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This Week in Speedgolf » Roundup

How I dropped 4 minutes in Kentucky

Adam Lorton

Adam Lorton

Traverse City, MI · Issue №11 · Jul 17, 2025

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Howdy speedgolf family!

You’re reading This Week in Speedgolf, a publication more refreshing than a blast from a hose to the chest.

Here’s what’s happening in speedgolf this week, starting with a personal reflection.

» ⌚ How I Dropped 4 Minutes in Kentucky

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Last year, I played the Kentucky Speedgolf Open in 57:32. This year: 53:10. What changed in a year?

✅ I got fitter. I took less time off in the winter. I ran more miles. My 10k got faster.

✅ I learned tricks from ultramarathoners. I dumped cold water on myself before the round to keep my body temperature under control in the Kentucky heat. I took 110g of carbs + 100mg of caffeine in gels. I even asked a greenskeeper to spray me with water on the 11th green.

And over the 5.1 miles of brutal hills at GlenOaks, the carbs, the cooling, and the extra fitness translated to running… 7 seconds SLOWER than last year???

I was honestly surprised when I sat down and did my review. (To do this, I reviewed uncut footage from my 2024 and 2025 rounds. I timestamped everything. Start time, shot box time, time I arrived at the green, time I holed every putt.)

Seven seconds slower doesn’t make sense, until you factor in the other change I made.

✅ I switched from the Silo to the Hogan Holster. When Rob invited me to Ireland in June, I decided I wasn’t going to play my normal game. I built a Hogan Holster and immediately played the fastest round of speedgolf of my life, despite running 4 miles with Hogan beforehand and taking only an 8 minute break before my round.

With the Holster, the clubs never leave your body. You don’t stop to drop them. You don’t bend over to grab them. You just play the shot and go. You can be watching your ball in the air as your feet are already moving.

That’s the key. 99.6% of the time I saved was shot box time tee-to-green.

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[Quick review] Shot box time is how long it takes to hit a golf shot. It’s easy to measure if you’re using a golf bag or Silo. The timer starts when you put your clubs down. The timer stops when you pick your clubs up after hitting the shot. With a Hogan Holster, there’s a little more judgment involved. I counted from when I arrived at the ball (or the tee markers) to when I took my first step after hitting.

❌ The Hogan Holster is not all upside. I ran slower despite being fitter. It’s awkward to run with the Holster. Your left hand cradles the clubs so they don’t clank against each other. Your right hand holds the one club that doesn’t fit in the Holster, which means it’s harder to get the ball out of the cup, harder to drink water, harder to adjust your hat. How much faster would I have run if I’d played Kentucky with a Silo? I’ll never know.

What I do know is that if you want to spend less time in the shot box, you should try the Hogan Holster at least once.

📧 And if you want a copy of my spreadsheet so you can do your own comparison, hit reply and I’ll send it to you.

» ⛳ Recent Results

Kentucky Speedgolf Open | Prospect, KY | July 12–13, 2025 | (full results)

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» 👋 Thanks for reading!

Be sure to reply if you have any hot news, gossip, unsubstantiated rumors, or even non sequiturs. Just tell me what you know (or what you think you know) and I’ll filter it.

Speedgolf baby, let’s go!

Keep it in the short grass »

- Adam

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