Blitz Golf to bring fast-paced format to England

LONDON, March 12 - Billed as golf's answer to T20 cricket, a high‑octane, three‑hour format that has taken off in Australia will burst onto the British scene this year -- and organisers believe it could ignite a new wave of fans.

Blitz Golf will roll out four events in England in June, pitching professionals, sports stars, celebrities and influencers into a rapid‑fire 10‑hole showdown packed with multiple cuts and a winner‑takes‑all finale on a 'stadium hole'.

"You look at traditional golf -- it's four days. LIV Golf --four days. TGL is indoors on simulators. We're a proper outdoor golf product that's done and dusted in three hours," Blitz Golf CEO Simon Zybek told Reuters.

"It still ticks the boxes for golf purists -- real courses, real competition -- but we layer celebrities and influencers into the mix. It opens up a whole new world of fans."

The high‑energy format features 24 players starting in six‑hole shotgun rounds, cut to 12 for a three‑hole phase, and finally four players in a one‑hole shootout. Scores reset each round.

Around the golf sits a festival‑style atmosphere: DJ sets, live music, fan zones, mid‑round interviews and spectators allowed to roam the fairways and interact with players.

"It's super‑engaging and poles apart from what you see on the PGA Tour or LIV Golf," Zybek said.

Entry lists will be announced at the end of March with Australian and British professionals likely to be involved in an Ashes-style rivalry.

Since launching in 2018, Blitz Golf has built a strong following in Australia, drawing 10,000 fans to four events in its latest series. Australia cricketers Travis Head and Glenn Maxwell have teed it up alongside male and female Tour professionals, further boosting its appeal.

Zybek comes from a basketball background and said the concept was born from a simple frustration: "Watching a traditional golf tournament is a massive time commitment. Lots of people who loved Blitz Golf in Australia wouldn't go near a normal event.

"We are very excited to be coming to England and that's the start of many global events for us. There will be six events in the UK next year and in the U.S. and adding continental Europe.

"By the time 2028 rolls around we will have 24 events around the globe and a world final."

Three of the events in England will be on Sunday afternoons at Leeds Golf Centre (June 14), Gaudet Luce in the West Midlands (June 21) and Lincoln Golf Club (June 28) while the London edition at Bush Hill Park Golf Club will be a twilight event.

"England is one of golf's spiritual homes," Zybek said. "Bringing Blitz here is a landmark step for our global series." REUTERS