The official rules

WTF is Sprolf?

Sprint golf. Teams of 3. You run, you swing, the clock never stops. Lowest score wins. Between holes you get a rest period to reach the next tee: 2:30 after a par 3, 3:00 after a par 4, 3:30 after a par 5.

First tournament · Friday, July 24 · tee-off 9:30 AM · Ponderosa Par 3 (9 holes) · Amateur bracket · standard golf tournament to follow.

The one formula

Score = Strokes + Time + Penalties

How a hole works

  1. 01

    Your team starts at the tee box. The caddy starts the clock on contact of the first shot.

  2. 02

    Alternate shots in the same order every time — no back-to-back hits. Violate this rule and you add a stroke.

  3. 03

    Sprint between shots. Hit it up toward the hole to your teammates, then sprint up past them to be ready for your next turn.

  4. 04

    The clock runs until the ball is in the hole. The caddy stops the clock, enters strokes and penalties. Done. Next hole.

The time part

This tournament plays the Amateur bracket: par time is exactly 1:15 on every hole, and every 25 seconds equals 1 stroke. Finish under par time and your score drops. Finish over and it climbs. The timer shows par time on every hole so you always know the number to beat.

Rest between holes

The rest clock starts the instant the ball drops in the hole: 2:30 after a par 3, 3:00 after a par 4, 3:30 after a par 5. The app counts it down and beeps for the last 30 seconds so everyone knows it is about to be go time. This tournament is all par 3s, so it is 2:30 every hole. Beat the clock: if the rest period runs out before your team tees off, the next hole starts with a one stroke Late penalty.

The Sprolf Club

Every team carries the official Sprolf Club, and it must be used for at least one shot on every hole. Any player, any shot, your call — but skip it and that is a one-stroke penalty. The caddy tracks Sprolf Club use on every hole.

The chip-in exception: if the hole ends on a shot from off the green — a chip that drops, or a hole-in-one — there is no penalty for skipping the Sprolf Club. Finish in style and the club rule is waived.

What costs you a stroke

Out of bounds+1 stroke
No Sprolf Club shot on the hole+1 stroke
Player hits out of order+1 stroke
Hitting a moving ball+1 stroke
Late to the next tee (rest clock ran out)+1 stroke

On the green: once a putt is on its way, the next teammate must wait for the ball to come to a complete stop before making their attempt. Hitting a moving ball is a one-stroke penalty, every time.

Lost count? Double par.

Sprolf is fast, and caddies are human. If the caddy loses track of strokes on a hole, the team records double par for that hole and moves on. No arguing, no re-plays. The caddy's call is final.

Brackets keep it fair

Every player gets a Sprolf bracket from their golf handicap and mile time, so weekend warriors are not racing marathoners. A round locks one bracket for every team. This tournament plays Amateur for everyone.

AmateurFirst-timers and mixed groups
Par time 1:15 · 25 sec = 1 stroke
SkilledClub and rec competitive
Par time 1:00 · 20 sec = 1 stroke
EliteStrong athletes
Par time 0:54 · 20 sec = 1 stroke
ProfessionalPrize division
Par time 0:54 · 16 sec = 1 stroke

One mercy rule, one glory rule

Blowup hole? Just like real golf, the worst score a team can take on any hole is double par — strokes, time, and penalties included. Hit the ceiling and you pick up, take double par, and move on. But greatness has no cap: fly through a hole fast enough and your score goes negative. That is the point.

The caddy

Every team gets an assigned caddy with the app. The caddy starts the clock on the first shot and stops it when the ball is in the hole, counts strokes, calls penalties, tracks Sprolf Club use, keeps the hitting order honest, and enters the score. The live leaderboard updates as every hole is saved. Caddies must know the rules of golf and commit to scoring honorably.

Entry and prizes

Entry is $10 per player — pay by Venmo to @RenaissanceRanch with your name and "Sprolf" in the note. Top 3 teams win cash: 1st $250, 2nd $150, 3rd $100 per player.

Prizes: 1st $250 · 2nd $150 · 3rd $100 per player