RACC - May 3rd Speed Golf Outing
Written By John Morton
What a Rush! It's Sunday and there's nothing like a Sunday late-afternoon nap.
So I turn on the Golf Channel, and I watch some guy in loud trousers approach his ball on the putting surface, frown at the ball, then frown at the hole, then frown at the gallery, because someone may have cleared their throat.
He takes a knee, stretches out his putter, aims carefully at the hole, and frowns some more. He rises, tosses a blade of grass into the air to determine the wind direction, only to kneel down again, repeating steps one through what seems like 1 million.
Meanwhile, an announcer with a fake Scottish accent whispers sweet nothings to the viewing audience. Things like, "He's such a perfectionist. He's so very thorough. He takes nothing for granted. This is why he's likely to make this 1-inch putt.
"Wait a minute, looks like he needs a ruling on this before he taps in."
"There appears to be an unauthorized acorn nearby and potential squirrel activity. We'll be back to the Vicks Nyquil Open at Sleepy Hollow after these 10 commercial messages for assorted Ford Trucks."
Meanwhile, am I annoyed?
Heck no, I'm asleep.
But thanks to some Oconomowoc guys, golf as a spectator sport has some hope. That's because a bunch of dads from Lake Country Lutheran just completed their first speed-golf outing at Paganica Gold Course.
It's the result of another great effort by fundraising superstar Cole Braun. This time, more than $2000 was raised for Childhood cancer. Next year, there will be so much more. This speed-golf thing will catch on.
Actually, the idea came from Jeff Knudtson, who about 10 years ago read an article about speed-golf. Its premise is simple: grab a few clubs and hit and run as fast as you can. The overall winner is determined by a combination of the best golf score and the fastest completion time.
So much for the key to good golf being not to rush one's self.
"I went out and tried it when I was a member of (the former Lac) La Belle (Country Club)," Knudtson said. "I had to sneak out there and do it when it was empty — sometime in November. There were snowflakes coming down."
On May 3 the event took place, with Paganica shutting down the first nine holes. Knudtson was first off the tee, toting only a 4-iron, 7-iron, pitching wedge and putter. He didn't burden himself with a bag, instead holding the club he'd use next in one hand and ditching the others to the ground as he was ready to swing away.
The golfers went out in two-somes, so the chance of being drilled in the bean by your partner was very real.
"You had to look over your shoulder, that's for sure," Knudtson said.
At the same time, you had to keep an eye on your ball while in a full sprint. A ball not immediately found is a kiss of death in such an event.
The first nine holes of the course may have been shut down, but 10 through 18 weren't and many run parallel to one another.
"You should have seen some of the looks I was getting — like I was nuts," Knudtson said. "After more guys ran past other golfers, I think they caught on."
What Knudtson had to catch on to was the fact he had to stop and line up his shot after a full blown sprint of as much as 200 yards. That's two football fields.
"I was huffing and puffing while standing over the ball", he said, "but I had to remember that the golf shots were just as important. If it was only about speed, I would have hit the ball on a dead run, like Happy Gilmore.
"All I know is that I wished Paganica had more par threes."
Knudtson had few mishaps on the "day" — the outing lasted all of 30 minutes for him — except for once running to the wrong tee box.
"Cole had the signs well posted, but I just lost my way," he said.
Next thing Knudtson knew, he was in the clubhouse with a top golf score of 41, good for $150. His entrance was $200.
Lake Country Lutheran basketball and cross country coach Mark Newman was announced as the overall winner when his score and speed were combined.
As for Knudtson, is his golf game now irrevocably messed up?
"Not at all," he said. "I golfed a few days later and had one of my best rounds. "I didn't think too much about my shots. Usually I dwell on everything far too much. I just walked up and hit the ball. I think the speed golf helped me." |
