Written by John Critser, DeafNation Staff

As usual Jed was up early way before me or our guest, Mike Houston, because he runs a company (DeafNation, Inc), and he is accustomed to rising early for rounds of golf daily, so this morning was no different. Jed is both a businessman and a serious golfer, so it is not surprising that he has his priorities set straight, and particularly this morning he already had his adrenaline flowing like bubbles flowing from bottle of a Coca Cola while Houston and I were still half-awake.

After all it was the first day of the U.S. Deaf Golf Championships.

After the brief practice rounds before the U.S. Deaf Golf Championships, Jed chose 14 clubs, the maximum allowed by tournament rules, and he picked up his scorecard before he joined Keith Worek, a fellow USDGA player, and current 2009 USDGA President.

Arriving at Par 3, he discovered that to his dismay, the Pelican Lakes Golf Course officials changed the par, he expected a distance of 200 to 218 yards on all Par 3 holes.

“This morning, they moved them closer to the hole without advising us,” Jed lamented, “due to the official rule of playing with a limit of 14 clubs, I have to choose my irons, hybrids, and wedges wisely.”

Jed detailed, “The past two practice rounds, I played in a black tee for 200-218 yards in Par 3, and based on my practices, I decided to leave my 3 and 4-irons to play with 5 to PW and 4 wedges, including a driver, two hybrids, and of course my PUTTER!”

He was unable to hit all Par 3 holes because the the 14 clubs he had weren’t appropriate for the changes evidently made.

“It is time to dump one of my wedges to bring 4-iron back into my golf bag so I can control my game for all par 3 holes,” a defiant Jed said.

We did some twittering experimenting in preparation for next weeks DeafNation Golf Classic in Illinois (Silvis) but I kept getting into the golfers way. I am not a golfer and may stand out in a golf course like a sore thumb, but I realized how it goes after Worek explained “Put yourself in the golfer shoes, who do you see when you are putting?”

The learning experience will give the proper mindset to go into the next event twittering for DeafNation giving Jed and the players daily updates for everyone so they can keep track of their quest for the championship.

I was so fascinated seeing the tournament chairperson Joe Rourke wear classic golf “Knickers,” the golfing attire players wore in the 1930’s, his was not a makeshift outfit but a real Golf Knicker.

And he looked good in it, and a few minutes later after appraising him in his Knickers, I realized that in order to make the look of old school Knicker wear, you have to buy the right kind of socks and have everything Knicker style right down to the shoes, and Rourke was successful in portraying that look.

Knickers are expensive too, but Rourke stole the day when he said, “I am the Chairperson of this championship event but the tournament committee agreed that once play started, I will take my Knickers to the competition and resign from the Chairperson position so I can play.”

The former PGA player Payne Stewart pulled it off too without wearing a tie.

Maybe if Jed tries on some Knickers, it could restore his confidence on the golf course as he tries to finish at least in the top ten.

He has to do well the rest of the week right up to when awards are given out on banquet night.

Watch Jed’s shot on 10th hole (Course Layout)
http://www.vimeo.com/5587415