Golf Blog

Guan Tian-lang recently made history when he became the youngest golfer to compete on the European Tour at the age of just 13.

The Chinese rookie rewrote the record books following his appearance at the China Open and is likely to stay in the spotlight for some time now by creating one of the more unusual sporting statistics of recent years.

Here are 15 random golfing facts for those people with a real thirst for more golfing knowledge.

• Tiger Woods was just six when he sunk his first hole in one, or ace to use the proper golfing terminology.

• The Nullarbor Links in Australia is the world’s longest golf course. It spans 1,365km in total across two states and each hole is located in a different town

• A standard golf ball could have anything between 300 and 450 dimples on it.

• During the Apollo 14 mission Astronaut Alan Shepard holds the distinction for being the first person to play some golf on the Moon. He hit two balls in total and they remain on the Moon.

• The oldest winner of a major is Julius Boros, who lifted the 1968 PGA Championship at the age of 48.

• The chances of getting two aces in one round of golf are thought to be 67million to one, a feat achieved by Doug Hazell in 2008.

• The famous green jacket awarded to the winner of the Masters was first handed out in 1949.

• Shadow Creek in Las Vegas is believed to be the most expensive course to play a round of golf on the planet.The very first golf balls were made out of wood.

• The 1947 US Open marked the first televised golf event.

• Musselburgh in Scotland is regarded as the oldest golf course in the world and golf has been played there since 1672.

• The Tactu Golf Club in Peru is thought to be the highest course in the world as it is over 14,000 feet above sea level.

• Big-hitting Mike Austin holds the distinction of smashing the longest drive in a tournament after powering the ball an incredible 515 yards during a competition in Las Vegas during the 1970s.

• The phenomenon that is Jack Nicklaus has won more majors (18) than any other player. His first came in 1962 at the US Open and his last came at the Masters in 1986.

• Canadian Isabelle Beisiegel last year hit the headlines when she became the first female golfer to qualify for a place on a men’s professional tour.

These random golf factoids come courtesy of golfing holiday specialists Your Golf Travel.

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I used to wonder why so many people play golf when they go abroad on holiday. In fact, a lot of people build their entire holiday around the golf course, don’t they?

The strange thing is, I only discovered the reason (why this is so good) when I went home for a visit recently. I used to play regular games as a kid in my home town but since moving away I have had very few chances to use my trusty clubs. When I went back for a short visit to see my family I went on the course for a few games for old times’ sake and it was one of the best things about the whole trip.

© Copyright Kay Williams and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.

See a Different View

I had forgotten just what a spectacular view the golf course I used to play on offers. Since I now live in a country which is far less lush and green than the UK it was amazing to be surrounded by green, rolling hills while I played. The 9th hole is downhill and when you get round the trees (or stumble through them like I always do) the view opens up to give a glimpse of the open sea which took my breath away. All this time I had been telling people that I come from a rather dull town with nothing special in it, when I could have been explaining about the stunning views from the golf course. I expect that something similar occurs everywhere in the world, with the local golf courses offering some of the very best views in town.

Meet People

The golf course is a fantastic place for meeting people who are out to relax and have some fun. I have never come across any sort of problems while playing golf and I guess that is because most of us go out there with the same intention of getting away from the stress and strains of life for a while. The problem with meeting other holidaymakers and locals in places such as bars and restaurants is that you often don’t have anything in common with them apart from being in the same place at the same time. When you meet on a golf course instead you instantly have something to talk about.

Get Some Sun

Most people seem to head straight to the beach when they go on holiday but I have never seen the appeal of lying in a pool of sweat under a baking sun surrounded by loads of other tourists in exactly the same situation. However, I do like to get a bit of sun about me if I can. The beauty of playing golf is that you get to soak up some sun while doing something interesting at the same time.

A Bit of Exercise

I don’t know about you but when I get a well-deserved break from work I tend to pile on the pounds. On my recent trip back to my home town my Mum seemed to think that all 3 of my brothers and sisters had returned too, as she loaded the table with food until it was creaking under the weight. I don’t think I’ve ever eaten as many sausages and slices of toast in one week in all my life. If it hadn’t been for my outings to the golf course I would have been waddling back to the airport with a belly bigger than my bulging rucksack. If you love to sample lots of good food on holiday but don’t want it to show too much then getting out on the golf course is a smart way of burning off those calories.

If you are planning on a trip abroad soon then don’t forget to pack your golf trolley and clubs before you head off.