Mr Frank N. Streatfeild

plays sixteen nine-hole rounds (144 holes) in one day

It may interest your readers to have some account of a tour de force accomplished by Mr. Frank N. Streatfeild, a member of the Limpsfield Chart Golf Club over the club links on June 28th. This gentleman undertook to play sixteen nine-hole rounds (144 holes) in one day, playing each hole out, and in addition to walk to and from the links, a distance of four miles each way. Mr. Streatfeild, moreover, set himself the task of doing the 144 holes in 720 strokes (an average of five a hole), and, as will be seen from the subjoined return, he very nearly accomplished the feat. Indeed had it not been for the rough and fiery state of the greens consequent on the long drought, and the abnormally bad lies that his ball only too often found on the course, the specified number of strokes would have been more than amply sufficient. Three balls lost (a loss of six strokes) and some eight or nine lifts out of unplayable places added very materially to the score. Starting from home at 2.30 a.m., Mr. Streatfeild began to play about 3.30. The actual time occupied in play was fourteen and a half hours, and the player was at home again soon after nine o'clock p.m. It should be remembered that Mr. Streatfeild, whose name has long been known amongst the big game in South Africa, on English cricket-fields, and on other fields where the driven partridge skims all too confidently over the fence, has only quite lately taken to golf, and has already seen more than half a century of vigorous life. Such is the pereimis majoriim virtus. (We have all of them.) Mr. Streatfeild was accompanied throughout by his son, Mr. Cyril Streatfeild.

The rounds were as follows :    50, 45, 42, 44, 44, 42, 52, 42, 44, 47, 47, 47, 46, 48, 42, 43 725

(Signed) F. W. Parsons, Hon. Sec. Limpsfield Chart Golf Club

I may add that I was not least tired, and ate an unlimited supply of cold roast beef, and drank a bottle of champagne for supper, and was off again early next morning and played a cricket match at Chislehurst, Sevenoaks Vine against West Kent. So much for the poor heart that was reported not good enough for service at the Cape.

Note :- Extracted from “Sporting recollections of an Old Un”
by Frank Streatfeild C.M.G.“
(Pages 169-173) Published 1913

The year of this golfing epic was not mentioned but is estimated 1907, eight years after his medical examination in South Africa 1899. He was born 1843 making him 64.

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