Record-Breaker: Patrick Koenig and the journey of the man who played 580 Golf Courses
2/8/2024 | by Amit Pandey of AmateurGolf.com
Hear from Koenig himself on how he was able to accomplish this
On January 3, 2023, Patrick Koenig embarked on his second journey, RGV 2.0, intending to break the record for the highest number of courses played in a year (365 days). The previous record, set at 449 courses, was held by Jonathan and Cathie Weaver.
Koenig, a professional golf photographer, has featured his work in prestigious publications such as Golf Magazine, Golf Digest, The Golfer’s Journal, and numerous others.
Koenig initiated his journey by playing at the Monarch Beach Golf Club in California and concluded it at Chambers Bay in Washington on January 2, 2024. In doing so, he broke and shattered the previous record by surpassing it with over 141 courses.
Throughout the year, he played 580 18-hole courses, and his girlfriend, Rachel Alcone, frequently visited him on the road. She made the occasions memorable by presenting him with a milestone cake every time she visited.
In 2018, Koenig started the inaugural RGV Tour and played with 793 people on 405 courses across 48 states while raising $20k for The First Tee.
In his second attempt, the RGV 2.0, Koenig successfully surpassed the 449-golf course record by playing his 450th course on October 17, 2023, at Omni Interlocken, Colorado.
Within the next 28 days, he achieved the 500th mark on November 15 when he played at the Silver Rock Golf Club in California. Finally, on January 2, 2024, he concluded his journey at Chambers Bay, Washington, marking his 580th course.
The RGV Tour 2.0 covered more than 35,000 miles across the U.S., spanning 41 states. Additionally, it extended over a week to include European countries such as Finland and Sweden. The tour raised US$40,800 for various charities, including The First Tee, The First Tee of Greater Seattle, National Links Trust, and SCGA Junior Golf.
Throughout this entire journey, what truly stands out is his commitment to the goal and his ability to keep himself safe from any injuries throughout the routine to complete it successfully. In 2023, Koenig spent the entire year traveling across the US for golf.
This year, he plans to play golf while taking on additional travel and photography jobs. Unfortunately, his RGV (Recreational Golf Vehicle), his companion for over 35,000 miles, has now been decommissioned.
When we asked if he has plans to try breaking his unfathomable record, he responded, “Not right now. My girlfriend is happy to have me back, and I am happy to wait and see if others try to break it.”
Koenig had previously ventured on the RGV in 2018 but could play only 405 courses. This time, he received support from GameBook, a golf scorecard, and GPS, for which he has a lot of appreciative words.
He states, "It wasn't until the Golf GameBook came along that my dream became a reality. They funded the entire tour to get their app in front of an American audience. I lived in that app every day and enjoyed it very much."
Koenig's girlfriend also played a significant role in his journey, and he believes this experience has only strengthened their relationship further.
He states, "My girlfriend was very supportive. She knew that it was something I was very passionate about and was behind me every step of the journey. She would come out and visit me on the road often, and the effort we both put into each other made our relationship much stronger."
One question that lingered in our minds during his journey of playing all these courses—sometimes more than two or three in a day—was how he kept himself fit. We all wondered and couldn't stop ourselves from asking him. He had only one mantra, which he shared with all the golfers.
"I made at least one good health effort per day. I had a daily stretching routine, slowed my swing speed down, and did pushups in the RGV daily. A little bit of good fortune kept me off of the DL."
You can check out his full schedule including courses HERE.
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