Eighteen years ago, when he was 46 years old, the British David Steele, a former European Tour player who has lived on the Costa del Sol for decades, accomplished a feat almost unequaled by any human being: he holed 774 holes in a marathon golf session lasting 24 hours straight. He completed 43 rounds of 18 holes at the Marbella course Dama de Noche (now Banús Executive), which had night lighting.
The record of this Englishman from New Castle far surpassed what until recently was the world record for 24-hour play, set at 710 holes in the Guinness Book of Records, but fell short of what was considered the unofficial world record, without official certification: 783 holes.
His hands were blistered, his knees swollen, his joints sore from the humidity of the night, but his body was firm and strong… this was how Steele ended his very long match on the evening of June 5, 2003.
Steele had been preparing thoroughly for weeks for the physical and psychological challenge of the golf marathon. In order to achieve his goal, he rode in a specially prepared, more powerful baby carriage with a backrest that massaged his back. He was also accompanied by two other buggies for support.
After the first twelve hours of play, Steele had shot 399 strokes and completed 23 full rounds (each round is two rounds, as the course is 9 holes, with pars 3, 4 and 5). The shortest round took him 27 minutes, an average of one and a half minutes per hole.
The average per 18-hole round was around 30 minutes during the 24-hour marathon. The funds raised from the competition against the clock were donated to the Spanish Association Against Cancer, the Cudeca Association (for palliative care) and the Cancer Research Unit of the University of Malaga.
The estimated proceeds from the marathon plus those obtained from other charity tournaments organized for the same purpose amounted to some 64,000 euros, to which must be added the almost 8,000 euros obtained from an auction of golf memorabilia. It should be noted that Jaime Ortiz Patiño, the former demiurge and president of Valderrama, and the European Tour each donated 15 euros for each hole pocketed by Steele, which amounted to a total of 23,220 euros.
Before that marathon, which had a great media impact, the English golfer had already starred in another great charity event, in that case at San Roque Club (his current club) in 1993 to buy an ambulance for the town of Guadiaro. He then played 18 consecutive rounds and a total of 315 holes (he was 9 short of completing the eighteenth round), his best round being 69 strokes, and his fastest round was 45 minutes.
Now, 18 years after his 24 hours of golf in Marbella, the former European Tour player returns to the marathon charge, although this time – age weighs heavily: 64 years old – he will not try to beat the world record. Next June 7 he has a challenge in the Costa del Sol course El Higueral, in Benahavís, also with many holes ahead of him and also for charity. A tournament with the same aims is also scheduled to be held at San Roque Club. Its aim is to raise funds for cancer research and for the Contigo Center in La Línea, which cares for minors at risk of social exclusion.
“The director of El Higueral (also of Marbella Club Golf Resort), Rod Bastard, is a great friend of mine for many years, I spoke to him and he thought it was perfect for me to do it here,” says Steele.
The challenge is to play 14 hours straight, from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and try to make 18 rounds of 18 holes. He estimates that he could spend about three minutes per hole. “I’ve been preparing for this for a while,” he explains, “but it’s 64 years old and I don’t have the same vitality as when I did the 24-hour marathon.”
Together with the charity tournament at the San Roque Club, his goal is to raise 50,000 euros. “This is my idea, and I hope it becomes a reality,” says Steele.
What is clear is that desire and enthusiasm are not lacking in this tireless athlete with a big heart who is committed to helping others who need it most.
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