This Week in Speedgolf | "Local event" in Taranaki, Aussie season kickoff

Howdy speedgolf family!

You're reading This Week in Speedgolf. The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS reportedly slowed down as it passed Mars -- something Luke Willett would never do.

Here's what's happening in speedgolf this week.

Brad Hayward defeats Smith & Smith in wire-to-wire Taranaki Open victory

Brad Hayward | photo credit: Speedgolf Taranaki

Elite speedgolf is simple: take it deep and never let go. And Brad Hayward just put on a clinic. At the Taranaki Speedgolf Open at Manukorihi Golf Club, Brad went under par both rounds—69 in 40:52 on Saturday, 71 in 41:33 on Sunday—and never looked back, cruising to a 13-minute victory over Bernie Smith on a two-day total of 222.25 (results).

Whether we Americans (or Europeans, or Japanese) like to admit it, Taranaki is the gravitational center of our sport. This is the same training hub that produced four of the top five placements at the Speedgolf World Championships (Bernie, Robin Smith, Jamie Reid, and Brad --- in order of appearance). Taranaki may not be a national open, but you can't exactly call it a “nice little regional". You might as well have a "nice little regional" track meet in Eugene, Oregon.

Brad’s opening round is a speedgolf score of 109.52, just 2:10 shy of Scott Dawley's world record. He closed with 71 in 41:33 (112.33) for 222.25, and the chase never materialized. This win at Taranaki is another impressive addition to his competitive resume. Fifth at Worlds (< 1 minute behind Jamie Reid), third at the NZ Open behind Harry Bateman and Robin, and now a wire-to-wire win at Manukorihi. This guy is dangerous!

Side note: The ISGA World Rankings currently only recognize performances at "national opens". That means Brad Hayward will get zero points for beating Robin and Bernie Smith (#1 and #5 in the last rankings update). He'll get zero points for a speedgolf score of 109 (1:26 better than Carl Palmberg's -4 opening round at the European Speedgolf Open). We counted the Irish Open, but not Taranaki? Hmmm.....

Bernie Smith | photo credit: Speedgolf Taranaki

Big brother 1, little brother 0. Again. Bernie Smith got to sleep in his own bed while Robin Smith was crisscrossing the international date line, returning from his dominant performance at the US Speedgolf Open. Result: Bernie edged Robin for second, just like at Worlds. Cruel. Hilarious. Classic Smiths.

Amy Linton | photo credit: Speedgolf Taranaki

Lash it like Linton. Amy Linton kept her 2025 heater going in Taranaki. She cruised to the Women’s title at Manukorihi with 132.53/130.38 for 263.31. After 5th at Worlds, dethroning Liz McKinnon at the NZ Open, and snagging Wairarapa’s Sportswoman of the Year, this felt like the logical next chapter—efficient, composed, inevitable. Bonus: Amy's son George Linton took the 9 hole junior division. I will never get tired of celebrating second-generation speedgolfers! Astute readers know Amy is sister to Robin and Bernie Smith, which means the family group chat must require a moderator on tournament weekends.

Damian Mills | photo credit: Speedgolf Taranaki

Mash it like Mills. Meanwhile, Damian Mills did what elite senior athletes do: show up, stack tidy numbers, and leave with silverware: 123.48/122.51 for 246.39 and the Masters crown. If you’re new here, Mills finished runner‑up at Worlds ahead of legends Steve Vancil and Joe Matsui, cruised the NZ Open senior title in April, and keeps treating 120‑something rounds like a work commute. No noise, no drama—just relentless quality from the strongest senior in the strongest speedgolf nation.

Stepping back to think about growing the game, the Taranaki Open looks to me like another flavor of the British Speedgolf playbook. They attract elite players, but not at the expense of beginners ("give it a go" was the buzzword this past weekend). It's easy for nerds like me to drool over Brad's golf scores, but the sport of speedgolf will (or won't) make a mark on future generations, depending on how we treat newcomers -- especially kids -- at these events.

What do British Speedgolf and New Zealand Speedgolf do well? They pack the top with killers and keep the onramps wide underneath. No surprise that -- sitting at the gravitational center of the game of speedgolf -- Taranaki delivered.

Taranaki Speedgolf Open - Manukorihi GC, Waitara, NZL - Oct 18–19, 2025 (results)

Open Champ: Brad Hayward (NZL) | 69/71 in 40:52/41:33 | 222:15
Runner-up: Bernie Smith (NZL) | 80/73 in 41:12/41:50 | 236:01
Third: Robin Smith (NZL) | 87/74 in 38:29/37:47 | 237:10
Masters: Damian Mills (NZL) | 79/79 in 44:48/43:51 | 246:23
Women: Amy Linton (NZL) | 77/73 in 55:53/57:38 | 263:19
9-Hole Masters: Chris Smith (NZL) | 48 in 32:13 | 80:08
9-Hole Junior: George Linton (NZL) | 68 in 27:15 | 95:09
9-Hole Women: Rachel Felton (NZL) | 80 in 26:37 | 106:22

It's a new season down under - Eagle Ridge Speedgolf Open

Eagle Ridge Speedgolf Open | photo credit: Luke Marotta (the guy with the dreads)

Australian speedgolf is back! After what I'm calling "the dark ages" (2019-2024), the Aussie speedgolf scene is reinvigorated, thanks to the tireless efforts of James McMaster and his crop of young, fit, and eager players. The Speedgolf Australia season opener at Eagle Ridge GC (I hear) carries early ranking points toward the 2026 Worlds squad. No published standards yet (or maybe I haven't heard because I haven’t asked), but this is stop one on a series that will form Team Australia.

The headline act was Luke Marotta, who posted the low 18-hole Speedgolf score of the day: 120:15 — a tidy 73 in 47:15 on a championship layout that does not hand out freebies. Luke’s racked up more miles this year than anyone not named Robin Smith: 4th at the rebooted Australian Open in May (behind Robin Smith, Ben Taylor, Darren Lewis), 9th at the European Open (ahead of Lauri Alakuijala and Mikko Rantanen), and 2nd at the Belgian Open behind Olivier Guisset.

"Don't just chase your dreams. Catch them." -- Luke Marotta

Also, I’ve been loving the content from Daniel Cann and the Rip It & Run crew featuring Ben Taylor and Riley Davie, mostly set at Eagle Ridge. More, please.

Eagle Ridge Speedgolf Open | Mornington Peninsula, AUS | Oct 20