The British Open Speedgolf Championship return in 2021 and will be played at The Springs in Oxfordshire.
For most, it is hard to imagine completing 18 holes in under an hour with those at the top of the leader board shooting close to par, but completing 2 rounds of 18 holes on consecutive days will prove a level of consistency to rival any golf tournament and will be physically as well as mentally demanding.
The Springs, a beautiful parkland resort near Wallingford in Oxfordshire will host the championships on September 19-20, 2021, the first time the British Open Speedgolf Championship has been held over 36 holes.
Getting more women competing
As with most areas of golf, British Speedgolf are keen to see an increase in the number of women competing at the championships.
Pam Painter from British Speedgolf, commented on development of the championship:
“Speedgolf continues to evolve but retains the camaraderie of a grass roots niche sport. We hope that the move to a 36-hole event this year will establish the championship as a must play tournament whilst proving to others just what is possible if you pick up the pace.”
Host venue - The Springs
The Springs, part of the Darwin Escapes group of courses, are building on their reputation as a forward-thinking venue. They have invested heavily to enhance the club facilities whilst optimising its environmental course credentials and are excited to celebrate this fitness orientated golf format.
Ashley Pheasant, Head of Golf at Darwin Escapes said:
“At Darwin Escapes, we are very much about delivering venues that are modern and exciting. We believe Speedgolf does this too and is definitely blazing its own trail, as we are. It will be a thrill to watch the best in their field tackle our fantastic golf course in a very different way.”
The 2021 Championship
For the 2021 championship, the distance covered will be approximately seven kilometres with an elevation of one metre which is ideal for Speedgolf. This means it will be less physically demanding than some of our previous venues that contained draining hills.
Speedgolf combines the number of shots with the time it takes to complete the round for a final Speedgolf score. Golf accuracy is as important as an enhanced pace but finding the optimum pace to maximise golf performance is the key challenge and as with any great golf tournament consistency is key.
Scorers in golf buggies will track the limited field of Speedgolfers, set off at intervals, as they complete their round on foot, jogging between holes and saving time by eliminating time consuming practice swings and other rituals associated with the regular game. Speedgolfers also carry fewer clubs, up to seven, which means they have to be more creative with their shots.
For details about how to compete at this year’s championship or to enquire further about trying Speedgolf, please visit britishspeedgolf.co.uk.
