Why run, when you cannot hide? In the age of affordable and innovative surveillance, the majority of golf courses are equipped with the most effective security means to catch those who break the rules or skip out on paying green fees. Why would a golfer put themselves in a high risk situation where the consquences could range from being kindly escorted from the property to the subject of fines and criminal proceedings? The short answer is, running is the difference between winning and losing in the professional and sanctioned sport of Speedgolf.
Apparantly, the leisurely and graceful nuances comprising a typical golf round of four and a half hours are just too cumbersome for a rare breed of sporting indiviudals. For those lacking the patience and rigorous etiquette demanded by the tradional game, Speedgolf slashes 18 holes into rounds measured by minutes rather than hours. Surprisingly, scoring does not take a significant dive from par as the top players finish full rounds in under an hour while shooting in the 70’s. Each year, Speedgolf International (the tour’s motto is “Hit. Run. Repeat.”) hosts an official tournament attracting the best Speedgolfers on the planet.
Over the last decade, the frenetic derivative of the PGA has evolved into a legitimate competitive sport, and championship tournaments have been hosted at challenging venues such as Bandon Dunes and The Glen Club. In a typical round, speedgolfers sacrifice practice swings, reads and pauses for a drop in consistent scoring. Players carry a limited amount of clubs in a modified bag and jog or sprint between each shot. World champion Rob Hogan, who obviously owns a great pedigree in surname alone, has posted an 18 hole round score of 78 in just over 40 minutes. Hogan, an Irish native and a former professional of the traditional golfing tours has expanded his role as an ambassador for the sport to a global level with a tournament in New Zealand. Before engaging in a round of Speedgolf, it would be wise to alert your local Club pro or course marshall of your ambitious intentions.
VIDEO: Hogan Races Cruises Bandon Dunes