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Former Major League Baseball player, Eric Byrnes (USA), can now add official record holder to his running list of achievements after setting the record for the most golf holes played by an individual in 24 hours (walking).
Aiming to raise awareness for their non-profit foundation, Let Them Play, Eric and his wife Tarah set out to host an official attempt to engage communities with their cause.
Dedicated to providing children with the opportunity and means to be physically active, Let Them Play grants scholarships to youth activity groups that help cover the costs of uniforms, sports equipment, and other needed supplies.
The 24-hour record attempt took place on 22 April, beginning at 7 a.m. on the Ocean Course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links in California.
Kids from 10 different youth activity groups which have been helped by the foundation were in attendance and even had a chance to join Eric on the course as he attempted to make history.
Audiences nationwide were also able to tune in to the action via Eric’s Twitch feed that featured a 24-hour live broadcast.
Using an 8-iron throughout the attempt, Eric persevered by foot, fueling up after each round with sliced avocado, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, cans of Coca-Cola, and shots of mustard (claimed to fight off cramps).
Once the sun set, special glow in the dark golf balls were brought onto the course to be used during the night hours.
At 5:31am on 23 April, Eric secured the title by surpassing the previous record of 401 holes and continued playing for the duration of the attempt.
The attempt officially concluded at 7 a.m. when the final count was verified by Guinness World Records adjudicator, Mike Marcotte, who announced that Eric had played a total of 420 holes.
In total, Eric traveled 105.5 miles by foot during the 24-hour time frame, playing just over 23 rounds of golf at a pace of about one hole every five minutes.
The event garnered tons of media coverage across top outlets such as the Golf Channel, USA Today, MSN, Sports Illustrated, and PEOPLE magazine and ultimately raised over $50,000 for the foundation, enabling dozens of grants to be issued this year.