Foxhills Club & Resort has taken up the baton and is ready to blaze the trail as the host venue of the 2019 British Open Speedgolf Championships. The growing sport, which combines the number of shots with the time it takes to complete the round for a final score, will see competitors pick up the pace round the Longcross course on Sunday, July 28 as the contenders battle it out for the titles.
Champions will be crowned in the elite, amateur and women’s categories with Chris Benians (pictured), determined to outpace his rivals and defend his men’s title after claiming the honours at Piltdown Golf Club last year.
His round of 80, completed in a remarkable 43 minutes and 41 seconds, gave him the winning speedgolf total of 123:41, while ladies champion, Liz McKinnon (top), shot 76 in 50:41 for a speedgolf score of 126:41.
But with world speedgolf champion – Finland’s Mikko Rantanen – in the field alongside the best of New Zealand, France, Germany and USA, the home contingent faces a stern challenge to stay up with the pace-setters.
Chris Fitt, director of golf and leisure at Foxhills, said: “At Foxhills, we like to embrace the modern and exciting developments throughout the game and speedgolf is definitely a growing sport in its own right.
“It’s a fun and exciting take on the sport but these are serious athletes and exceptional golfers. It will be amazing to see some of the best in the world of speedgolf tackle our Longcross course.”
Pam Painter, co-founder of British Speedgolf, said: “Speedgolf introduces a greater fitness element to golf and many have found it enhances their golf performance, particularly those with a tendency to over-think their game or take too many practice swings.”
For more details about Speedgolf and how to register to compete at this year’s Championship event, visit www.britishspeedgolf.co.uk Registration closes 7th July.
Foxhills Club & Resort www.foxhills.co.uk