons and work on them
There are few things more satisfying in golf than blasting your driver into oblivion or watching your fairway wood sail over that lake. But evening golf is a time for practice, and by introducing a little discipline, your overall game can reap great rewards. Leave your woods in your locker and make yourself practise the clubs that really are the key to better scoring - your irons. If you are worried about the carry on some holes, go to a forward tee. Familiarity with your less exciting clubs can really improve your confidence and handicap.
Meet up with other single golfers
It’s very easy to end up playing with roughly the same group of people whenever you are at your club. One of the joys of an impromptu, solo evening game is that you never know who you might bump into on the first tee or out on the course. Teaming up with other golfers is a brilliant way to make new friends and learn more about your club. Obviously not everyone will get along, but the majority of golfers will be like-minded people with whom you have plenty in common… including your favourite hobby.
Your playing partners are relaxed as the working day is done
We all know how frustrating golf can be, and many of us get very annoyed with ourselves when things don’t go exactly right. Worse, this can all too easily spill over into a bad demeanour which will also spoil the enjoyment of the others in the group. Playing when the labours of the day are done will hopefully have us all at least starting in a good mood, and more likely than not should lead to a lighter atmosphere for the entire round. Evening golf is often of a more informal nature too, which means there is less reason to get too het up.
Low sun creates shade and light that accentuates the topography
During the day, the overhead sun tends to flatten out the undulation changes in any golf course. As the sun gets low, the shadows it casts have two great benefits for the golfer. One is that you can see the humps and bumps more clearly, especially on the greens, and this is going to help you choose your lines more accurately. The other, for golfers and non-golfers alike, is that everything just looks so much more attractive and interesting. The shadows and the different colour textures can turn an appealing view into a stunner.
The challenge to get round before it is too dark
Predicting the length of a round of golf is an art that is riddled with potential pitfalls. Having the course to yourself removes most of these and so the golf ball is in your court on timings. One challenge that can be fun, especially when it works, is setting yourself the target to complete the round before it gets too dark to see your ball. This can lead to some rapid walking between shots and generous putt concessions, but there is great satisfaction in finishing just in the nick of time.
You can head to the 19th hole with no guilt
Few coffee table books of the world’s greatest golf holes feature the 19th, but it is one that is close to the hearts of many golfers. The sociability and laughter generated by sitting round with fellow golfers dissecting their games and debating the merits of this course over that one, is a key constituent of the game for many of us. By playing in the evening, probably the most natural time to be out socialising, there is minimum guilt associated with a visit to the bar, or better still, a drink on the terrace watching the sun go down.
Be alone with your thoughts
While golf can be a hugely social sport, it is also one that offers the opportunity for solo outings and the personal benefits that this can offer. An evening game on your own is the perfect time to reflect on anything important, or indeed not so important, that is of concern to you. Yes, you want to work on your game, but it actually might be more important to think about something in your personal life where the fresh air, tranquility and beauty of nature allow you to forget about everything else and see things more clearly.
Play a personal scramble
Ok, you are going to need a particularly quiet course for this one, but why not play three balls from each tee. You can then select the best one, retrieve the other two, and then play another three shots from there. The benefits are that you should be able to identify a common theme in your game for the more successful shots - you stayed down over it, you had a slower backswing - as well as realise what went wrong with the others. On top of this, you might just have your best score ever!
The low sun makes you keep your head down
When you are playing towards the sinking sun, there is absolutely no benefit from looking up early to see where your ball has gone. You just won’t see it, and looking into the light is uncomfortable in the first place. This therefore really promotes the idea of keeping your head down as there is no reason at all to look up. This should lead to a smoother, more balanced swing which will hopefully be something you can bring into your game at all times.
Play a personal betterball
While playing a solo game of golf is a great opportunity to practise, it can be hard to concentrate for a full round when the outcome of each shot doesn’t really matter. You can add a fun element that still gives you focus by playing two balls, but treating them as though they were being played by two golfing partners playing a betterball competition, using the lower nett score of each. If one is lost or unplayable, then you still have the other ball with which to score. A target of 40 points or more should still be viable, and the concentration you gain by keeping score and setting a target can really help your game.
Twilight rates
Playing at peak times, especially on better courses such as those that top the golf course rankings, can be very expensive. Happily, a great many clubs offer a twilight rate - typically from four hours before sunset - which makes playing a great course, or even one of the many brilliant hidden gems we have, far more affordable. Sometimes it is half price or better, and although clubs can change their approach to this quite regularly, a little research should reveal some bargains that make evening golf an even bigger draw than it already is.
Take the kids
What better time to introduce the next generation to golf than in the evening? The courses are quiet and so the intimidation factor, which is very naturally a real inhibitor for those new to the game, is way less evident. The speed of their play - perhaps just hitting a few shots while you show them how it really should be done(!) - will not be an issue. You can head to a quiet spot, just hit a few shots from around the green or maybe a few putts, and hopefully demonstrate in a very gentle and subtle way, golf’s great allure.
Work on your least favourite shots/club
Pretty much every golfer has a particular club, or a specific shot, that is his or her nemesis and potential downfall. The evening is a perfect time to head out with that rogue 5-iron and show it who is boss. Or, drop some balls just short of that malevolent greenside bunker and play a few gentle chips that head onto the putting surface and not into the sand. Confronting your golfing demons rather than avoiding them is the best long-term solution, and an empty course in the evening can be the perfect battlefield.
Take a drink with you
For many people, taking a drink out with you while you play can be just the gentle stimulant or nerve-calmer that will help you play better. There is also something fun about doing something that feels just a little bit wrong! It doesn’t have to be alcoholic, and there are plenty of sport’s drinks that have reviving or energy-giving properties that will give you a lift after a hard day’s work. Not that we would ever encourage drinking and driving, but how much fun is it to take a beer out with you while you play?
Something to look forward to all day as you work
The excitement of an evening game after work can make a real difference to how your working day goes. Knowing that you will later be out on the course puts a spring in your step and can even give you an impetus to get things done more quickly so that you can leave work in good time. There may be a particular club you want to try out, or a new pair of shoes you want to bed in, or you may simply be looking forward to a game with a couple of friends you haven’t seen in a while. All of these will keep you motivated during your working day.
Use a half set
Why not make the club selection process a whole lot more straightforward at the same time as taking the weight off your shoulders, and take just a half set in a pencil bag. You aren’t trying to set a course record or win the club championship, and if you don’t have the perfect club for every shot, then so what! You can adapt by gripping down the shaft, or playing a punch shot or a half-swing, any of which will be fun to try and even more rewarding when it comes off.
More of nature to enjoy as the course is quieter
Many of us get a real lift from seeing wildlife out on the course. When the cooler evening temperatures arrive and there are fewer people to scare them away, it can be a real joy to see birds of prey, deer or even something more unusual while playing. Many clubs now keep a record of different creatures spotted on their course, and the evening is a perfect time to see an owl out hunting for its supper, while the frog chorus you hear on some courses can sometimes be distractingly loud.
Work on just one particular shot shape (draw/fade)
An evening game can be perfect for really concentrating on your technique and working on one specific shape of shot. We all crave consistency, and if we set a target of hitting a soft draw or a baby fade for the entire round - with no veering from the script - there is a real chance of creating a muscle memory and a better knowledge of our game that will make that shot easier to replicate in the future. It will require great discipline, but isn’t that what the game is all about?
Best light for photography
There is a reason why professional golf course photographers often capture their best work either just after daybreak or in the hour before sunset, the golden hour. This is because the light is low and it often casts atmospheric shadows over trees, raised bunkers and other humps and bumps. It is also a particularly soft and flattering light that somehow makes everything in nature look at its best. With phone cameras now offering such excellent results, there is every chance in the evening to record your favourite view on your favourite course.
Learn your greens - chart them
By having a little more time at your disposal, and boosted by a low, evening sun, you have the opportunity to really work on your putting and get to know the greens on your course. The light accentuates any subtle undulation, and by spending a few minutes on one particular green without someone standing impatiently behind you on the fairway, you can effectively create your own map for future use when every shot counts. Knowing the greens can make a significant difference to your scoring, and yet it is surprising how many club members don’t take the trouble to do so.
Course is quiet so you can choose a different routing
Whether you are limited for time or find yourself up behind a slow group who seem to be unfamiliar with the concept of playing though, a real joy of evening golf is that you can very often divert from your current position on the course. You might cut through the trees from the 14th to the 17th, or even go back the other way to replay some holes you’ve already visited. You don’t have a scorecard in your hand, you’re out there for practice and for fun, so why not go exactly where you want, always bearing in mind that someone else might be doing the same!
Tackle your bogey hole
Most of us have one particular hole on the course that we fear, and where we know even before we play it that things are not going to go well! Oddly, this may change over time; last summer it was the dogleg 14th, now it’s the par-3 8th like the Postage Stamp at Royal Troon. The best way to overcome this, is to head to that hole when there are no other golfers around, and really work on it. Learn what works and what doesn’t, get to realise that you don’t ALWAYS go in that particular bunker, and gain the confidence that you are in control and the solution is in your hands.
Course is quiet so you can practise and replay shots
While there may occasionally be an evening competition at your club, a quick look at the start sheet or the club diary should reveal plenty of warm, summer evenings when you can go out and really work on your game. We all know that the best golfers in the world devote endless hours to practice, and it would be naïve to think we cannot all benefit from putting in the grind. The course is generally quieter in the evening, so the only person you are going to upset by practising and replaying less successful shots, is yourself!
It is cooler
Evening golf is largely a summer pursuit, and wherever you are in the world, the warmest time of the year has generally become even more so in recent years. By playing in the evening, you can avoid the real heat of the day and enjoy the course in far more comfortable conditions that will also help your game. If it does get a little cool, you can put on a lightweight top that will keep you at the perfect temperature without inhibiting the swing in any way.
The wind generally drops
While the wind tends to get up during the day, especially on links courses and those along the coast, the evening is very often a time when it eases off. This means you can concentrate on hitting the ball where you want it to go, not where the wind wants to take it. It also means that you shouldn’t need extra clothing to combat the breeze. Evening golf can therefore be the most comfortable time of day to play, both for you and your body, and for your golf ball.
Beautiful Sunsets
Is there anything more beautiful to look at than the golden light and fire in the sky as the sun falls gently below the horizon? Well possibly, but there is no doubting that as a backcloth for your golf, a sunset can be so captivating that it will be the icing on the cake if you have played well, and a more than adequate compensation if you have not. If you are lucky enough to be looking out to sea or playing along the hilltops, it is one of the most lovely sights in golf.
