First-time NZ Speedgolf title winners
- Dave Worsley
- 7 hours ago
- 3 min read
A couple of firsts at Speedgolf in New Zealand at the the national championships in Taupo with two new title holders
Wairarapa's Amy Linton became the first golfer to beat individual World Champion Liz McKinnon at the NZ Speedgolf Open format while Charles Tour regular Harry Bateman won his first national speedgolf title.
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Held at the Taupo Golf Club, Centennial and Tauhara Courses Linton’s 253.17 total across two rounds was enough to edge her World Champion teammate by just 1.39 points.
In the men’s division the competition was strong with Bateman coming from behind in the final round to to edge Brad Hayward and Robin Smith as he fired a sensational 73 in just 38 minutes and 27 seconds.
Conditions wet and windy on the first of two days at Taupo Golf Club’s Centennial course, the women’s field had a top three separated by just 3 points with Linton holding a slender 2.81 point lead over McKinnon after carding a 77 in 51 minutes and 37 seconds.
In speedgolf the margins are fine and Linton knew she would need to improve on her first round performance if she were to snap McKinnon’s decade-long dominance.
She shaved three shots off her golf game and nearly a minute in her run, finishing with a 74 in 50 minutes and 40 seconds to claim the title.
Linton said she was not only ecstatic to win the national open after many attempts and hard work, but to compete with her friend and teammate McKinnon.
“It’s unreal actually and amazing to play with Liz. She just pushes you so hard and she was up my rear end coming down 16, 17 and 18 so I knew that I had to really push it.
“But it’s great having her as a friend and a supporter. It just made me love the game even more.”
The knowledge of having a player of McKinnon’s calibre as well as the strong chasing pack can weigh on both the mental and physical sides of speedgolf, but Linton said she was able to get into a zone and rhythm on the undulating terrain of Taupo Centennial.
“I just tried to remember that the nerves are excitement and just meaning that you are enjoying it and having fun.
“In speedgolf, you don’t have time once you get started, you have no time for nerves so just had to keep running really.”
The Men’s division was always going to be a hotly contested affair, even without defending champion Jamie Reid who was forced into MC duties due to a knee injury, and the competitors did not disappoint.
In the end, as often happens in speedgolf tournaments, the final placings were decided by a running race as the top three showed a relatively even golfing skill level.
Round one leader Hayward backed up his even par 72 with a 74 in 43 minutes and 54 seconds but was outstripped by Smith’s 73 in 39 minutes and 59 seconds as he leapfrogged his Taranaki teammate to take second.
Bateman had showed promise with his run time in the first round, a 40 minute and 27 second time, but had been off the pace somewhat with his golf, particularly for a golfer of his standard.
Bateman took four shots off his first round to card a 73 as well as a full two minutes off his running time with a 38 minute 27 second 18 holes to surge and take the title.
He said he knew he needed to improve the golf and maintain his running speed and ended up improving on both facets.
“It’s pretty cool, I was pretty nervous this morning. I always get nervous before a run, I think more than the golf. But I knew I had to run basically the same as yesterday but shoot around even par.
“Managed to do that and actually run a bit faster which was a surprise because my legs didn’t feel as good but golf was better so that sped up the game.”
Bateman said he had no idea that he’d won the title after crossing the finish line, with no time to think while he was out on the course about how well he may be doing.
“It happens way too fast, just put one foot in front of the other really and see what happens.”
In the awards categories, Jamie Anderson took out the Men’s Under 20 with Bateman also taking out the Men’s 20-39 while Craig Russell emerged the victor in the Men’s 40-49, Damian Mills taking the Men’s 50+ and Collette Blacklock winning the Women’s 50+.
