This is a long explanation for a short question.
Like many of you, I rarely have time for 18 at this point in my life. (3 little kids).
When some one asks how good a golfer I am, I feel dumb telling them I shot a fifty something the other day, cause naturally they will juat double that and assume you can't break a hundred. The last time I got in 18 however was 2 weeks ago in a rushed state after work and I did 12 strokes better on the back nine than the front. And you often hear a guy say he shot a 85 or 90 somewhere but emphasizes what he did on the back nine to let you know he coulda shot near par if he was warmed up from the get go.

Anyways, currently I sneak away for a quick nine with my neighbor every weekend (just long enough before my wife kills one of the kids lol), and I can get in 9 by myself after work once a week no problem.

So where was I? Oh yeah, the simple question would be can I play 2 balls when I'm alone on nine and simply add the score of both to see if I can indeed break a hundo (or soon to be 90 I hope)?

I'm figuring the second ball would be a better score cause you would get the "do overs" on that shot so to speak, and thus get your lower score "viola" your back nine if you will.

Hmmmm. Just re-read that, and let me re-phrase the question, let's say you were a buddy of mine at work, and asked how I played em the night before, and I told you I hit a 95, but explained I used the 2 ball system on nine mentioned above, would you say that's legit, or assume I was cheating and should simply double the score of the first ball?
Thanx

Get a handicap. You can post 9 hole scores, it'll make the adjustments for you. That way you can tell someone acurately what your HC is. There's nothing wrong with saying, "I only got 9 in and shot XX." if someone is judging you based on your golf score, I wouldn't really care what they think about me. Chances are people that you are talking to about golf will play with you at some point or another and see for themselves.

As for playing the two balls, if you want to do that for practice and fun and it doesn't hold anyone up, then no problem. But you can't use it for scoring purposes, and you can't post any score for that 9 holes if you do have a handicap.

Just enjoy getting out whenever you can and don't worry so much about what others think. Just my .02.

I think I'd give you an odd look, say "Oh, that's nice.", and move along before I caught something contagious. Best is to say that you played nine and shot xx.

You can't do much about others assuming that because you shot 50 for nine you would shoot 100 for 18. If all you have time to do is to only play 9 (i.e. no time to warm up) then I think you have to accept that your scores will be higher than if you were able to hit some practice balls and putts before the round.

Don't worry about it. I only play 18 two or three times per year, but play 9 once or twice per week. If someone asks how I shot, I tell them 40, or 42, or whatever. No need to explain/excuse that you only played 9.

at our course we turn in combined scores from our 9 hole league. We play on the front one week and the back the next, then league admins combine your scores and it is turned in as such in the GHIN system.

You might try playing alternate nines if your course will allow you go off the front and back.

True....Unless you're like one I guy I used to run into at work who shot in the 60's....for 9 holes

Not bashing him, it just took us off guard at first to figure out what he meant. For a while we were about to tell him to give up his day job and go on tour.

thats a lot of zig-zagging around the golf course

You have NO Idea!! I actually played with him in a tournament (not partners just the same pairing) once and he shot 65 on the front nine. Think it couldn't get any worse???? Think again... 74 on the back. Don't ask me how he had enough golf balls to finish all 18 holes, he must have gone through two dozen easily that day.

Do anything you want to do, but in reality, 18 hole scores come from playing 18 holes.

Lot of different factors when playing 18:
- Some get fatigued and play worse on the back nine
- Some just get warmed up after nine and play stronger on the back
- Many 18 hole courses have nines of differing difficulty and or length.
- Weather conditions may change during the course of a full 18 hole round...

etc...

+2. If you look at my index many of my scores are combo's because I get home late each day and only normally have time for nine holes.