Vancil's exhibition, Ota's return, British Speedgolf's growth

Howdy speedgolf family!

You’re reading This Week in Speedgolf. Thanks to the eagle-eyed readers who spotted last week’s facepalm: Sunningdale Heath played par 58. Going forward, all stories will contain factual inaccuracies or your money back.

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

A soggy Arrowhead GC turned into a test of nerve and footwork. Organizers reported steady rain, and Senior contender Chris Hundhausen summed it up: “Was tough conditions — raining pretty hard… super tight course.” Meanwhile host Steve Vancil kept things sporting — carding a 70 in 45:58 as an exhibition (“inappropriate to win your own event,” said Jason Hawkins never!) while the trophies went to the entrants.

Full Results (Official leaderboard on SpeedScore)

• Justin Berry — 73 in 64:21 → 137:21
• James Robinson — 95 in 45:20 → 140:20
• Zachary Lauritzen — 87 in 55:25 → 142:25

• John Kraus — 84 in 58:39 → 142:39
• Andy Willett — 94 in 64:15 → 158:15
• Chris Hundhausen — 105 in 61:18 → 166:18

• Paige Vancil — 81 in 59:58 → 140:58
• Katie Humphrey* — 112 in 73:22 → 185:22

*Own scorekeeper

• Cole Fenner — 44 in 28:00 → 72:00

• Steve Vancil — 70 in 45:58 → 115:58

A fog delay at Golf5 Country Bibai couldn’t stop World Champ Jin Ota, who cruised to the men’s title with 81 in 52:54 (133.54). Seniors went to Shingo Bamba on 84 in 68:58 (152.58) after a tight duel. Enjoy this gorgeous drone flyover of Ota-san’s start — it captures the whole vibe of northern Japan in early fall: Drone video.

• Jin Ota — 81 in 52:54 → 133:54
• Shunsuke Ichimori — 86 in 64:57 → 150:57

• Shingo Bamba — 84 in 68:58 → 152:58
• Shinta Matsuoka — 89 in 66:28 → 155:28
• Tomomi Nishikawa — 93 in 73:05 → 166:05

Where’s Shinmoto? 2024’s ironman Tatsuya Shinmoto (played every JSGA stop; “Speedgolfer of the Year”) was not on the Hokkaido tee sheet. If you’ve got intel on his calendar — recharging year? training block? — hit reply and let us know.

I asked British Speedgolf’s chief, Pam Painter, what British Speedgolf is doing right. The British Speedgolf Championships has grown every year, to the point where they had 70 players this year, with nearly that many still on the wait list. I’ve tightened our conversation down to the key points. Anyone serious about growing the sport would do well to take notes.

• Single‑day championship on a compact course: “We needed to try something different… The shorter course, which is challenging for golf, seemed to attract golfers and runners who were prepared to take a leap of faith and have a go.”
• Two rounds, one day, with a cut: A R2 cut for the top 20 “has gone down really well,” satisfying those who expect a 36‑hole championship while keeping the day approachable.
• Pairs as an on‑ramp: “Speedgolf Pairs is a no‑brainer.” Veterans are encouraged to partner with a newbie; BSG even helps match players across the country. Simple foursome play keeps things safe and fun.
• Community > hype: Word‑of‑mouth beats ads. “We’re trying really hard to retain our ethos of inclusivity and camaraderie… those are the values that will build the sport on solid foundations as it grows.”

• Bigger fields mean longer tee blocks, more marshals, and 30–40 volunteers across two shifts (starter, tee marshals, fairway spotters, on‑course timers, scoring, media). We hear the “get more tee times!” chorus—love the passion—but with ~4‑minute intervals a four‑hour morning block yields about 60 starts; adding an afternoon round with a cut roughly doubles the staffing and course time required. Many clubs won’t hand over a full day on a weekend without sponsor support, so organizers are balancing safety, pace, and cost against demand. Turning away players stinks; protecting the experience keeps newcomers coming back.

• Growth pockets: France and Belgium expanding; New Zealand and Japan offer lots of play; SoCal shows a strong community model in the US. Press coverage is great, but “headline‑grabbing” low scores don’t automatically convert newcomers.

Pam’s right: welcoming less‑experienced speedgolfers is the growth engine. By pairing Sunningdale Heath’s compact routing with a 2‑round cut, Britain is threading the needle — giving elites a meaningful finale while lowering the first‑timer barrier. More of this, please.

The boys in Melbourne have been making some awesome YouTube videos. Try this one and be sure to subscribe so they keep publishing!

It’s been hectic around here, so I’m sure I’m missing stories. Hit ‘Reply’ and let me know. I read every one.