By KEVIN WUZZARDO
The Red & Black

What happens if you put Tiger Woods and Michael Johnson together?

Besides another gazillion-dollar endorsement deal from Nike, you might wind up with someone like Jay Larson.

Larson is the founder of the International Speed Golf Association, a group of runner/golfers who can play a round of golf in less than an hour and still be at or near par.

"I formed the ISGA in January of this year," Larson said. "There had been several events, and I had been involved in them, and the interest was there. So I formed this organization and started putting on events, and the media came, and the people came and this thing’s all over the country now."

On Thursday, Larson and fellow speed golfers Tim Scott and Christopher Smith visited the more than 7,000-yard long University Golf Course and showed the No. 2 Georgia men’s golf team what speed golf is all about.

Seniors Justin Bolli, Mark Northey and Jeremy Parrott, junior Michael Parrott and sophomore Nick Cassini were up to the challenge.

The three pros played six holes each with the Bulldogs switching off after every three holes. The score in speed golf is calculated by adding the number of strokes it takes to play 18 holes plus the time.

Shortly after 8 a.m., the race was on.

8:05:49: Scott tees off for ISGA and sprints down to his spotter/caddie on the first fairway.

8:10:26: Michael Parrott starts things off for the Bulldogs.

8:26:20: Larson runs up the ninth fairway. "Lost a little fitness here lately," he says to a passing golf cart.

8:27:23: Larson shoots a three on No. 9. ISGA finishes the front nine in 21:34.

8:33:40: The Parrotts and Northey complete the front nine in 23:14.

8:53:49: Smith taps in on No. 18. ISGA shoots 7-over-par 79 in 48 minutes for a score of 127:00.

8:59:24: Michael Parrott finishes the round. The Bulldogs shoot 11-over-par 83 in 48:58 for a score of 131:58.

Afterward, Georgia coach Chris Haack noted that the pros usually play the whole course on their own. In fact, Larson once shot a 72 in 39 minutes.

"Can you go 18 by yourself?" Haack asked his players.

"Hell no!" Northey answered.

Still, the players were impressed.

"The 39 minutes, I could not believe," Jeremy Parrott said. "But, doing it by yourself in 40 minutes? That’s pretty tough. I don’t know how many miles a golf course is."

Overall, the Georgia players said they enjoyed their experience and wouldn’t mind trying it again sometime.

"I don’t know about (doing it) regularly, but something every once in a while," Cassini said. "It’s fun. You get some exercise, and it’s a different way to look at the game."

Despite the fun, the players admitted the fast-paced round was tough, especially when it came time to putt.

"I think the toughest part was gathering yourself before you shot," Michael Parrott said. "It’s a totally different feeling when you’re standing over the ball with your heart rate racing."

Haack has no plans to make speed golf part of the Bulldogs practice regimen, especially considering he said he could probably only play one hole himself. He did like what he saw in the exhibition, though.

"Well, we need to be a little faster," Haack kidded. "I thought it was just a great experience for these guys to see a game in a whole different perspective. I think they certainly have an appreciation for the conditioning of these other guys, and that’s what you want them to see, and have fun and just enjoy what their doing."