Golfing fanatic, photographer, and Stewart Golf ambassador, Patrick Koenig, recently smashed the world record for the number of golf courses played in a year (580 to be exact), but the most impressive part may be that for the majority of these rounds, he walked.

From teeing off his RGV Tour at Monarch Beach, to sinking a two-footer for par on the 18th at Chambers Bay, Koenig completed 580 rounds at different 18-hole courses, spanning across 40+ US states.

Speaking on his world record, Koenig revealed that of the 580 courses played, he had walked at least 70% of them, accompanied by ‘Stewie’, his trusty Stewart Golf Q Follow electric trolley. The previous record stood at 449, a record that Koenig surpassed on October 17th.

“I love to walk, and I always prefer to walk,” said Koenig. “I like rolling with my guy Stewie. You definitely feel like you accomplish more. Everybody takes a cart here and there, at least in America, but when you’re rocking with Stewie and you’re done, you’re like ‘oh yeah, that was a good 18!’.

Throughout his challenge, Koenig continued his work as a professional golf course photographer, swapping the clubs for a camera between shots. Having Stewie following behind at all times also allowed Koenig to be completely handsfree, giving him the freedom to get those all-important snaps.

“Walking a golf course is probably 5-10 times more immersive than getting in a cart. As a photographer, walking the course takes me to places and angles that I might not see if I’m in a cart. I love to walk over riding, that’s for sure.”

Only when you break down the walking stats of Koenig’s challenge do you fully appreciate the magnitude of his achievements. His 1,523 miles walked equates to a staggering 58.1 marathons, 245.7 laps around Central Park, or a leisurely stroll from Madrid to Copenhagen.

During the RGV Tour, Koenig also raised over $40,000 for youth development organisation, The First Tee of Greater Seattle, in a bid to positively influence the lives of young people through the game of golf.

Are you looking to emulate Koenig and walk more rounds of golf this year? If so, then an electric trolley could be just what you need to help you play the course as it was intended, on foot.