The first Speedgolf British Championship

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Ever heard of speedgolf? Neither had we – until we were invited to take part in the sport’s inaugural British Championship.

Imagine a world where nine holes takes 20 minutes. Where a full round can be completed in your lunch hour. Where slow play isn’t even part of the equation. Welcome to speedgolf.

It was invented by a group of golf-mad American athletes in the 1970s. Competitors have to get from the first tee to the 18th hole in the lowest number of shots possible, as quickly as they can. Their score and time are then combined to form a “speedgolf score”.

Our top 5 tips for playing speedgolf

Putt one-handed
It allows you to keep your bag on your shoulder, saving time.

Take 18 tees
Put 18 tees in your pocket or on the outside of your bag and use one per hole.

Think ahead
Plot your next shot while you’re running towards it and read the greens as you’re approaching them.

Mark your card on the tee
Writing your score on the tee forces you to stop and take a breath before your shot.

Don’t clock watch
Knowing your time changes your perspective and takes your mind off golf. Find out your time at the end.

Watch the video (above) to see how we got on – and read our full article on speedgolf in the December 2014 issue of TG.

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