Oldham County Country Club hosts US Speedgolf Open, a competition combining skills, endurance

BUCKNER, Ky. (WDRB) -- Oldham County Country Club is part golf course, running track this weekend as its hosts the annual US Speedgolf Open. Thirty golfers from around the world are competing in Buckner, hoping to bring their "A" game and a little bit of speed, too.

How's it work? Pretty simple. All the rules of golf still apply. Participants simply combine their total score with the amount of minutes their round took for a total score. For example, someone who shot 85 in two hours would finish with a score of 205.

And there are no carts. Each player grabs their clubs and runs from shot to shot.

Luke Willett is one of the international participants. He traveled to Oldham County all the way from London, England to go up against the best.

"It's a bit of a test of endurance," Willett said. "Obviously, we're going fast, so it's nothing like traditional golf, where you're cruising around."

Jason Hawkins, a Prospect resident, won the 2021 US Speedgolf Championships in Springfield, Missouri, with a 36-hole total of 221:23. He shot 72-73, each round played in just more than 38 minutes.

After his round Friday, Hawkins said he's been playing golf since he was 15 and speedgolf for the last nine years, and it's changed the way he approaches the game.

"It's just a convenience thing for me," he said. "I can go play a round of golf in under an hour. Then, I'm not spending half the day away from my family."

Scott Dawley, tournament director with Speedgolf USA said it's an activity for any level of player.

"You don't have to be the best golfer," Dawley said. "You don't have to be the fastest runner. The lowest score at the end of the day wins."

The tournament continues Saturday morning, with some golfers teeing off at 9 a.m.