New Zealand Golfer Smashes 5-Year Speedgolf World Record

Harry Bateman thought his chance at history had vanished when exhaustion hit on the 15th hole, but the New Zealand golfer had just done something no one had accomplished in five years.

At the Carterton Golf Club, Bateman posted a speedgolf score of 106.14, combining a 70 golf score with a blazing time of 36 minutes and 14 seconds. He shattered American Scott Dawley's world record that had stood since 2021.

The victory capped an extraordinary day of competition. Just four minutes before Bateman finished, former world champion Robin Smith nearly broke the same record, setting up one of the most dramatic finishes in speedgolf history.

Speedgolf demands an unusual combination of skills. Players must sprint between shots while maintaining the precision to shoot under par, and excelling at just one aspect isn't enough.

Bateman's round started with a rollercoaster pattern of bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie, bogey, birdie through six holes. He settled down through the middle holes before fatigue nearly derailed everything.

"I was feeling pretty gassed," Bateman told Golf New Zealand after two-putting for bogey on a short 120-meter par three. When he three-putted the next hole, he thought his record hopes were finished.

His legs were burning from the previous day's competition at Masterton's hilly Lansdowne course. That layout plays about four minutes slower because of the terrain, and the cumulative exhaustion was taking its toll.

Why This Inspires

Bateman's achievement shows what happens when athletes refuse to give up, even when their bodies are screaming to stop. He finished the final two holes without thinking about the record, focusing only on playing solid golf while his lungs and legs protested.

The moment when he learned he'd broken the world record captured pure shock and joy. "I was shocked at the end when I was just under it," he said.

Bateman maintains a top 10 ranking on New Zealand's professional golf tour, proving that speedgolf isn't just a novelty but a serious test of athletic versatility. His combined score of 218.34 over two days also earned him the overall tournament title.

Now he's setting his sights on traditional golf's biggest stages in New Zealand, including the country's 105th Open Championship. Whether running at breakneck speed or playing at a normal pace, Bateman has proven he can compete with the best.

Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs happen when we're too tired to overthink them.