Howdy speedgolf family!

You're reading This Week in Speedgolf. This newsletter is like a long hot tub after a cold run -- feels great, but you get thirsty after a while.

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

The embargo is lifted! Jason Hawkins wins inaugural TGL Speedgolf event

Call it the "luck of the Irish". Call it a unique opportunity. Call it the Indoor World Championships (a bit hyperbolic, maybe). Call it whatever you want. Rob Hogan got access to the SoFi Center, the arena built for Tiger and Rory's TGL. Seven players teed it up for three holes (par 3-4-5). To make it speedy, they had to run a lap around the outer bowl (360 yards) after each tee shot, then a shorter inner bowl (180 yards) before finishing out on the indoor green, complete with pneumatic pistons to alter the breaks. Scoring was "Irish style" -- 30 seconds deducted for birdies, 30 seconds added for double bogeys or worse.

​WATCH: TGL Speedgolf Trailer on Speedgolf Hype​

After three holes, four players advanced: Kyle Peyton, Gatjeak Gew, Jason Hawkins, and Wes Cupp — all separated by less than a minute. The final hole decided it. The Hawk stuck it close and rolled in his birdie putt to leap from third to first, while Kyle and Gatjeak imploded in the bunkers (I hear Gatjeak left his clubs behind and tried to putt from sand -- ruh roh!). That sealed the win for Jason, with Wes and Gatjeak rounding out the podium.

No spectators were in the stands this time — just the athletes and production crew — but plenty of video was shot, and the venue staff were impressed by the spectacle. Rob even dropped to one knee afterward to ask if speedgolf could make the TGL Arena an annual stop. Whether or not that happens will depend on dollars and demand, but for now, the sport just notched one of its most unique stages yet.

​WATCH: Lauren Cupp eats turf in the SoFi Center 😂

Guest opinion: On calling the TGL event the "Indoor World Championships"

By a Concerned Global Citizen of Speedgolf

Move over football, take a seat tennis, and kindly jog off into the sunset, marathon running—because Speedgolf is here. Not just any Speedgolf, mind you, but World Championship Speedgolf.

That’s right. Eleven competitors gathered last year for TT and POP*. This year? Around 20 were ‘invited’ for another TT, and in a week or so, another 8 (though who really knows) will show up for SIM to crown the greatest athlete the planet has ever known. And if you weren’t there—well—that must mean you don’t care enough about the sport.

Because nothing screams “world-class legitimacy” like a tournament announced less than a month in advance, organized in near secrecy, and attended by a jury-sized field. Ah yes, the rich tradition of elite international competition lives on… kind of.

Let’s be clear: Speedgolf deserves better. This sport—equal parts endurance, precision, and the subtle panic of looking like you’re sprinting away from unpaid greens fees—has one true global championship. Held every two years, it’s backed by national governing bodies, planned well in advance, and welcomes the best from around the world. You know—actual things that define a “world championship.”

But then there’s the other crowd. The Let’s-Just-Call-It-a-World-Championship-and-Hope-No-One-Notices crowd. The ones who, for reasons unclear to the rest of humanity, think that slapping a prestigious label on a sparsely attended event somehow elevates it to Olympic-level gravitas. Spoiler alert: it doesn’t.

When 11 people show up—and five of them are on a first-name basis with the organizer—we’re not talking about a world championship. We’re talking about a glorified Saturday club round with delusions of grandeur.

Labeling these events “World Championships” undermines the entire sport. It confuses new athletes, disrespects the years of international cooperation behind the real thing, and frankly, makes Speedgolf look like it’s being run out of a shed behind a driving range. It’s the sporting equivalent of putting a crown on your cat and calling it Queen of England.

A real world championship should be earned, not declared. It should bring together the best—all the best—from every continent, with fair notice, qualification pathways, and a chance to properly represent their countries. It should stand as a symbol of credibility and excellence—not a marketing stunt for a half-baked event with a fancy name.

So to those out there casually tossing around the “World Championship” label like a lost golf ball in tall grass: please stop. You're not helping. You're not impressing anyone. You're just making it harder for Speedgolf to be taken seriously.

And to the true stewards of the sport—the athletes, organizers, and national federations working across borders and years to elevate Speedgolf—keep going. The world is watching.

At least, every two years.

* 2024 Irish Open format was Time Trial (TT) and Pace of Play (POP). One day, time was the only thing that counted. The other day, strokes.

Adam's take...

Thank you, Concerned Global Citizen. I appreciate your commitment to our sport. And I respectfully disagree.

The idea that "the world is watching" is flattering, but it's not true! The world is not watching speedgolf right now -- and that's a problem we're trying to solve. There is one speedgolfer on the planet who commands attention and his name is Rob Hogan. So, when Rob makes a move -- especially a move that I wouldn't have made -- I don't complain. I take notes.

I also find it hard to buy the argument that the event at TGL makes our sport look unprofessional. The SoFi Center is the polar opposite of the "shed behind the driving range". Look at all those lights! This is one of the most legitimate stages speedgolf has ever been played on.

Of course the ISGA World Championships are the true global title. Nobody is confused about that. Nobody is canceling their tickets to New Zealand for Worlds 2026. The ISGA is not updating their world rankings to account for this event. Jin Ota is not going to give Jason Hawkins a shoutout in his US Open victory speech*.

It does no harm to experiment, and that's what this was. Rob could call his next event The Great British Baking Show and I'd be fine with it (OK, he might get sued for that one!).

In conclusion, I say let him cook!

* Jin gave a special shoutout to Jamie Reid in his Worlds 2024 victory speech

Belgian Speedgolf Open crowns first champions

History was made in Brussels as the Belgian Speedgolf Open staged its first outdoor edition at Drohme Golf Club on August 31. Nearly 60 athletes from eight nations packed the city course for a festival of fast golf that ran from morning until dusk. The debut delivered everything you’d want from a new national championship: a buzzing international field, a slate of fresh Belgian champions, and a nail-biting finish in the marquee Open division.

​WATCH: Discovering speedgolf, a sport that combines golf and running (BX1 on YouTube)​

Olivier Guisset etched his name into the record books as the inaugural Belgian Open champion, surviving 27 holes and prevailing by just two strokes. France’s Yannick Clevy set the amateur standard with a searing 53.05, while host-organizer Filip Beerens hung on by a single shot to take the Senior Men’s crown. Britain’s Kathy Leppard captured the women’s title in style, clocking 37 strokes in under 20 minutes. And in the juniors, Stan Osselaer’s 53.50 announced him as one to watch in Belgium’s next generation.

The depth of the leaderboard showed just how far the sport has already spread. From Nannick Bast of the Netherlands pushing Leppard in the women’s race, to a strong showing by Colette Blacklock of Australia, to the Belgian teenagers lighting up the junior ranks, the field had genuine international flavor. For Belgium, the takeaway is clear: this isn’t just a one-off showcase. With national champions now crowned across five divisions, and a course that proved ideal for both racing and scoring, the Open looks set to become a staple on the European speedgolf calendar.

Belgian Speedgolf Open | Brussels, Belgium | Aug 31

• Elite Men: Olivier Guisset (BEL) | best round 30 strokes in 12:25 | 140.52 total
• Amateur Men: Yannick Clevy (FRA) | 36 strokes in 17:03 | 53.05
• Ladies: Kathy Leppard (GBR) | 37 strokes in 19:31 | 56.52
• Seniors: Filip Beerens (BEL) | 35 strokes in 18:59 | 53.98
• Juniors: Stan Osselaer (BEL) | 35 strokes in 18:30 | 53.50

What I'm watching

​Annabell Fuller & Pauline Roussin play 1 hole of speedgolf -- PIF Global Series at Aramco Houston Championship​

​Valérie Texier from Speedgolf France coaches Laurene from Fédération française de golf (ffgolf)​

​Joakim Wikland and Mikael Palmberg win Swedish Foursomes​

Buy merch... if you want to!

Upcoming events

• On September 7, the British Speedgolf Championship storms back to Sunningdale Heath GC (Ascot, ENG)—bigger field, 36-hole cut to crown the champ. (Details / waitlist).
• On September 8, Hokkaido Speedgolf Open lands at Golf5 Country Bibai (Hokkaido, JPN)—rare Monday showdown on a fast, riverside layout. (Event info).
• On September 12, Aura Speedgolf (18) hits Aura Golf (Turku, FIN)—dawn starts on a runnable parkland classic; expect crisp pace. (Register).
• On September 14, the Oregon Speedgolf Open returns to Arrowhead GC (Molalla, OR, USA)—pick 9 or 18; open to all abilities. (Register).
• On September 24, Master Speedgolf (18) tees off at Master Golf (Espoo, FIN)—late-season form test on a championship track. (Details).
• On September 27, Speedgolf Belgium @ Ternesse touches down at Ternesse G&CC (Wommelgem, BEL)—a marquee “Speedgolf on Tour” stop. (Schedule note).
• On September 28, Lidköping Speedgolf Open races at Lidköpings GK (Lidköping, SWE)—trialing Rob Hogan’s bonus/penalty scoring + 9-hole foursomes. (Event page).
• On October 6, Nagoya Bayside Classic returns to Wood Friends Nagoya Port GC (Nagoya, JPN)—weekday bayside sprint on a rapid riverside track. (Event info).
• On October 11–12, the U.S. Speedgolf Open (9th) debuts in California at Temecula Creek GC (Temecula, CA, USA)—deep international field expected. (Event hub).
• On October 18–19, the Taranaki Speedgolf Open sets up at Manukorihi GC (Waitara, NZL)—two rounds plus sprints and “have-a-go” sessions. (Event page).
• On October 20, Speedgolf Eagle Ridge lights up Eagle Ridge GC (Mornington Peninsula, AUS)—season opener with ranking points toward Worlds 2026. (Register).

Thanks for reading!

Be sure to reply and tell me what you think. I read every one.

Adam

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Adam Lorton

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