Golfer Breaks World Record For Most 18-Hole Courses Played In A Year

Most golfers would love to be able to play 580 different golf courses in their entire lifetime. Patrick Koenig just did it in one year. 

Koenig, a professional golf photographer and blogger from Seattle, has smashed the world record for the most different 18-hole courses played in a year.

He completed his incredible journey across the United States this week at Chambers Bay in Washington, tapping in a two-footer to complete his quest that began in January last year. 

In completing 580 courses in 365 days, Koenig played an average of 1.6 courses per day and more than 11 courses per week.

That’s an average of 28.6 holes per day and a whopping 10,440 holes overall across the entire year.

Koenig posted a video of his final putt to complete his 580th course on social media and thanked his supporters.

“The final putt of the RGV Tour has dropped and a new world record has been established. 580 courses in 365 days,” he said on Instagram.

“This has been one of the most rewarding and challenging years of my life. A big and heartfelt thank you to every single one of you who were a part of this ridiculous ride. Your support has meant the world to me…you literally carried me off the 18th green.”

Koenig’s feat was part of what he has called The RGV Tour 2.0 (RGV meaning recreational golf vehicle).

He started the 1.0 version of the tour in 2018 after quitting his job to travel across America with the goal of playing a course in every State, and raised over $20,000 for non-profit First Tee, an organization that aims to "make golf affordable and accessible to all kids".

His second voyage would be significantly more difficult, but again he used the experience to raise money for charity. Koenig said on Instagram that he raised over $40,000 for "youth based charities across the country", including $15,500 for First Tee.

Koenig had already beaten the previous record of 449 in October last year at Omni Interlocken in Colorado.

The previous record, which currently still remains the official record by the Guinness World Records, is held by Canadian couple Jonathan and Cathy Weaver.

According to the Guinness World Records website, the process of reviewing an application for a world record could take up to 12 weeks.