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'''Speed Golf''' (also known as '''Extreme Golf''', '''Fitness Golf''' and '''Hit and Run Golf''') is a sport started in [[California]] in 1979 by American runner [[Steve Scott (athlete)|Steve Scott]] and which involves completing a [[golf course]] in the lowest combination of strokes and time. The sport is played in [[North America]], [[Europe]] and [[Japan]], and major tournaments are telecast by channels such as [[ESPN]] and [[The Golf Channel]].
'''Speed Golf''' (also known as '''Extreme Golf''', '''Fitness Golf''' and '''Hit and Run Golf''') is a sport which involves playing a round of golf in the lowest possible combination of strokes and time.


Thus shooting 90 on a golf course in 59 minutes and 30 seconds would compute to an overall speed golf score of 149:30.<ref name = SpeedgolfInternational/>
⚫
Players run between shots and generally carry as few as one or as many as six [[Golf club (equipment)|clubs]]. A player's score is calculated by adding minutes plus strokes, so a round of 90 completed in 50 minutes and 30 seconds would compute to a score of 140:30.<ref name = SpeedgolfInternational/> The lowest score in competition is believed to have been shot by professional Christopher Smith at the Chicago Speedgolf Classic on October 16, 2005. Smith shot 65 in just 44:06 for a speed golf score of 109:06.<ref name = SpeedgolfInternational>{{cite web | title = Speedgolf International | url = http://www.speedgolfinternational.com/results.htm | publisher = Speedgolf International | accessdate = December 25, 2007}}</ref>


==Rules==
⚫
The oldest known speed golf tournament is the Broc-n-Bob which has been held each September in Minneapolis since 1998. Perhaps the premier competition is held each spring at Bandon Dunes in Bandon, OR.
Rules and etiquette are generally the same for speed golf and regular golf with minor exceptions<ref name="mygolfspy" /><ref name = SpeedgolfInternational/>.


Rules and etiquette are generally the same for speed golf and regular golf with minor exceptions. Speed golfers are allowed to putt with the flagstick left in the hole, but are expected to rake bunkers, fix ball marks and conform to the dress code. A typical 18 hole course requires roughly five miles of running.
* In the interest of time, you are allowed to putt with the flagstick left in the hole.
* Unless otherwise told by a tournament committee, speed golfers are expected to rake bunkers, fix ball marks and conform to normal golf course dress code. Although, most speed golfers will wear running shoes instead of golf shoes.
⚫
Speed Golf is sometimes contrasted with [[Cross-country BigBall]], in which players use soccer balls and baseball bats to reach a goal. Because the course and goals are chosen by the participants, Cross-country BigBall etiquette varies depending on whether the theater is a wooded or residential area. <ref name=ccbb>{{cite web | title = Cross-country BigBall Association | url=http://www.crosscountrybigball.com/}}</ref> Both sports require substantial physical stamina.
* In the case of a lost ball or one that is hit out of bounds, players are permitted to play it like a lateral hazard because it was thought to be too severe of a penalty to have to also be penalized the additional time to run back to where the original shot was played.


Aside from the normal 14-club maximum, there is no rule about how many clubs you are allowed to bring. However, players typically carry 4-7 [[Golf club (equipment)|clubs]].
Fitness and time savings are obvious benefits of Speed Golf. However, many players also report improved golf, typically shooting nearly the same scores despite running and using only a few clubs. Crowded courses are not conducive to play, so many Speed Golfers head out at the crack of dawn or during the cold days of winter when empty courses await and the temperature is suited for running.


==History==
⚫
Speed Disc Golf is similar in concept and rules to speed golf.
The sport was believed to have been started in 1979 [[California]] when former American record holder in the mile (3:47.69 in 1982) [[Steve Scott (athlete)|Steve Scott]] ran around a golf course in 29 minutes and 30 seconds shooting a 95 with only a 3-iron<ref name="mygolfspy" />.


After hearing about Steve Scott, a former Ironman triathlete and teaching pro named Jay Larson became the person who many considered the top speed golfer of the 1990s. Larson once shot a 75 in 39 minutes and 9 seconds on a 6,500 course with a slope rating of 125 (using the old rules of speed golf where you could have a caddy in a cart riding out in front of you carrying your clubs and calling out distances as you approached the ball)<ref name="mygolfspy" />.
⚫
==References==

⚫
{{Reflist}}
Towards the end of the 1990s, in an effort to help promote the sport, Oregonians and speed golfers Tim Scott (a former teaching pro turned school teacher) and Jim Kosciolek (a Chicago-based lawyer) founded a company called Speed Golf International<ref name="mygolfspy" />.

The sport is now played in [[North America]], [[Europe]] and [[Japan]], and major tournaments are telecast by channels such as [[ESPN]], [[CBS]], and [[The Golf Channel]].

==Benefits==
Fitness and time savings are obvious benefits of Speed Golf.

However, many players also report improved golf, typically shooting nearly the same scores despite running and using only a few clubs.

==Where to Play==
Crowded courses are not conducive to play, so many Speed Golfers will reserve the first tee time of the day, start playing in the last hour before sunset, loop holes on a golf course where there are gaps in play, or play on colder days when the courses are less crowded and is not too hot for running<ref name="mygolfspy" />.

==Tournaments==
⚫
The oldest known speed golf tournament is the Broc-n-Bob which has been held each September in Minneapolis since 1998.

Throughout the 2000s there were various competitions held throughout the United States, many of which were held at Bandon Dunes in Bandon, OR.

More information about current and upcoming tournaments can be found at Speed Golf International<ref name = SpeedgolfInternational/>.

==Inaugural World Championships==
The inaugural Speed Golf World Championships were held October 20-21, 2012 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, OR on the Old MacDonald Course (October 20th) and the Bandon Dunes Course (October 21st) <ref>http://www.bandondunesgolf.com/blog/bandon-dunes-host-inaugural-speedgolf-world-championships</ref><ref name="mygolfspy" />.

Results in the Pro/Elite division were as follows for the 15 Professionals competing for the $50,000 purse<ref>http://theworldlink.com/sports/new-pro-wins-world-speedgolf-title/article_2d0cb9d8-1c75-11e2-83a5-0019bb2963f4.html</ref><ref name = SpeedgolfInternational/>:

# Chris Walker, 263:28 (77-53:29; 76-56:29)
# Tim Scott, 264:47 (81-52:21; 80-51:26)
# Tim Hval, 266:20 (74-59:33; 74-58:47)
# Christopher Smith, 268:24 (73-58:33; 78-58:51)
# [[Jaacob Bowden]], 270:18 (75-61:06; 78-56:12)
# Todd Killingsworth, 272:39 (86-56:24; 75-55:15)
# Robert Hogan, 272:39 (94-44:00; 92-43:05)
# Gretchen Johnson(am), 273:38 (84-55:19; 79-55:19)
# Michael Chupka Jr., 274:26 (79-63:00; 75-57:26)
# Kris Moe, 279:11 (72-64:24; 80-62:47)
# Jeff Simonds, 280:30 (80-58:08; 84-58:22)
# Arno Lindsberger, 288:53 (99-48:37; 100-41:16)
# Brandon Carter, 291:25 (85-64:14; 82-60:11)
# Kyle Warren, 304:15 (79-67:41; 83-74:34)
# Paul Gorman, 310:42 (89-70:39; 85-66:03)

There was also an group of 45 amateurs who competed in a 1-day only competition on October 21st on the Bandon Dunes Course. The amateur division featured various age groups that included 24 and under, 25-39, 40-49, and 50 and over.

A 30-minute special about the World Championships will air on CBS before the 3rd round of the 2013 Masters <ref name="mygolfspy">http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/7460-speed-golf-18-holes-in-under-an-hour/</ref><ref>http://smarterpodcasts.com/golfsmarter/?p=1957</ref>.

==Guinness World Record==
⚫
The lowest score in competition is believed to have been shot by professional Christopher Smith at the Chicago Speedgolf Classic on October 16, 2005. Smith shot 65 in just 44:06 for a speed golf score of 109:06.<ref name = SpeedgolfInternational>{{cite web | title = Speedgolf International | url = http://www.speedgolfinternational.com/results.htm | publisher = Speedgolf International | accessdate = December 25, 2007}}</ref><ref name="mygolfspy" /><ref>http://www.christophersmithgolf.com"></ref>

==Related Sports==
⚫
Speed Golf is sometimes contrasted with [[Cross-country BigBall]], in which players use soccer balls and baseball bats to reach a goal. Because the course and goals are chosen by the participants, Cross-country BigBall etiquette varies depending on whether the theater is a wooded or residential area. <ref name=ccbb>{{cite web | title = Cross-country BigBall Association | url=http://www.crosscountrybigball.com/}}</ref> Both sports require substantial physical stamina.

⚫
Speed Disc Golf is similar in concept and rules to speed golf.

The biathlon (skiing and shooting a rifle) is also sometimes compared to speed golf.


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.speedgolfinternational.com Speed Golf International]
*[http://www.speedgolfinternational.com Speed Golf International]
*[http://www.hitandrungolf.com HitandRunGolf.com]
*[http://www.hitandrungolf.org HitandRunGolf.org]
*[http://www.earthartist.com/community/openspace/design2.html A golf course designed specifically for Speed Golf]
*[http://www.earthartist.com/community/openspace/design2.html A golf course designed specifically for Speed Golf]

⚫
==References==
⚫
{{Reflist}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Speed Golf}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Speed Golf}}

Revision as of 11:50, 7 December 2012

Speed Golf (also known as Extreme Golf, Fitness Golf and Hit and Run Golf) is a sport which involves playing a round of golf in the lowest possible combination of strokes and time.

Thus shooting 90 on a golf course in 59 minutes and 30 seconds would compute to an overall speed golf score of 149:30.[1]

Rules

Rules and etiquette are generally the same for speed golf and regular golf with minor exceptions[2][1].

  • In the interest of time, you are allowed to putt with the flagstick left in the hole.
  • Unless otherwise told by a tournament committee, speed golfers are expected to rake bunkers, fix ball marks and conform to normal golf course dress code. Although, most speed golfers will wear running shoes instead of golf shoes.
  • In the case of a lost ball or one that is hit out of bounds, players are permitted to play it like a lateral hazard because it was thought to be too severe of a penalty to have to also be penalized the additional time to run back to where the original shot was played.

Aside from the normal 14-club maximum, there is no rule about how many clubs you are allowed to bring. However, players typically carry 4-7 clubs.

History

The sport was believed to have been started in 1979 California when former American record holder in the mile (3:47.69 in 1982) Steve Scott ran around a golf course in 29 minutes and 30 seconds shooting a 95 with only a 3-iron[2].

After hearing about Steve Scott, a former Ironman triathlete and teaching pro named Jay Larson became the person who many considered the top speed golfer of the 1990s. Larson once shot a 75 in 39 minutes and 9 seconds on a 6,500 course with a slope rating of 125 (using the old rules of speed golf where you could have a caddy in a cart riding out in front of you carrying your clubs and calling out distances as you approached the ball)[2].

Towards the end of the 1990s, in an effort to help promote the sport, Oregonians and speed golfers Tim Scott (a former teaching pro turned school teacher) and Jim Kosciolek (a Chicago-based lawyer) founded a company called Speed Golf International[2].

The sport is now played in North America, Europe and Japan, and major tournaments are telecast by channels such as ESPN, CBS, and The Golf Channel.

Benefits

Fitness and time savings are obvious benefits of Speed Golf.

However, many players also report improved golf, typically shooting nearly the same scores despite running and using only a few clubs.

Where to Play

Crowded courses are not conducive to play, so many Speed Golfers will reserve the first tee time of the day, start playing in the last hour before sunset, loop holes on a golf course where there are gaps in play, or play on colder days when the courses are less crowded and is not too hot for running[2].

Tournaments

The oldest known speed golf tournament is the Broc-n-Bob which has been held each September in Minneapolis since 1998.

Throughout the 2000s there were various competitions held throughout the United States, many of which were held at Bandon Dunes in Bandon, OR.

More information about current and upcoming tournaments can be found at Speed Golf International[1].

Inaugural World Championships

The inaugural Speed Golf World Championships were held October 20-21, 2012 at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, OR on the Old MacDonald Course (October 20th) and the Bandon Dunes Course (October 21st) [3][2].

Results in the Pro/Elite division were as follows for the 15 Professionals competing for the $50,000 purse[4][1]:

  1. Chris Walker, 263:28 (77-53:29; 76-56:29)
  2. Tim Scott, 264:47 (81-52:21; 80-51:26)
  3. Tim Hval, 266:20 (74-59:33; 74-58:47)
  4. Christopher Smith, 268:24 (73-58:33; 78-58:51)
  5. Jaacob Bowden, 270:18 (75-61:06; 78-56:12)
  6. Todd Killingsworth, 272:39 (86-56:24; 75-55:15)
  7. Robert Hogan, 272:39 (94-44:00; 92-43:05)
  8. Gretchen Johnson(am), 273:38 (84-55:19; 79-55:19)
  9. Michael Chupka Jr., 274:26 (79-63:00; 75-57:26)
  10. Kris Moe, 279:11 (72-64:24; 80-62:47)
  11. Jeff Simonds, 280:30 (80-58:08; 84-58:22)
  12. Arno Lindsberger, 288:53 (99-48:37; 100-41:16)
  13. Brandon Carter, 291:25 (85-64:14; 82-60:11)
  14. Kyle Warren, 304:15 (79-67:41; 83-74:34)
  15. Paul Gorman, 310:42 (89-70:39; 85-66:03)

There was also an group of 45 amateurs who competed in a 1-day only competition on October 21st on the Bandon Dunes Course. The amateur division featured various age groups that included 24 and under, 25-39, 40-49, and 50 and over.

A 30-minute special about the World Championships will air on CBS before the 3rd round of the 2013 Masters [2][5].

Guinness World Record

The lowest score in competition is believed to have been shot by professional Christopher Smith at the Chicago Speedgolf Classic on October 16, 2005. Smith shot 65 in just 44:06 for a speed golf score of 109:06.[1][2][6]

Related Sports

Speed Golf is sometimes contrasted with Cross-country BigBall, in which players use soccer balls and baseball bats to reach a goal. Because the course and goals are chosen by the participants, Cross-country BigBall etiquette varies depending on whether the theater is a wooded or residential area. [7] Both sports require substantial physical stamina.

Speed Disc Golf is similar in concept and rules to speed golf.

The biathlon (skiing and shooting a rifle) is also sometimes compared to speed golf.

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Speedgolf International". Speedgolf International. Retrieved December 25, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h http://forum.mygolfspy.com/topic/7460-speed-golf-18-holes-in-under-an-hour/
  3. ^ http://www.bandondunesgolf.com/blog/bandon-dunes-host-inaugural-speedgolf-world-championships
  4. ^ http://theworldlink.com/sports/new-pro-wins-world-speedgolf-title/article_2d0cb9d8-1c75-11e2-83a5-0019bb2963f4.html
  5. ^ http://smarterpodcasts.com/golfsmarter/?p=1957
  6. ^ http://www.christophersmithgolf.com">
  7. ^ "Cross-country BigBall Association".
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