The ultimate aim of Speed Golf is to clear every hole in the fastest time. Each shot you take adds 30 seconds to your timer, which is where precision comes into play. You can feasibly sink your ball before the other players by hitting it as quickly as possible, but if you take too many shots, you'll end up with a slower overall time, so you'll need to strike a balance between speed and careful play to prevail.
En route to your ball, you're able to unleash a Special Dash, which will knock down any opponents you barrel over, costing them coins and, more preciously, time. Each of the game's 16 characters boasts their own signature Special Dash. Yoshi, for instance, will roll atop a giant egg when his Special Dash is activated, while newcomer Charging Chuck (who looks humorously out of place on the golf course in his football gear) mows through other golfers with a charging tackle.