I’m the guy every threesome hates. The guy who calls the pro shop and asks for any single tomorrow morning. I’m the guy waiting for the three of you on the first tee box with a big smile on my face. I’m the single who will be joining you today.

To be honest, the single life isn’t all that bad. In fact, it’s really great. No coordinating tee times with three of your buddies. No back and forth on what course you are going to play. Nobody bailing on you last minute. None of that. Pick a course, pick a time and go.

Oh, and I know that every threesome has the same thought, as they are driving to the course. “Golf gods, if you are up there, please don’t pair us with some random. We just want to enjoy our day together.” While my only thought is, “I can’t wait to play today!”

I absolutely love golf. I would much rather spend my time on the course as a single than not at all. Just me, my clubs and the 7,000 swing thoughts running through my mind.

For those of you that have made it this far and anxiety hasn’t kicked in from the mere thought of playing alone, I applaud you. It can be an intimidating. As a single man, here are some general thoughts and tips for being the odd man out.

• Intros on the first tee box are a must. Don’t be that awkward single that waves to the group from the other side of the box or tips their cap. Stroll over to the group, shake hands, bump fists or do whatever you gotta do to introduce yourself. And no need to throw in a self-deprecating joke about you being the single. They know you are the single. You know. Everyone knows.
  
  
• If you are like every other golfer in the world, as soon as you turn around and walk back to grab a tee, you will inevitably forget at least two of their names. And that’s okay. You aren’t there to make a new best friend; you are there to play golf and enjoy your day. Don’t lose that last part.
  
  
• Once you grab your tee and polish off the last sip of coffee, here comes the awkward question. “What tees are you playing?” Remember, you are there to enjoy YOUR round. If you usually play the whites, play the whites! If you see a group of bombers playing the tips, DO NOT play the tips, unless you can hang. The threesome will be much more appreciative of you keeping the ball in play than grabbing another Noodle out of your pocket and topping your third into the bushes … again.
  
  
• Speaking of keeping things moving … pace of play, pace of play, pace of play. Set the precedent early that you are going to be playing quickly and not holding anyone up. Look around … there are no rules officials nearby. Nobody cares what you shoot or how many gimmes you scrape up. Nobody (and I mean nobody) wants to watch you grind over a three-footer for quad. Pick it up and move to the next hole.
  
  
• Conversationally engage, but don’t overstep. Organically, every group touches on the cliché tee box questions: “Where ya from? Play here often? What do you do for a living?” Aside from those, try your best to keep to yourself. Nobody wants to hear your life story or what you shot last weekend.
  
  
• Bad shots and frustration are a big part of this beautiful game. Throwing a tantrum or slamming clubs doesn’t make you look cool. You are not on tour, so don’t ruin the experience for the three you are with. Odds are, they are recording you and posting to social media.
  
  
• Most importantly, and I know we have harped on this several times, but enjoy yourself. You took time out of your day and money out of your wallet to be there. Being the single is fun and intimidating all at the same time. But at the end of the day, you can walk away and never talk to those three again. You can’t beat that!