The biennial Ryder Cup begins this week at Medinah Country Club, Medinah, Illinois, USA, and we have 10 of our favorite golf Guinness World Records to celebrate:
10. Longest golf course
The longest golf course in the world (above) is the par-72, 8,548
yd (7,816 m) Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club in Lijiang, China.
The longest hole of the 18 is the 711-yard, par-5 fifth.
9. Most successful golf Ryder Cup captain
The most successful Ryder Cup captain is Walter Hagen (USA) with
four wins. Hagen captained the US team to victory in 1927, 1931,
1935 and 1937. Hagen was one the most colourful sports
personalities of his time, and is credited with doing more than any
other golfer to influence the perception of his profession.
8. Fastest golf drive
The fastest golf drive is 339.56 km/h (211 mi/h) and was achieved
by Maurice Allen (USA) at the Americas Golf Outlet in Orlando,
Florida, USA on 3 March 2012. The ball was measured using the Full
Swing Golf Simulator in which the golf ball hit is detected by two
concentric laser nets surrounding the striker to determine the
velocity and spin of the ball.
7. Best-selling golf game
The Tiger Woods series might have ruled the roost in recent years,
but it was never able to dethrone one of the first golfing games -
the functionally titled Golf. This early NES release has sold
4,009,599 units, compared to 2,841,563 of Tiger Woods PGA Tour 08
(EA, 2007), the highest-selling game from EA's franchise.
6. The farthest distance travelled controlling a golf
ball
The farthest distance travelled controlling a golf ball is 2,903
metres (1.8 miles), completed by Ashrita Furman (USA) at the St.
John's University track in New York City, New York, USA, on 11 July
2010. He used a sand wedge to bounce a golf ball while completing
more than seven laps around the track before losing control. The
attempt lasted 41 min, 22 sec.
5. Largest collection of golf clubs
Robert Lantsoght of Malaga, Spain has a collection of 4,393
individual golf clubs that he has been collecting since 1992.
Robert has a restaurant on the Costa del Sol, which is renowned for
golf. Every golf club in his collection is on display in the
restaurant. Robert began collecting when he received a golf bag
with a complete set of golf clubs in 1992 and he continues to
update the collection on a weekly basis.
4. Highest golf course
The highest altitude golf course is the Yak golf course at 13,025
feet (3,970m) above sea level in Kupup, East Sikkim, India,
measured on 10 October 2006. This is part of an Indian Army base
and measures 6,026 yards long.
3. Oldest golf course
The Old Course at St Andrews Links in Fife, Scotland, UK, is the
oldest golf course in the world. Archbishop Hamilton's Charter in
1552 is the earliest documentary evidence that allowed the people
of St Andrews to play golf on the Links. The charter is principally
a license to allow Archbishop Hamilton to breed rabbits on the
links but the document also allows them to continue the "playing at
golf, futball, schuting at all gamis, with all uther maner of
pastyme as ever thai plais."
2. Most golf balls held in one hand
The most golf balls held in one hand for 10 seconds is 24 by
Guillaume Doyon (Canada) at Collège Saint-Alexandre in Gatineau,
Quebec, Canada, on 30 November 2009. This record was equalled by
Rohit Timilsina (Nepal) in Dharmasthali, Kathmandu, Nepal on 15 May
2010 and again by Zachery George (USA) in Elkins, West Virginia,
USA, on 20 Mar 2011.
1. Most durable golf club employee
The most durable golf club employee is Raymundo Coelho (Brazil),
who began work at Gavea Golf and Country Club, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil, in January 1935, providing upkeep and maintenance of the
course, and he continues at the club, now as an instructional
professional, 70 years later.
