Golf writer adds name to Guinness book of records

Bryce Alderton

The Guinness Book of World Records will have to be altered after a

round of golf played at Pelican Hill Golf Club on Wednesday.

Larry Olmsted, a freelance golf and travel writer, set a new

record for greatest distance traveled between two rounds of golf on

the same day after he completed his 18-hole round on Pelican’s North

Course at 5:15 p.m. with playing partner Hans Maissen, Pelican’s

general manager. He traveled 7,496 miles, breaking the previous

record set by Nobby Owens of Encino, who traveled 5,954 miles between

rounds.

Olmsted, a Hartland, Vt., resident, teed off at the New South

Wales Golf Club in Sydney, Australia, at 7:30 a.m. He was done by 1

p.m. and on a flight to Los Angeles by 3:30 p.m. The plane touched

down in L.A. at 10 a.m. and Olmsted made it to Pelican Hill in time

for a 12:30 p.m. starting time.

Conditions weren’t the most ideal at Pelican Hill, but Olmsted

fought through it.

“I was going to play no matter what,” Olmsted said. “It rained

solidly the first 13 or 14 holes, but then it stopped and the sun

came out. We saw the ocean on the closing holes. I’ve played in the

British Isles and it was far worse there than it was [Wednesday].”

Olmsted birdied the par-4 18th on the North Course, knocking his

approach shot to within four feet of the cup and draining the ensuing

putt. It was his only birdie during the 36 holes.

Olmsted thumbed through the record book five months ago and chose

the two public courses since they each had easy access to airports

and were both rated very high.

To use his time most efficiently, Olmsted didn’t bring his own

clubs to L.A. to avoid waiting at baggage claim. He used a rental set

at Pelican Hill. He said the trip went smoothly except for a few

minor missteps.

“The [cab] driver in Sydney didn’t know where the course was and

then I found out I was playing in the midst of a members’

competition. I rented a car and they didn’t have my reservation.”

Nothing could take away from the experience, though.

“My real forte is travel and it fit nicely. It was also the

easiest [record to break],” Olmsted said laughing. “I initially

intended to set a new record, but realized it would be easier to

break an existing record.

“This is something that if anyone else wants to do it, they

could,” he said.

* BRYCE ALDERTON covers sports. He may be reached at (949)

574-4222 or by e-mail at [email protected].