Fabulous Foxhills was the venue for the British Open Speedgolf Championships taking the event to Surrey for the first time. Thanks to David Wyborn and his team the championship Longcross course was in tip top condition.

This stunning course is demanding for regular golfers with the pro shop confirming it is difficult for scratch players to shoot PAR on this course. The International field included players from New Zealand, USA, Finland, France, Germany and the UK. Normally an average round here can take over four hours, but today things were at a blistering pace with an incredible mix of athleticism and golfing ability on show with five players finishing 18 holes in under 50 minutes. Scorers followed each player in a buggy to record strokes and any penalties. Players had to contend with the added pressure of a running Start and Finish which characterises this British Speedgolf event.

Jamie Reid took the championship title with a superior pace over his rivals; he shot a nine-over-par 81 in just 40 minutes and 57 seconds to post his Speedgolf Score of 121.57. Astonishingly, he did so without using a conventional putter or golf bag to save weight and completed his round with just three clubs: a four-iron, seven-iron and pitching wedge.

Defending champion Chris Benians, meanwhile, shot an outstanding two-over-par 74 in just under 50 minutes (123.59) for second place ahead of reigning world champion, Mikko Rantanen from Finland, who also shot 74 in 51.07.

In other categories Kathy Leppard won the women’s division, whilst newcomer Chris Fenn scooped the amateur title and also took the senior’s trophy. In many Speedgolf tournaments around the world, those who take the plunge to compete for the first time find themselves at the top of the leaderboard.

Other notable performances were from George Boxall who completed his 18 holes in just shy of 43 minutes and PGA Pro Luke Melling who finished in under 50 minutes in his first Speedgolf tournament; very impressive. Whilst the running order always reflects the anticipated fastest out first, there is always the chance to ‘hunt down’ the player ahead and this year a couple of players managed to do so. Heading up the Style stakes was Luke Willett, sporting his Bunker Mentality kit he made sure he would make an impression!

HUTC captured the action with footage from of the tournament reaching news bulletins across the globe even airing on 9 News in Sydney!

Check out our video vault for a short cut of the action from the championship.

Also on hand were photographers Mike and David, Enjoy our photo slideshow and get inspired!

Hard at work behind the scenes were Foxhills event organiser Jazzmin Gallimore-Cox and all our volunteer scorers, it was a challenge for them keeping pace in buggies alongside some of the players! A Speedgolf score combines the total shots taken (plus any penalty shots) added to the time to complete the entire 18 hole round and George Potts did a fantastic job co-ordinating the results.

Vice President Dee Shah was on hand to present the trophies and awards and he witnessed a full round as scorer for Steve Jeffs.

One of the most remarkable things about this event was the superb sportsmanship on show as well as the camaraderie amongst players, where seasoned Speedgolfers share their knowledge with new players. This ‘Speedgolf spirit’ exudes from our hard working committee of Chris, George, Luke and Steve who were essential in delivering another successful British Speedgolf Open.

Chris Fitt, director of golf and leisure at Foxhills, summed up saying: “It was a pleasure to host the event and congratulations to Jamie and to everyone else who took part. These golfers are amazing athletes and it’s a worthy sport in its own right.”

Sweetwoods Park was a superb host to the British Speedgolf Pairs Championship. Despite the slightly chilly, grey summer’s morning the course was in splendid condition and the rain held off, just!

This parkland course was demanding physically, due to its undulating elevation on this PAR 72 course. Conditions were challenging with blustery winds and the heavy rain that had pummelled the location in the previous 24 hours.

Fastest Foursomes

 The British Speedgolf Pairs championship use a Foursome format (single ball, alternate shot) which meant the pace of play was determined by the slower of the pair, with communication and teamwork essential. Pairs carried up to seven clubs each in their bid for glory and each was set off at six-minute intervals with the aim to bring home the lowest Speedgolf Score; this is a combination of the time taken to complete the course plus golf strokes. Scorers followed each pair in a buggy to record strokes and any penalties.

This faster foursome championship was no ‘run in the park’ particularly with the uphill running start and sprint finish after sinking their final putt. Playing off the Yellow tees the course was still 6097 yards so every pair got a fitness workout too.  The challenge in Speedgolf Pairs is always seeking that sweet spot of optimum pace whilst retaining golf accuracy.

Amateur golfer George Boxall and West Kent PGA Pro Tom Roberts narrowly defended their title; they finished their 18 hole round on this hilly course in just 49 minutes and 28 seconds shooting 82, giving the pair a Speedgolf Score of 131:28. Runners up were another Pro/Am partnership of Chris Benians and Steve Jeffs who shot 1 stroke more and were just 19 seconds slower, giving them a Speedgolf score of 133:17. All the volunteer scorers who play traditional golf at Sweetwoods Park found this pace and time totally unbelievable, as typically their rounds would be 4 -5 hours.

Mixed Pairs Success

 The field also included mixed pairs with some new players to Speedgolf who took the plunge in their first Speedgolf tournament.  Mariette Hilborne and Alex Edwards, a newbie, took top honours and completed their 18 holes in just over 55 minutes. The only concession for the women of the mixed pairs was that they played from the red tees.

The camaraderie that characterises Speedgolf events was in abundance and fun was the order of the day. Golf Vlogger Lloydigolf took the plunge and competed with Sweetwoods inspirational Ladies Captain Tracy Poulsom. Simply don’t miss the Lloyds video, now playing in our Video Vault, its inspiring and entertaining! Also check out the BBC News piece too!

Congratulations to our champions

Winners: Georg Boxall and Tom Roberts (defending champions) 82 strokes in 49 minutes and 28 seconds = Speedgolf Score 131:28

Runners up: Chris Benians and Steve Jeffs 83 strokes in 50 minutes and 17 seconds = Speedgolf Score 133:17

Mixed Pairs Winners: Mariette Hilborne and Alex Edwards; 86 strokes in 55 minutes and 17 seconds = Speedgolf Score 141:34

Enjoy our photo slideshow and get inspired!

Turning Stone Resort was a stunning venue for the prestigious 2018 World Speedgolf Championships. This resort had splendid resources, not least an indoor practice area set amongst this golfing resort and casino.

Nearly all of the top Speedgolfers from around the globe assembled for one thing, to gain that elusive World Speedgolf Championship title.

Despite the amazing new Shenendoah Course, weather conditions were far from perfect. The course was saturated after unprecedented rainfall and temperatures were low, most competitors played a very cold round reaching only up to 10° C at its maximum. Woollen hats rather than golf caps were the order of the day but this did not dampen the Speedgolf spirit and hunger for success. Players were set off at intervals with the amateur divisions and women going out ahead of the men’s top flight open event.

Mikko Rantanen set the bar high early on shooting 1 under PAR in just 55 minutes and 28 seconds giving him a Speedgolf Score of 126:28 and this was to prove unbeatable.

Britain’s George Boxall made a valiant effort and came home 2^nd fastest overall. The fastest time went to New Zealand’s Jamie Reid, a rising star of the sport,  who finished in 47 minutes and 29 seconds whist shooting 79 to give him a Speedgolf score of 126:29 just 1 second separately him with the winner. Such is the nature and intrigue of Speedgolf that pits pace over accuracy to produce an exhilarating sport that is not easy to predict. Britain’s Chris Benians shot another amazing round to secure 3^rd place, a pleasure to see such consistency in the sport.  Finland, New Zealand and the UK took the top 3 places breaking the dominance of the US at past World Championships. Interestingly 5 nations were represented in the Top 10 places which is amazing for the continued growth of the sport, with newcomers France and the Netherlands set to hold events in 2019.

Lauren Cupp became the new World Women’s Speedgolf Champion. Our own Mariette Hilborne ,who as a French national represented France, had a tournament best score narrowing missing the Bronze coming in 4^th. Up against players who live and work golf with much lower handicaps she did amazingly well and just shows what an enthusiastic amateur can achieve.  Speedgolf  really needs more women to step up to the Speedgolf challenge and make their mark in global sport.

There were plenty of other amazing results; too many to mention so please check the full scores here.

Rome Country Club was this year’s host to the US Speedgolf Open. Scheduled back to back against the World Championships, it drew an international field.

With nearly a week of rain ahead of the event, conditions were challenging with areas of the course still saturated if not waterlogged. Despite this and the cold conditions 37 entrants took their turn at the start area for a day of Speedgolf thrills. There were various categories to suit all abilities including a 9 hole option for novices.

In the blue ribboned event, British hopes got off to a splendid start with George, last year’s runner up, finishing 18 holes in a staggering 42 minutes and 42 seconds which would prove to be the fastest time of the tournament.  On the day, his golf accuracy could not match his pace and he finished a very respectable 7^th.

Chris Benians had an amazing round shooting 3 under in 49 minutes and 16 seconds, a feat only matched by a couple of others in major competitions and this unsurprisingly took him to the top of the Leaderboard  – Click here for scores 2018 US Speedgolf Championships.

However, in a departure from most Speedgolf tournaments the US Speedgolf Open had a sprintgolf style playoff for the Top 4 and scores from round 1 were ditched for the 6 hole by hole sprintgolf playoff. Unfortunate timing meant that Chris had to start this playoff shortly after his 18 hole round and after playing a couple of holes withdrew over fears of injury, a risk he was not looking to take ahead of the World Championships a few days later. The playoffs continued with Wes Cupp, Jamie Reid and Jason Hawkins, but it was Wes Cupp who finished triumphant.

In the Women’s event Lauren Cupp made it a double home win for Rome County Club securing the win scoring 84 in 54 minutes and 24 seconds (SGS = 138:27). Other notable wins were for Micka Randriana from France who took top honours in the amateur 25-49 age and  Larry Levinson in the 50 -59 age group.

A cool but bright autumn morning greeted competitors at the British Open Speedgolf Championships. The Course at Piltdown Golf Club was in splendid condition and even more striking since the bloom of the heather that gave a purple pink hue to the course. Despite having no sand bunkers, this course is challenging for golf, the heather is the main hazard where golf balls quickly disappear out of sight.

This year included an International field with players from Australia, New Zealand, France and the USA. The Championship opens with an appropriate running start with competitors set off individually at 6 minute intervals. Normally an average round here can take four hours, but today things were much, much faster with the top 3 placed men finishing 18 holes in under 50 minutes, golf at full throttle!

The fastest players were set off first, to give all the optimum chance for a clear round. Playthroughs are part of the fabric of Speedgolf tournaments and some like the thrill of ‘hunting down’ the person in front. This athletic format is an adrenalin filled sport, but the challenge is balancing optimum pace whilst retaining golf performance. The course was in splendid order, but proved harder than last year, due to the super fast greens, which caught out even the PGA Pros. Putting, is especially hard in Speedgolf whilst controlling an elevated heart rate, so it was no surprise that putting this year bumped up the golf strokes.

A Speedgolf score combines the total shots taken (plus any penalty shots) added to the time to complete the entire 18 hole golf round. In the main Men’s championship, the Top Flight, it was an intense battle for the title, the margin between the top three was very tight but Chris Benians did enough to defend his 2017 title and seal the victory;  he shot a round of 80 in just over 43 minutes giving him a Speedgolf Score of 123:21.  Runner up was Australian PGA Pro James McMaster, he only started playing Speedgolf this year but is already hooked and challenging those at the top of this sport.

Chris Benians

In the Ladies division, defending champion Elizabeth Taylor was overwhelmed by Liz Mckinnon who is a Golf Pro and seasoned Speedgolfer from New Zealand. Liz shot 76 in 50 mins 41 seconds giving her a Speedgolf Score of 126:41. Liz is trailblazing this faster golf format proving that women too can pick up the pace; indeed she was only marginally off the men’s pace. Runner up was Mariette Hilborne whose sprint finish on the 18^th left the men in awe.

Liz McKinnon

In Speedgolf, it is passion and the thrill of the challenge that drives success; there was no prize purse for the winners but something far more valuable, the accolade of becoming a British Speedgolf Champion. Speedgolf is much more physically demanding than traditional golf, but also delivers greater fitness benefits.

Great golf is at the heart of Speedgolf so it was no surprise that the most accomplished golfers prevailed. However, slightly less experienced Speedgolfers in the Amateur class and tournament first-timers in the Novice class are catching up fast and the best way to improve is to play more Speedgolf, put simply Hit, Run, Repeat!

West Kent Golf Club played host to the Inaugural British Speedgolf Championships, the first dedicated Speedgolf Pairs Championship anywhere. Golf fever was running high across the land as 22 July marked finals day at The Open in Carnoustie. It was also set to be one of the hottest days of the year. The 18 hole undulating course was in superb condition, despite the heat wave and parched conditions which has characterised large portions of the UK this July.  This faster golf challenge was no ‘run in the park’; in particular the fast greens wrecked havoc on the short game. The early 7.10 am start proved essential for cooler play, but competitors still traversed their round in temperatures approaching 24° degrees.

Winning pair amateur golfer George Boxall and West Kent Assistant Pro Tom Roberts embraced home advantage but finished their 18 hole round on this hilly course in just 41 minutes and 6 seconds shooting 81, giving the pair a Speedgolf Score of 122:06. Many who play traditional golf would find this speed and pace totally unbelievable.  Despite this, the pair were a little disappointed with shooting 10 over PAR, having missed putts that would normally have been sunk.

Runners Up were Chris Benians and Jamie Fowler who shot an impressive 79 in 47 minutes and 57 seconds; Speedgolf Score 126:57. As is the case with most recent Speedgolf Tournaments across the globe, there is little room to manoeuvre at the top!

The field also included mixed pairs which was great to see, as was some new players to Speedgolf who took the plunge in their first Speedgolf tournament.

Speedgolf in the UK now looks ahead to the British Open Speedgolf Championships, the most prestigious Speedgolf Event in Europe where entrants will complete 18 holes Solo within Top flight, Amateur, Novice and Women’s categories. If you want to take on a Faster Challenge in Golf, at Piltdown Golf Club on Sunday 9 September, there is still time to secure your place, registration will close mid August!

With the Australian Grand Prix track providing a fitting backdrop, Lee McCullagh and Liz McKinnon showed the precision, pace, poise, and driving ability that will be required to win the upcoming race to take out the men’s and women’s titles at the 2018 Australian Speedgolf Open at Albert Park Golf Course at the Australian Speedgolf Open.

29-year-old McCullagh, a two-handicapper from Bendigo in Victoria with a 5km PB of 16 minutes, shot 80 in 47 minutes and 26 seconds despite the  hot, windy conditions in Melbourne. This score narrowly edged out Richard Olsen, the 2016 New Zealand Speedgolf Open champion and former elite 1500m runner. Remarkably, this was McCullagh’s first speedgolf event. One suspects it may not be his last.

New Zealand went one better in the women’s event, which saw former Ladies European Tour professional Liz McKinnon record a massive PB en route to victory. She navigated the challenging conditions beautifully to record a round of 77 in 51:32.

Liz plays speedgolf regularly at Remuera Golf Club, where New Zealand Golf is now based, and is seeing the sport growing across the ditch.

PGA professional James McMaster from Drummond Golf in Canberra finished a creditable fifth – shooting 79 in 52:13 in a round that included two chip-ins in his very first Speedgolf tournament – one to watch for sure for the future!

Reid takes title by just 21 seconds; Women’s title goes to Susan Farron 

 The 2018 TORO New Zealand Speedgolf Open was played at the impressive Windross Farm course producing one of the closest finishes the sport has seen. Former Taranaki representative Jamie Reid won his first national title by just 21 seconds over NZ PGA professional Josh Longney, illustrating just how important it is to still put a good golf score together while running at a quick pace.

Reid started the final day in third place, 10 seconds behind Longney and one minute and 23 seconds behind overnight leader American world #2, Wes Cupp. Reid continued his consistent golf with a repeat score of 77 but his run time of 45 minutes and 25 seconds was the fastest of the day and proved to be the difference in catching and passing both Longney and Cupp.

The format combines gross score plus the time to play and the Windross Farm course proved to be an ideal venue. During the two days the lead changed regularly with the top three finishing within a total of 3 points, with golf scores and running times very similar.

Susan Farron, the former President of the NZ PGA, was a very welcome entry to the championship. A former tour player and now marathon runner, Farron was competing in her first Speedgolf tournament. Golf scores of 79 and 78, completed in 56 and 57 minutes, was good enough to win the women’s championship by five points over visiting American Lauren Cupp.

Thirty-nine enthusiastic speedgolfers started the competition, which featured three Americans, four Australians, six women and four professional golfers. Phil Aickin, both competitor and tournament director for the weekend, scored 75, 77 averaging 59 minutes to win the over 50 division. The supportive and family atmosphere was also something to celebrate!

Here is a great highlights video from the event courtesy of Golf New Zealand

Men’s Championship

1. 245.43 Jamie Reid 77 – 46’18” 77 – 45’25”

2. 246.04 Josh Longney 78 – 45’08” 77 – 45’56”

3. 248.03 Wes Cupp 76 – 45’55” 79 – 47’48”

Women’s ’ Championship

1. 269.11 Susan Farron 79 – 55’56” 78 – 56’55”

2. 274.13 Lauren Cupp 85 – 56’29” 78 – 54’44”

3. 281.04 Renee Fowler 77 – 63’19” 77 – 63’45”