Rav gave malkus for a number of things that both Rashi and tosfos state is because of pritzus (there seems to be a machlokes exactly which instances listed would get makas mardus).
One of the things listed is “hamikadesh blo shiduchi”. Where is dating mentioned? Mikadesh does not mean dating. in fact, dating (or sitting in or bishowing or doing whatever it is you do in your neighborhood) would satisfy the requirement of not marrying someone blo shiduchi.