World first championship held on the Gold Coast

In a world first, Links Hope Island Golf Course on the Gold Coast will host a number of male and female competitors for the first Rapid Golf Championship.

Rapid Golf requires the players to carry their clubs and run from tee to green, recording the speed of a player on each hole, not the strokes they play.

Founded by Matt Burgess from Evolve Sports Group, Rapid Golf was created for those already running golf courses for fitness but wanted a more of a physical challenge.

“Running on a golf course is as old as the golf courses themselves and there is someone at almost every golf course who wants more of a physical challenge to their Golf experience,” Burgess said.

“Rapid Golf aims to bring this energetic community together using technology and cooperation from forward-thinking golf courses like Links Hope Island”

The number one item on the agenda of every Golf club and administrator around the world is how to address the issue of a rapidly ageing Golf membership.

More than a third (38%) of Golf members in Australia are over 65 years old (Source: AusPlay data released on 16 Nov 2017 by the Australian Sports Commission).

“Rapid Golf aims to open golf course doors to the fitness-conscious, as it is clear that there is a desire from young Australians to be challenged wholistically, both physically and mentally by their sport or recreation,” Burgess said.

Rapid Golf celebrates absolute gender equality as male and female players use the same tee, with the event being officially sanctioned by the ALPG (Australian Ladies Professional Golf) under a “Specialty Event Sanction”.

General Manager of Links Hope Island, Tracey-Lea Tiley believes the benefits of the championship will stay after the competition is over.

“Links Hope Island prides itself on innovation and proactively searching for new and exciting ways to grow the game,” she said.

“Rapid Golf presents a sustainable solution that we think will attract millennials through fitness and social networking well after the Australian Rapid Golf Championships are held.”

Competition is on at Links on July 20.