First fivesome

Me, Gary Bell (green jacket), Daniel Berner (behind), Mike Clark, Brandon Siurek (beard)

I JEDgolfed alone for 22 years... and all of the sudden people wanna try it.

Today, Gary Bell brought Mike Clark and Brandon Siurek to join Daniel Berner and I for a 18 holes at Wicker Park. I told everyone on the tee the general rules - no practice swing, walk briskly, get used to people moving to their balls and hitting while you're hitting, the "two balls" rule, and so on. Brandon's a really good golfer. He kept hitting the ball about 190 yards with his 7 iron. That's a little out of range. I figure that to find your ball quickly and to cut down on zizzagging across the fairway (which takes up more time), you want to hit the ball on average about 150-160 yards.

I truly enjoyed playing JEDgolf with other people... as much as I've always considered it a solitary activity. Hundreds of times I would be walking or running up fairways in the snow or in the blistering heat, and I would think - "There's really no peace for like playing JEDgolf - ALONE." After the past couple of weeks, in which eight new people have played JEDgolf with me, I'm starting to come around to the idea that you can also enjoy playing it with other people. 

As a matter of fact, I was driving the mile or so over to Wicker Memorial Park golf course in Highland, Indiana, with my daughter's boyfriend, Daniel Berner, and I told him - "This will be perfect. There'll be three of us. I really don't like to play JEDgolf with more than three people. Too slow."

So I was surprised when I showed up and there were three other dudes standing there. It gets a little busy on the green when five guys are putting at the same time.... but we got better at it as the round went on. 

JEDgolfers: 5
Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes for 18 holes
Best stroke score: Brandon Siurek. 43 on front. 39 on back. 82 total. 
Walking or running JEDgolf?: Walking only.

Brandon Siurek's JEDgolf score: 82 strokes plus 100 minutes = 182. Nice round. 

Brandon and Mike Clark pledged to play again, perhaps at Centennial Golf Club in Munster. Gary Bell has played with me several times now and will no doubt again. JEDgolf fits Bell's personality. He's a highly driven lawyer who gets entirely impatient during snail golf. Walking briskly, he is a much better golfer and happier man.

Daniel Berner, who lives in New York City, pledged to take the game to Shelter Island, New York, where his family vacations. Daniel said he'll try to get his mom and dad, Lenore and Danny,  to try it at the private club on Shelter Island.