Howdy speedgolf family!

You're reading This Week in Speedgolf. We've switched to a new (*cough* more affordable) email provider. To make sure you keep getting these newsletters, hit 'Reply' and tell me you got this one.

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

---

2026 Worlds Week confirmed: Whitford Park in Auckland (Nov 3-6, 2026)

It’s official: the 2026 Speedgolf World Championships will take place at Whitford Park Golf Club in Auckland from November 3–6, 2026 — the first Worlds ever staged in the Southern Hemisphere, and the first World Championships to exclude the World #1 from the poster 😂

While we're on the subject, I have a favor to ask on behalf of the masses (like me) who have never made the long trip: if you’re a New Zealand speedgolfer who knows Whitford Park, please map the course on speedscore.org, because I'm hungry for stats!

---

UPDATE: Speedgolf relay - we still have to beat 112

Last week, I issued a challenge: Grant Horvat + the Bryan Bros shot 82 in 30 minutes in a speedgolf relay (with golf carts). We need to beat that and capitalize while speedgolf has mindshare on Golf YouTube.

The bat signal worked (a little bit, anyway): I’ve heard from two U.S. crews — and nobody else (yet).

In California, a team led by Kyle Peyton posted 85 in 35 minutes on their first crack. Reviewing a bit of footage confirmed what I suspected watching the Bryan Bros video: it’s not the legs, it’s the logistics that determine how successful you'll be in a relay format.

If you're thinking about attempting this challenge (a worthy goal this offseason), here's what I think you need to do:

• Team comms. Get everyone on a group call (headphones in) so you can communicate even when you're a few hundred yards apart
• Roles and responsibilities. Make sure everyone knows their job ("I'll finish out. You go to #12 fairway.")
• Add a coach. It's nice to have someone in the driver's seat (who isn't also trying to hit a 180y approach with a 180 heart rate). Put a coach in a golf cart or ebike to take a little mental load off the players.

Steve Vancil and an Oregon squad are waiting on a weather window. Steve has (of course) broken 112 personally, but he'll have to rely on somebody else's golf game (something he'd never willingly do!) to strike down the big dogs of Golf YouTube.

Once again, I'm here if you want any advice.

---

Copy this: Speedgolf Taranaki and the local speedgolf playbook

Everyone agrees (I think). If we want to grow the competitive scene, we need more casual speedgolf. I've seen it work in lonely northern Michigan and all around the world.

But how do you get casual speedgolf right? Let's consider a case study from the gravitational center of the sport: Taranaki, New Zealand.

On a Wednesday evening, golf doesn’t feel like an appointment. It feels like popping by a friend’s backyard. You show up after work, jog nine, maybe toss a fiver into the prize bucket, then race home for bedtime stories. That’s the subtle brilliance of the Speedgolf Taranaki Social Series.

Here’s the whole idea in one breath: tee off any time between 5:30–7:30pm, suitable for all ages and abilities, optional $5 haggle with spot prizes, six-week points race for anyone who wants it, $10 green fees for non‑members, no entry fee, no registration, just show up and play.

The list of items that intimidates new speedgolfers is long (we know), but notice how many "concerns" just got alleviated: Is the course expecting speedgolfers? Yes. How much will it cost? $10. Do I need to be a member? No. Do I need to be an elite athlete? No.

Speedgolf Taranaki’s shown us the path — all we have to do is copy, paste, and press “post.”

---

Art of the deal: Scandinavian Speedgolf Open x social proof

The smartest signup campaign in speedgolf right now belongs to the Scandinavian Speedgolf Open. They didn’t drop a poster with a skyline. They dropped a few simple words that hit you right in the FOMO: “Carl’s in.” Then they doubled down: “Emily is in.”

Next up, if I had to guess: “Joakim is in.”

Extremely effective event marketing. When a reigning champion raises a hand, it removes uncertainty for everyone else. “Will the field be legit?” Answer: yes. European Open Champ Carl Palmberg commits, and the mid‑pack immediately knows they’ll get a real measuring stick. French and European Open Champ Emily Mollard commits, and suddenly the women’s field has a center of gravity.

In the psychology literature, they call this social proof. "Everyone else is doing it. Maybe they know something I don't". Heavy implication: I should do it too. Public commitments from credible athletes signal that the event is worth your travel days, PTO, and spousal negotiation tokens.

We saw Speedgolf Japan deploy a flavor of this in the lead‑up to Worlds: call your stars early, then let the field coalesce around them. If you’re organizing a tournament this season, steal the Scandinavian playbook and add a few simple layers:

• Announce one headliner per week with athlete quotes and a pre‑seeded “Projected Top 5” graphic. Make it feel like a showdown, not a signup form.
• Pair every star post with a targeted ask: juniors, elite golfers who live nearby, and an international player with clout.

---

Myth busted: the “Smith Brothers” aren’t brothers 🤦

You may have read in this very newsletter about the mostly-friendly rivalry between "brothers" Bernie and Robin Smith. I was recently alerted to a press release from Speedgolf North, dispelling the rumor. Turns out they are not brothers. They just share the same (extremely common) family name.

It's at this point I have to admit: I believed the rumor uncritically, even addressing the "devastating loss to big brother Bernie" when I interviewed Robin Smith after Worlds in Japan. I just thought Bernie had inherited all the good-looking genes.

Let this be a lesson to you, kids: don't believe everything you read on the internet!

---

What I'm watching

📺 PGA Tour pros Eric Cole and Jake Knapp go hyper-speed at the "Bad Little Nine" at Scottsdale National — nine brutal par-3s, lightning-fast greens, 16 minutes flat, and a slick broadcast that puts big-brand juice behind our sport.

📺 Lauren Cupp’s postpartum comeback — from C‑section to hitting bombs again, the former US Open champ is openly sharing the grind and eyeing a 2026 title run.

---

Upcoming Events

• Dec 5–7, 2025: Online Indoor Speedgolf — global simulator sprint to cap the year; log your round and chase the board. details
• Dec 12, 2025: Speedgolf Japan Open at Seven Hundred Club (Tochigi) — Japan’s national championship on a classic Kanto track. register

• Feb 9, 2026: Wairarapa Speedgolf at Carterton Golf Club — friendly opener for NZ’s 2026 circuit. club site
• Mar 8, 2026: Northland Open (4pm) at Northland GC, Whangārei — twilight sprint with sea-breeze drama. club site
• Mar 15–16, 2026: Taranaki Open — venues TBC; two-day festival with sprints and have-a-go slots. series hub
• Mar 29–30, 2026: North Island Open at Waipū Golf Club — links-style routing built for negative splits. club site
• Apr 6, 2026: Wellington Open (Pāuatahanui) — rolling terrain, big views, bigger heart rates. area info
• Apr 21, 2026: Kauri Cliffs Speedgolf at Kauri Cliffs, Matauri Bay — bucket-list clifftops, PBs if the wind behaves. club site
• Apr 26–27, 2026: New Zealand Speedgolf Open at Taupo Golf Club – Centennial — national title weekend on a fast, runnable layout. club site

• Nov 3–6, 2026: Speedgolf World Championships at Whitford Park GC (Auckland, NZ) — the sport’s biggest stage returns to Aotearoa. announcement

---

That's all, folks

See you next week!

Remember to hit 'Reply' and tell me you got this, so the email gods will know this is not a phishing attempt!

Adam