Speed Golf

[fixyurdivot]

So we've had numerous threads concerning the pace of play both on tour and during our rounds.  While doing a little interwebz hunting on statistics a couple weeks ago, I ran across these websites and had never heard of this golf format.  It really didn't surprise me that much as the younger generations seem to be creating variations on popular sport venues; lots of extreme type formats, and top golf, and disc golf for instance.  This "speed golf" looks to be a pretty well established but I'd not heard of it before - have you?  Is anyone on the forum playing this game or watched it being played?  

http://www.usaspeedgolf.com/

http://speedgolfinternational.com/

And, check out this video of the championship round in Chicago.  Is anyone else amazed at how well these guys are playing, particularly putting, after having sprinted down the fairway!  It certainly supports the argument that all this walking around on the green, viewing from every conceivable angle, is unnecessary. It would also be interesting to know what these finalist groups handicaps are during normal golf. 

 

[tommc23]

They did this on the adventures of golf and that was the first I heard of it. I could see guys like Shankster doing this incorporating running and golf two things they enjoy.

[SteddyGolf]

I did this before it had a name. While living in San Antonio my work day would normally end at 430. My boss and I would try to get in a round of golf prior to heading home. Rolling in the house after sunset was not an option. Since we had a course (military) minutes away we adapted a form of speed golf. Back then there were no speed golf bags so you could hear us coming from miles away. Hadn’t thought of that in years. Good times.


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[fixyurdivot]

52 minutes ago, SteddyGolf said:

I did this before it had a name. While living in San Antonio my work day would normally end at 430. My boss and I would try to get in a round of golf prior to heading home. Rolling in the house after sunset was not an option. Since we had a course (military) minutes away we adapted a form of speed golf. Back then there were no speed golf bags so you could hear us coming from miles away. Hadn’t thought of that in years. Good times.


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I had a Rocky Mountain lightening storm turn part of my round into speedgolf this past summer.   How did playing at this pace affect your scoring?  

[Canucklehead]

There's a guy at my course who is usually first out and he jogs with his push cart, not quite a run but definitely a good pace. Not sure his total time but I've seen him on adjacent fairways and is still hitting the ball quite well after 7-8 holes.

Would like to try it one day, but until then I'll enjoy my walk around the course

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[SteddyGolf]

I had a Rocky Mountain lightening storm turn part of my round into speedgolf this past summer.   How did playing at this pace affect your scoring?  

It didn’t really affect it at all. I was in crazy good shape so running at a moderate pace was not enough to stress me much


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[GB13]

I do this sometimes in the fall when it is really cold, because it is the only way to stay warm. It doesn't really affect my scoring much, and I could see myself doing it more but it gets so hot in the summer that it really isn't feasible. 

[fixyurdivot]

2 minutes ago, SteddyGolf said:

 

 

It didn’t really affect it at all. I was in crazy good shape so running at a moderate pace was not enough to stress me much


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Interesting.  As I stated, I'm quite amazed just how well these guys are playing while maintaining that pace. Most of the players are holding their bag and putting one handed, without a practice stroke - and still one and two putting!  We hear from some pros and golf instructors that spending excessive time studying and taking practice strokes is, ITO, counter productive. This might be a fun venue to try.  I hate stationary bikes and running - just too damn boring.  Smelly gyms/fitness centers don't do much for me either. Maybe this will catch on more and more and I'll try the "Kind of Old Wheezer's" group.

[Mr. 82]

If I can find a group locally that does this I'd like to give it a shot. I guess that's one of the reasons why I created my 5 club bag, to see if I could pull this off. I haven't ran in years, but I sure as heck know it couldn't hurt to do that again.

The one problem I can see with this is logistics. If you have a group playing speed golf, you'd have to have almost the entire course open in front of them to make it work. I mean, even if you had 9 holes open in front of you, if you can do speed golf in 90 minutes or less, even a standard foursome that needs 2+ hours for nine holes would get in the way if they were already on the back nine when the speed golfers started the first hole. So I guess you'd need to coordinate this with a local club to allow you out there when no one else was on the course, or open up the course for you first, and then let normal golfers out there after the speed golfers teed off.

So yeah, if anyone has any idea how the logistics of that works I'm all ears.

[GB13]

39 minutes ago, GSwag said:

If I can find a group locally that does this I'd like to give it a shot. I guess that's one of the reasons why I created my 5 club bag, to see if I could pull this off. I haven't ran in years, but I sure as heck know it couldn't hurt to do that again.

The one problem I can see with this is logistics. If you have a group playing speed golf, you'd have to have almost the entire course open in front of them to make it work. I mean, even if you had 9 holes open in front of you, if you can do speed golf in 90 minutes or less, even a standard foursome that needs 2+ hours for nine holes would get in the way if they were already on the back nine when the speed golfers started the first hole. So I guess you'd need to coordinate this with a local club to allow you out there when no one else was on the course, or open up the course for you first, and then let normal golfers out there after the speed golfers teed off.

So yeah, if anyone has any idea how the logistics of that works I'm all ears.

I'd say try and get the first tee time of the day. Book a week out so you have the first tee time and show up early and ready to go. 

Two days ago, my home course was empty cause it was raining and cold, I went out and played pseudo-speed golf. I finished my 18 hole round in 2 hours and shot 77. I could have played faster but I still took a little time over shots to use my GPS watch and did a quick read on putts. So, I think if I went with the intention of playing as fast as possible, I could finish in 1hr 45min.