Speed Golf

[AndyP]

Despite the rain this afternoon, I had another speed golf round.

I left the rangefinder out this time, and definitely tried to make things faster. It was easy to go fast without anyone else on the course, but it was hard work. I'm feeling quite tired now and that's saying something considering my running fitness.
The low score is surprising considering my hands and the grips were fairly wet. I hit the driver extremely well, and did enough everywhere else.

Last time it took me 82:10, this time I ran it in 63:30.
I also scored a ridiculously low 74, 5 lower than last time.
Speed golf score of 63:30 + 74 = 137:30 (down from 161:10)

This is going to be a really hard score for me to beat. I can't score too much lower than that on the golf side, and that's a decent time to run it in too.

On day 1 of the World Champs, the leader ran the course in 39:31 with a score of 77. Bloody hell! That was 5 minutes faster than any other player, but only 3 shots off the best golf score of 74.

[BrisWesty]

Saturday played 18 holes in 1:33 (10.26km) and had 86 shots, so that would be 179. I think Mapmyrun must be inaccurate!

[idgolfguy]

SMS and I played the back 9 of my home course (Lakes 10) - tee'd off at 6.13 - and we finished at 7.43. It wasn't a rushed walk - pretty much played golf and chatted.

My Sunday morning 18 with a couple of mates usually starts at 6:02 and we're sitting in the Cafe by 9:10 eating breakfast after the 18.

[goughy]

It'd be fun to try some time. I think you're on the money with leaving the rangefinder at home. Do you think it affects you in a good or bad way, not taking much prep time or not putting too much thought into each shot?

[AndyP]

It'd be fun to try some time. I think you're on the money with leaving the rangefinder at home. Do you think it affects you in a good or bad way, not taking much prep time or not putting too much thought into each shot?

Initially, I was trying to stick with routines that I use when I normally play golf, because I did't want to get into any bad habits, which is why I had the rangefinder the first time around.

Do you mean the overall affect of speed golf on my game? If so, I can't see it being a bad thing. You don't dwell on bad shots, you just run and hit the next one. And if it's a good shot, you don't even need to watch it, you are off and running before it lands. The tricky part is the lack of clubs, but once again that should be good for my game overall. Finesse shots seem to suffer the most; they do need a bit more thought sometimes, and they are hard to execute with heavy breathing and the heart pumping. Putting hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be either.

Playing like this the last couple of weeks has really drilled in, that it is all about getting that ball on or close to the green in regulation and getting par or bogey. A lot of the approaches I've hit haven't been that good, but have been good enough to allow me to score well.

[mrbluu]

Initially, I was trying to stick with routines that I use when I normally play golf, because I did't want to get into any bad habits, which is why I had the rangefinder the first time around.

Do you mean the overall affect of speed golf on my game? If so, I can't see it being a bad thing. You don't dwell on bad shots, you just run and hit the next one. And if it's a good shot, you don't even need to watch it, you are off and running before it lands. The tricky part is the lack of clubs, but once again that should be good for my game overall. Finesse shots seem to suffer the most; they do need a bit more thought sometimes, and they are hard to execute with heavy breathing and the heart pumping. Putting hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be either.

Playing like this the last couple of weeks has really drilled in, that it is all about getting that ball on or close to the green in regulation and getting par or bogey. A lot of the approaches I've hit haven't been that good, but have been good enough to allow me to score well.

You should get one of your running mates to run after you with a camera to film it.....should be interesting!!

[AndyP]

You should get one of your running mates to run after you with a camera to film it.....should be interesting!!

This guy is better and faster.

[mrbluu]

This guy is better and faster.

But he has bad etiquette, didn't even fix any pitch marks or put sand in his divots!!!

[AndyP]

But he has bad etiquette, didn't even fix any pitch marks or put sand in his divots!!!

He did rake the bunker though (it's a two shot penalty if you don't).

[madboarder]

Golf played with 3 clubs should take approximately two hours is the only way to play. Must admit the longer the round takes the more I hate it. Find playing with slow players thate the most annoying.

[AndyP]

What three clubs would they be? That might be fine for a novelty event, but not for a normal round.

[goughy]

Toowoomba golf club years ago used to have a comp that was 5 wood, 5i and putter.

[Mububban]

Toowoomba golf club years ago used to have a comp that was 5 wood, 5i and putter.

How did scoring go compared to normal?

[goughy]

Wouldn't have a clue. Was a junior in those days and never played it. But I specifically remember that they had it.

[Shadesy]

Our club had a 3 club challenge last week. Rumour has it the club champ shot 69... Gross.

Andy how much time would you take on you putts? Do You have a quick look at the line? Enough to recover from the run, I would like to keep it continuous more as a fitness than golf
Thing?

[AndyP]

Our club had a 3 club challenge last week. Rumour has it the club champ shot 69... Gross.

Andy how much time would you take on you putts? Do You have a quick look at the line? Enough to recover from the run, I would like to keep it continuous more as a fitness than golf
Thing?

In the last round, I really cut down on the line studying. How often do we really sink the long ones anyway? Get the first one close enough, then knock in the second. If it's iffy, I might have a look because each shot is worth a minute on the score.

Putting gave only a short reprieve from the running, so I would setup take a couple of deep breathes and putt.

[AndyP]

Round 3 of speed golf. I dropped out the PW for this week, leaving me with 7 clubs. That's still too many, but I don't want to drop any more either.

I ran it a bit faster this time, although I had to go around another player and come back to the hole, which would have cost several minutes. 61:43 was the final time, but I was easily on track for under an hour until the last few holes.
http://connect.garmin.com/activity/403267086

Technically I was DQ with the golf score, because I only carry 3 balls, and I had lost two before putting one just OOB on my last hole. I played it from there just for the score and added a shot. The golf struggled a bit more today, but there was still a good stretch in there, where I shaved the hole for birdie three times in a row; maybe I should have spent some more time on a few of them. I had an 80 (+13) in the end.
http://www.ozgolf.net/andyp/Scorecar...1112-p128.html

Final score of 61:43 + 80 = 141:43 (PB 137:30)

[Waddzy]

Do you see any benefit to your golf in this Andy? My new job has me starting 2-3 hours later in the mornings and have been thinking its a good time to start trying to run in the mornings for fitness purposes.. And also started thinking I may be able to fit in 9 holes of golf before work now too. But the way your doing it combining the 2 sounds great, plus if I am first off in the morning I will get a clear run, I don't see myself being able to complete 18 in the time I will have but 9 is looking good.

[AndyP]

It certainly hasn't hurt my game. Two benefits are that it gets you into a "just do" frame of mind instead of over thinking a shot, and since you carry less clubs, you learn to be a bit more creative with what you have.

[Waddzy]

I might give it a test run this weekend to see how long 9 holes would take me .. Im guessing 1 hour per 9 should do for even my lack of fitness levels so I can give it a crack when I start my new job!

[Daves]

I might give it a test run this weekend to see how long 9 holes would take me .. Im guessing 1 hour per 9 should do for even my lack of fitness levels so I can give it a crack when I start my new job!

If you can get a clear run at it, an hour is doable for nine in good conditions at a brisk walk. I can do 2 & 1/2 hour 18s at a stroll very easily if I get no traffic holding me up.

[Mububban]

I did 9 holes on my own in an hour with a combo of light jogging and brisk walking

[Waddzy]

I'm already excited about my new starting time...

[AndyP]

I scored a new PB this afternoon with 131:10, which is about 6 better than my previous best. I finished the round in under an hour for the first time (57m10s) and scored a 7 over, 74. I probably should have scored less missing a few close putts later in the round, but I also got lucky a few times. I found the two bunkers that I got in, particularly tough, because I don't carry my usual bunker wedge and it was hard to compose myself for the shot. 50% of greens is a good effort though.

[WBennett]

What is the course record for speed golf at rmw?