# Chapter 2: Records & Statistics

Golf · Chapter 2: Records & Statistics · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/golf/interesting-facts/chapter-2-records-statistics/)

Records and numbers: the longest drives and aces, very low rounds, long careers, the youngest and oldest, money milestones, extreme holes and courses, marathon play-offs and nightmare holes.

## 2.21 Distance Records

The longest drives and holes-in-one on record, the first 300-yard season and long-drive champions.

### Test 1: Distance records

- It came at the US National Seniors Open. (Source: Guinness World Records, longest drive in competition)
- He had been a long hitter all his life. (Source: Guinness World Records)
- At the Winterwood course in Nevada. (Source: Guinness World Records)
- He averaged about 302 yards in 1997. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, driving distance leaders)
- Four in a row from 1996 to 1999, then 2006. (Source: World Long Drive, past champions)
- Denver sits about a mile above sea level. (Source: Guinness World Records, longest hole-in-one)
- A par-5 hole-in-one is called a condor. (Source: Guinness World Records, longest hole-in-one)
- About 302, 515 and 517 yards. (Source: Guinness World Records; PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- 1974, 1997 and 2002. (Source: Guinness World Records; PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- Balls outside the grid do not count however far they go. (Source: World Long Drive, rules of competition)

## 2.22 Hole-in-One Records

Record ace-makers, the oldest aces, the first televised one and four in a morning at Oak Hill.

### Test 1: Hole-in-one records

- An amateur from California. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA))
- A Texan club professional. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA))
- Believed to be the oldest man to make an ace. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA); Golf Digest (2018))
- She was recognised as the oldest woman to make an ace. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA); Associated Press (2007))
- At Royal St George's, Sandwich. (Source: BBC Sport archive; European Tour history)
- Doug Weaver, Mark Wiebe, Jerry Pate and Nick Price. (Source: USGA, championship records, 1989 US Open at Oak Hill)
- A rare double in a PGA Tour event. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- About 23, 102 and 103. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA); BBC Sport archive)
- 1967, 1989, 2006 and 2018. (Source: National Hole-in-One Registry (USA); USGA, championship records, 1989 US Open at Oak Hill)
- All four aces came within about two hours. (Source: USGA, championship records, 1989 US Open at Oak Hill)

## 2.23 Remarkably Low Rounds

Rounds of 55, 58 and 59 outside the majors, and a record 72-hole total.

### Test 1: Remarkably low rounds

- Guinness recognised it as the lowest round on a par-71 course. (Source: Guinness World Records, lowest score on an 18-hole course)
- The course was short, but the score became legend. (Source: Texas Golf Hall of Fame; PGA Tour history)
- In the final round of The Crowns, which he won. (Source: Japan Golf Tour Organization, records)
- At the Ellie Mae Classic in California. (Source: Korn Ferry Tour (formerly Web.com Tour), records)
- At Woodmont Country Club in Maryland. (Source: USGA, championship records, US Open qualifying)
- He opened the event with a 59. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide; Sony Open in Hawaii)
- He was 23, the youngest to shoot 59 on the PGA Tour. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- 1962, 2000, 2010 and 2012. (Source: Guinness World Records; club and tour records)
- 55, 58 and 59. (Source: Guinness World Records; PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- An Australian professional. (Source: Guinness World Records)

## 2.24 Long Careers

Records of longevity: Masters starts, straight majors, Ryder Cup caps and winning in later life.

### Test 1: Long careers

- From 1957 to 2009. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- A streak of nearly 37 years. (Source: PGA Tour; Golf Digest records)
- From 1977 to 1997. (Source: Ryder Cup Europe, records)
- Watson missed an eight-foot putt to win on the 72nd hole. (Source: The Open, 2009 championship records)
- The Masters was played in November that year. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- He had first won the event in 1938. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, oldest winners)
- He birdied the 18th in his farewell round. (Source: The Open, 2005 championship records)
- 52, 59 and 63. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide; Masters.com, tournament records)
- 11, 52 and 146. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records; Ryder Cup Europe)
- Turnberry, where he had won in 1977. (Source: The Open, 2009 championship records)

## 2.25 Youngest and Oldest

The youngest to make cuts and win events, and the oldest US Open champion.

### Test 1: Youngest and oldest

- The youngest player to do so. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- He still made the cut. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- A Canadian amateur. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, youngest to make a cut)
- He was also the first American-born winner. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- He holed a long putt on the 72nd green and won the play-off. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- At the Castello Masters in Spain. (Source: DP World Tour, records)
- He holed out from a bunker on the 72nd hole. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- 14, 16, 19 and 45. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records; USGA, championship records)
- 1957, 2010 and 2013. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide; DP World Tour; Masters.com, tournament records)
- From Guangzhou, China. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)

## 2.26 Money Milestones

From 150 dollars at the first US Open to the first million-dollar prizes, seasons and purses.

### Test 1: Money milestones

- The club kept the trophy. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- The event was then the Augusta National Invitation Tournament. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- Thirteen years after he turned professional. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- Johnny Miller won it in a play-off with Seve Ballesteros. (Source: Nedbank Golf Challenge, history)
- After a nine-hole play-off. (Source: Nedbank Golf Challenge, history)
- He won nine events that year. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- The winner took 4.5 million. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide; The Players Championship)
- 150, 1,500 and 1,000,000 dollars. (Source: USGA, championship records; Masters.com, tournament records)
- 1968, 1988 and 2004. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- He also won that year's US Open. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)

## 2.27 Longest and Shortest Holes

The longest hole in the world, a par 3 teed from a mountain, Pebble Beach's short 7th and a floating green.

### Test 1: Longest and shortest holes

- At Sano, north of Tokyo. (Source: Guinness World Records, longest golf hole)
- A par seven is almost unheard of elsewhere. (Source: Guinness World Records, longest golf hole)
- The tee sits on top of a mountain. (Source: Legend Golf & Safari Resort, 'Extreme 19th')
- In Limpopo province. (Source: Legend Golf & Safari Resort, 'Extreme 19th')
- It plays downhill towards the Pacific. (Source: Pebble Beach Resorts, course guide; PGA Tour)
- So the hole's length changes from day to day. (Source: The Coeur d'Alene Resort, floating green)
- A boat shuttles them across after the tee shot. (Source: The Coeur d'Alene Resort, floating green)
- About 106, 155 and 964 yards. (Source: Guinness World Records; club course guides)
- The green sits hundreds of metres below the tee. (Source: Legend Golf & Safari Resort, 'Extreme 19th')
- At the Legend Golf & Safari Resort. (Source: Legend Golf & Safari Resort, 'Extreme 19th')

## 2.28 Biggest Courses, Greens and Bunkers

The largest golf facility, the longest courses and the most heavily bunkered.

### Test 1: Biggest courses and bunkers

- Guinness named it the world's largest golf facility. (Source: Guinness World Records, largest golf facility (Mission Hills))
- Near Shenzhen and Hong Kong. (Source: Guinness World Records, largest golf facility (Mission Hills))
- Many of them hidden from the tee. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust, Old Course facts)
- In Wisconsin; it hosted the 2021 Ryder Cup. (Source: Whistling Straits, Kohler; PGA of America)
- It crosses the 7th hole. (Source: Pine Valley Golf Club, course notes; USGA)
- Near Lijiang in Yunnan province. (Source: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club)
- Thin air lets the ball fly much farther. (Source: Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club)
- One, seven and twelve. (Source: Guinness World Records, largest golf facility (Mission Hills); St Andrews Links Trust)
- Under 3,000, about 7,300 and over 8,500 yards. (Source: St Andrews Links Trust; Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Golf Club)
- Said to have around a thousand bunkers. (Source: Whistling Straits, Kohler)

## 2.29 Marathon Play-offs

The longest play-offs: 144 holes for the 1931 US Open, eleven holes in the dark and the first four-hole Open play-off.

### Test 1: Marathon play-offs

- Against George Von Elm at Inverness. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- Twice the length of a normal championship. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- The longest sudden-death play-off in PGA Tour history. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, play-off records)
- Neither could beat the other. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, play-off records)
- At Royal Troon. (Source: The Open, 1989 championship records)
- The first two 18-hole play-offs were tied. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- At Merion, the year after his crash. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- 1931, 1946, 1949 and 1989. (Source: USGA, championship records; PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- 4, 11 and 72. (Source: USGA, championship records; PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- The players could no longer see. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide, play-off records)

## 2.30 Nightmare Holes

The highest scores on a single hole by famous players at famous events.

### Test 1: Nightmare holes

- He kept hitting at the ball in a creek. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- Near Denver, Colorado. (Source: USGA, championship records)
- The par-5 hole is called Azalea. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- He hit five balls into the water. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- His highest score on any hole on the PGA Tour. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)
- On the par-4 9th, in the first round. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- He kept trying to carry the lake. (Source: PGA Tour, records and media guide)
- 10, 13, 16, 18 and 19. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records; PGA Tour, records and media guide; USGA, championship records)
- 1938, 1978, 1980 and 1998. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records; PGA Tour, records and media guide; USGA, championship records)
- He had won the Open in 1973. (Source: Masters.com, tournament records)

Sources: Primary/official sources only, no Wikipedia: Guinness World Records, the National Hole-in-One Registry, the USGA, the PGA Tour, Masters.com, The Open, tour and club records. Records that can still move are dated; facts already asked in golf Knowledge Testing (59s in KT, major margins, Snead's 82 wins) are left out.

Take the tests: https://insporta.app/try?utm_source=book&utm_medium=referral