Speedgolf has found its way to Michigan.
The combination of golf and running takes place on Tuesday and Saturday mornings at Indian Trails Golf Course in Grand Rapids.
"It is really exhilarating," speedgolfer Jonathan Joseph said. "It is really nice because normal golf you can have a lot of thoughts creep in, there is a lot of things that go into trying to hit a really good shot and with speed golf you really just don't have time. You're just trying to get to your ball and hit and move on to the next one."
The object is to get the ball in the hole in as few strokes as possible while running from shot-to-shot.
Add up your strokes and minutes to play to get your score.
"People that have come out to do it really enjoy it, it's somewhat addictive," Indian Trails Senior Greens Keeper Craig Kooienga said. "It's a really good workout and there is some nuances to speedgolf that are different from regular golf, you have to slow your heart rate down and gather yourself and hit a good shot after running and it's really fun."
Of course, you don't want a big bulky golf bag slowing you down while your are playing so speedgolfers use a smaller bag with usually only four or five clubs.
"I have five clubs," Joseph said. "A five-wood, a six-iron, a nine-iron, a fifty degree wedge and then a putter."
"I tried going without a putter a couple times and I was just putting with the bottom blade of my sand wedge," Kooienga said. "If you start missing three and four footers your score starts adding up and it becomes a little bit frustrating."
Indian Trails is the first course in Michigan to offer speedgolf, they just started doing it at the start of July.
Kooienga estimates he has done six times so far with 51 minutes as is his best time for 18 holes, he thinks he can do better.
"I'd like to break the 50-minute mark," Kooienga said. "We have had a number of people come out that have been in the 50's, I don't think anybody has broken 50 minutes yet so that is something that we are shooting for."
It is important to remember that speedgolf requires running clothes and not golf clothes, especially on these hot summer days.
