Fifteen million balls on the driving range I immediately want to reassure everyone: it is NOT my training program for 2023. It is a statistic, which concerns a great champion of the past. And it is he who claims the title of player who has shot the most balls on the driving range in history: Gary Player.
In a video posted on the PGA Tour Champions Twitter account (@ChampionsTour) he explains how he came to this conclusion.
Gary Player, statements
“It is a challenge between three people to find out who has shot the most balls on the driving range in history, and I bet on me” “It is between Ben Hogan, Vijay Singh and me, but Vijay is twenty years younger than me” “Consequently, I have twenty years of balls thrown more than him” “Plus, he has yet to get to my age, but in the meantime I’m still on the driving range!”.
“It was a computer that did the calculation” “I have been playing for more than 73 years, and I was an animal (sic!) and I was never tired” “One of the greatest blessings I have received is the fact that I have never lacked energy”.
Player has always been an avid supporter (and apostle) of physical fitness and training in general. “I practiced and went to the gym when people were sleeping” “Hogan practiced all day; all the champions practiced at all times of the day: Sam Snead, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson, Hale Irwin, practiced again and again” “There are no shortcuts.” The Rules of Golf are a set of standard rules and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played.
They are jointly written and maintained by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body for golf worldwide, outside of the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association.
An expert commission made up of members of the R&A and USGA, oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision has been in force since January 1, 2016. Changes to the rules of golf generally fall into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that in certain cases reduce penalties to ensure balance.
The rule book, entitled “Rules of Golf”, is published on a regular basis and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy it is up to Federgolf to supervise the competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R & A, checking that these rules are observed by the Clubs, Associations and their members and manages the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
