Chapter 1: FORE!!

It was a beautiful Saturday!

Jerry was on his way to play a round of golf at a new golf course, the Links of Tantalus. The course was about thirty miles west of Beverly Hills. He had gotten a flyer in the mail announcing the course's Grand Opening a week earlier, and he decided to take advantage of the offer.

As Jerry turned down the street to the clubhouse, he was quite surprised to see that the parking lot was only about fifteen percent full.

Must be too far out, considering the price of gas! Jerry thought to himself. No matter. He'd pretty much have the course to himself, which means he'd be able to live a golfer's dream – to be able to play a round of golf totally at his own pace, without him pushing the group in front of him to speed up play, or he being pushed by the group behind him, wanting him to speed up play. This was going to be perfect!

As Jerry parked his car, he unloaded his self-propelled golf bag-pullcart combo. He made sure his two video cameras were working properly on his pullcart: one focused on him taking the shot, and the other focused on the result. Their signal was crystal clear on his wallet communicator. This helped him analyze errant shots in real time - a great help to any golfer.

After paying for his round, Jerry asked the clubhouse attendant, "Is business always this slow?"

"So far. But that's because we just sent a ton of fliers out in yesterday's mail. Things will pick up, big time next week!"

"Really? I got a flyer last week!"

"That's surprising!" the attendant said. "I didn't know any got out early."

"Is there anyone else on the course?"

"Yep! A foursome teed off about an hour ago. They should be around the seventh or eighth hole by now. But that's it!"

"Thank you!"

"Have a great round!"

Jerry proceeded to the tee box of the par 4, 416 yard first hole, positioned his pullcart to video his swing and its result, and teed off. It was a beautiful drive, approximately 250 yards, smack in the middle of the fairway.

Excellent start! Jerry thought to himself.

And so his round went. Even though Jerry was a scratch golfer, he rarely played below par golf on a course, the first time he played it. But today seemed an exception. He had only bogied the par 5, 613 yard twelfth hole, and had birdied seven and ten, so he was one under, as he approached the tee box for the 207 yard, par three, seventeenth hole.

Hmmm! I'll have to use my driving iron for this hole! It's too long for my three iron! thought Jerry to himself.

The green was elevated around seven feet, so Jerry decided to hit his shot with as much backspin as possible, and hope he'd hold the green. He wouldn't be able to see the result of his shot until he got up to the green.

Jerry's tee shot looked good. It sailed toward the green, and looked to be right in the middle of it. But when Jerry got up to the green, he couldn't find his ball. He began searching around the green for it, until after about five minutes, he decided to check the hole.

Oh, Yeah, Jerry! Like YOU aced the hole! he thought to himself. But when he looked in the cup, there was his ball! Excitedly, Jerry reached to get it. I must write down the date, course and hole number on the ball, and keep it as a memento! My first hole-in-one!

But as Jerry lifted his ball out of the cup, he was overcome by knockout gas. The foursome that had teed off before him came over from the trees where they were watching, loaded Jerry into their golf cart, and took him away. Jerry's pullcart cameras continued to roll.