Golf Photographer Breaks World Record For Most Courses Played In A Year - And He's Still Not Finished

Many people who take up the game soon find that what began as a once-in-a-while pursuit starts taking over whatever spare time they have.

However, you’d have to go to some lengths to accomplish what one amateur has managed. American Patrick Koenig has played a staggering 450 18-hole courses in only 287 days to set a new Guinness World Record and break the previous best of 449 courses over 365 days set 14 years ago.

It all started for the 43-year-old in 2018 when he quit his job to dedicate his time to playing golf. Back then, he headed out from Seattle, hitting the road in an RV, and ended up playing with 793 people on 405 courses across 48 states in 12 months.

That endeavour helped Koenig, who is a golf blogger and photographer, raise over $20,000 for charity, but he has clearly stepped things up considerably since then, as followers of his RGV Tour 2.0 journey would attest.

So, does Koenig, who has also documented his journey on Instagram, plan to rest his (presumably) weary limbs, safe in the knowledge that the record is in the bag? Not at all. After breaking the record at Omni Interlocken Golf Club in Denver on 17 October, he now intends to push on and get past 500 in a year, which he will need to do by 3 January 2024.

Before that, though, Koenig reflected on his record-breaking achievement in an Instagram most accompanying a video of his decisive putt. He wrote: "Today The RGV Tour set a new world record and a water balloon fight broke out on the 18th green. 

"This scene will be one of the defining moments of my life in golf. Thank you to everyone who supported my dream and was a part of this world record. We have accomplished what no golfer has ever done before. 450 golf courses in 287 days. Thank you from the bottom of my golf heart. Tomorrow… more golf."

Koenig partnered with various brands through the challenge, including ECCO GOLF shoes, which he admitted had been a great help. Koenig said: “There are no other golf shoes that I would rather have played 450 different golf courses in besides ECCO. They are comfortable, perform exceptionally well and are built to last. It’s the perfect recipe for this world record achievement.”

Timo Vollrath, Head of Global Marketing at ECCO GOLF, also expressed his admiration for Koenig’s achievement, saying: “We’re really proud to have partnered with Patrick during his World Record attempt. It’s a great honour to support Patrick during a year in which he spent a lot of time in his golf shoes.

“Huge congratulations to Patrick for this incredible achievement, and we are delighted that ECCO GOLF shoes have completed the record-breaking 450 courses with him!”