Home > The Scene

WATCH: Faster than your average golfer

Or, how to turn your golf game into speedwork?

The Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, in Malaga, Spain was the site of an unusual feat this week–an official Guiness Record attempt at the fastest hole of golf by an individual. Several young pro golfers from around the world got together for the attempt, along with Rubén Holgado Guerrero of Marbella, Spain, who set the previous record at one minute, 33 seconds on the same course on April 4, 2018. The clock starts when the athlete hits the ball, which he then sprints after, carrying two or three clubs. The hole must be at least 500 yards in length.

(The athletes wore heartrate monitors during the attempt, which could yield some interesting observations about their fitness.)

First up is the Italian, Guido Migliozzi, 22. He runs fast, but his second shot is a disaster (imagine how hard it must be to hit accurately after sprinting 100 metres or more–think biathlon on a golf course). Migliozzi can be heard to mutter that he hasn’t run since he was 10 years old–not a good omen for a Guinness record attempt involving running. He gives up. Migliozzi’s maximum heartrate: 165 beats per minute.

Next up is American Sean Crocker, also 22. His second shot, too, goes into the rough. It only takes him two more shots to sink it, but the time elapsed is 1:41–eight seconds over the record. (Crocker, too, admits to not having run that far in “forever.”) “That is the hardest shot in golf, that second shot,” Crocker says. Crocker’s heartrate reaches 206 (the red zone).

 

Next up: Irish golfer Paul Dunne, 26, doesn’t seem to run as fast as the first two. But he sinks the ball in four shots, and in only 1:31. But when he tosses his clubs to the ground upon arriving for his second shot, one bumps his ball, resulting in his disqualification. Dunne’s heartrate: 181

Next up: Thomas Detry of Belgium, 26. None has so far made the green on their second shot, and Detry doesn’t either. He also fails to sink his fourth shot, a putt. But he manages to sink the ball in 1:29, for a new world record. Detry’s heartrate: 188

RELATED: Thirteen Guinness world records fall at 2018 Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon

(Imagine how fast they could be if they trained.)

 

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

Best trail running gear for spring 2024

Explore our favourite trail running gear for short trips and longer treks, from watches to gaiters