Speedgolf: Burning calories, shaving time (and strokes?)

For many golfers, the biggest barrier to playing more golf is time. The world keeps moving faster, and yet the group in front of you is using AimPoint on four-footers.

Sure, faster vehicles getting you around the course could help. And there have never been more ways to get around: golf carts, bikes, surfboards, electric trolleys, AI-powered follow carts, and whatever else catches fire on social media.

For some golfers, running from shot to shot is the way to go. It's minimal, efficient, and gets your cardio knocked out for the week. No battery to charge. No cart fee. Just you and wide open fairways to run ahead of you.

GolfN just partnered with the Manors golf crew for their latest video, featuring their crack at Speedgolf Japan. They ran through a beautiful course, one that frankly you might not want to rush through if you actually paid to be there. But nevertheless, burning some calories and playing fast (and, frankly, playing better - more on that in a second) is a compelling way to get in a round and save plenty of time for post-golf sake.

WATCH: Manors Competes in Japanese Speedgolf Championship

I Tried Speedgolf. I Played Better Than I Expected.

A few years ago I gave Speedgolf a test run. This was during a stage in my life where I was child-free and reasonably fit. Running 5-6 miles was routine. So I met up with a local Speedgolf ambassador here in Austin for a few rounds.

The gear barrier is low. Really, the only equipment you need is a smaller carrier for your clubs, and use your running shoes instead of soft spikes. You could use a Sunday bag, or you could go even more minimal and use a silo — those breakfast taco-sized nylon tube bags that hold 6 clubs. These are very small and, honestly, they've come in handy long after my speedgolf era ended for quick nine-hole twilight rounds.

The most illuminating thing for me during my speedgolf round was that I played pretty well. With virtually no time to overthink things, I just let it loose and let the athlete deep inside take the reins. Just grip it, rip it and run to it.

Many golfers can probably relate: expectations can be one of the most crippling things for your game. With speedgolf, I had none. I wasn't trying to shoot a personal best or impress anyone. I was just trying not to hit it straight and mind my breathing. I came away pleasantly surprised, entering 84 in my digital caddie app and a five-mile, 76-minute run on Strava.

I wish I could say I can shoot an 84 with no shot clock every time.

The Challenges With Speedgolf

Let's say you're in good shape and willing to try it. The fundamental issue, assuming you are in decent enough shape to run 5+ miles, is course access. That's especially true post-Covid golf boom with courses from muni to private already packed. Convincing a course to let you sprint through their tee sheet is a tough sell when they don't really need the additional operational complexity for a couple of green fees.

In a lot of cities, there are local Speedgolf chapters (search Facebook) whose ambassadors have built relationships with courses and can talk their way into early morning access time to time. If you go first out, the only person you're inconveniencing is the maintenance staff.

There's also the cost. I would personally not want to pay full freight for a speedgolf round. It makes more sense if you already have a membership or get a twilight rate.

Then of course there are a lot of courses these days that aren't very walker-friendly or are too hilly for speedgolf to make sense. Compact munis can play 5 miles if you're running tee-to-green. Modern subdivision courses stretch 8 miles or more. And by the way, if you're first out it's probably wet grass.

The Speedgolf Scoring System (And How to Compete)

If you try it out and like it, you can probably find a small cult following in your market. Play well enough, and you can even head to the Speedgolf National Championships. Speedgolf USA is the de facto governing body for the sport and holds local, regional, and national competitions. Play Speed Golf has international competitions.

The scoring system is simple: your golf score plus your time in minutes equals your Speedgolf score. Shoot an 85 in 50 minutes? Your speedgolf score is 135. Shoot a 78 in 55 minutes? You're at 133. The lower the combined score, the better.

Scott Dawley, for example, set the world record in 2021 with a 65 in 42 minutes (107).

The best speedgolfers are legitimately good golfers and very fast runners. It's not enough to be one or the other.

Is Speedgolf For You?

Speedgolf is certainly not for everyone. But if you're strapped for time, like keeping a lean waistline, and have access to a course that will let you run through it before the sun comes up, it's a different way to enjoy a timeless sport.

And if nothing else, it's a reminder that you're probably thinking too much about the course. Some of the best rounds I've played have been fast rounds (speedgolf or trying to beat sunset).

Maybe you don't need to run between shots. But maybe you don't need to spend two minutes reading a 12-footer from four angles, either.

Use the GolfN app when you play golf — or speedgolf, no judgment. You can even earn multipliers for playing fast (cart or running, we don't care). Get the GolfN app and get rewarded, no matter how you play.

Download GolfN and start earning on your next round with my special referral code BTUCK