FANCY taking up golf but can’t be bothered with spending five hours pottering around the course each weekend?

Well, speedgolf could be for you.

A taster session of the up and coming sport will be held at Piltdown Golf Club at the weekend ahead of the 2017 British Open Speedgolf Championship in September.

Speedgolf is, as you might expect, a quicker version of the traditional game where your time taken to complete a round is added to your total shots.

Pam Painter, co-founder of British Speedgolf, said: “It’s a faster more athletic game than regular golf, it is a cardiovascular challenge.

“It adds a fitness dimension to the normal game.”

The game is still in its infancy but it is growing worldwide, with organisations in the US, New Zealand and many countries in Europe.

Mrs Painter speaking about the physical aspect of the game, said: “A round of Speedgolf is comparable to spending an hour in the gym, or doing a Park Run.”

She added that it is not a sprint but more like interval training.

It is vital to be able to control your heart rate before moving on to the next shot.

The rules are similar to regular golf but you can putt with the flag still in the hole.

Drop shots are encouraged to save time and minimise holding others up.

To maintain the quick game, golfers are only allowed to carry a maximum of seven clubs and some choose to carry even less as a strategy for improving speed.

Regular golfers will carry up to 14 and will have a heavy bag and often a trolley to carry it on.

The game is still in its infancy but Mrs Painter said: “The game is gaining credibility, helped by getting it out to a wider audience.”

She added that Speedgolf, along with the rise in popularity of Footgolf - in which players kick a ball around a gold course, shows golf is embracing new formats.

However, she said the traditional game is still very much at the heart of the sport.

No handicaps are given, unlike in regular golf, but there are three categories for players: elite golfers or runners, novices and women.

Mrs Painter urged others to give it a go.

She said: “Come and give it a try, people are always surprised at how quickly they have managed to get around.”

The British Open Speedgolf Championships will be held at Piltdown Golf Course, Golf Club Lane, on September 17.

There are still a few places left in the tournament.

If you want to give it a try then visit britishspeedgolf.co.uk to register your interest.

The event will be supported by England Golf.