Geelong golfer Grace Hallinan has set a new Guinness World Record after playing 983 holes in 24 hours at X-Golf Geelong, surpassing the 810-hole benchmark set by X-Golf Penrith franchisee Matt Newton last November.
Twenty-eight-year-old Grace completed the challenge while raising money for breast cancer, with the feat adding another extraordinary chapter to X-Golf’s growing reputation as a place where golfers push themselves, raise money for good causes and take on challenges well beyond the traditional game.
X-Golf Penrith’s Matt Newton set the previous record late last year, completing 810 holes in 20 hours as part of X-Golf Australia’s annual Starlight Swing charity initiative. His achievement was officially recognised by Guinness World Records and helped raise significant funds for the Starlight Children’s Foundation.
Grace had a slightly different motivation, but the same determination to find out what she could achieve. The challenge came after a conversation with ultra-endurance runner Ned Brockman, who encouraged her to step outside her comfort zone.
“He told me about running across Australia. He said I should do something to get out of my comfort zone and push myself,” she said.
That sent things into motion for Grace, as she went looking for a difficult challenge and found the record for the most indoor golf holes played in 24 hours.
“I found the trickiest one I could and funnily enough, I was vying for the title of a record previously set at another X-Golf location.”
Grace teed off at 10am on Friday and played the same course, The Links at Spanish Bay, for the entire 24 hours.
“I’ve got plenty of experience on outdoor courses, but I don’t normally play X-Golf, so this was a whole new thing for me,” she said.
Putting proved particularly challenging, but Grace eventually found her rhythm. Her two sisters were by her side for the entire 24 hours, alongside friends, staff and scorers who kept her moving.
Grace said the biggest battle came late in the challenge. While she broke Matt Newton’s record with five hours still remaining, by the 22-hour mark, the physical struggle had become a mental one.
“My body didn’t give up, but my mind gave up. Mentally, I was exhausted.”
Grace’s achievement is particularly significant given her history with the game. She started playing golf at five and dreamed of becoming a professional before walking away from the sport for three years after deciding her professional ambitions were no longer a priority.
She eventually returned to golf, launching a social media page focused on making the sport more relatable and inspiring the next generation of golfers. The new record has given Grace renewed confidence in what is possible.
“I feel like if you put your mind to something, you can really do it,” she said.
Her challenge also raised money for breast cancer, inspired by her grandmother and aunt’s experiences with the disease.
From Matt’s record-breaking effort at X-Golf Penrith to Grace’s 983-hole marathon at X-Golf Geelong, these achievements highlight just how much can happen when golfers have the opportunity to think beyond the traditional game.
Across the X-Golf network, venues are proving to be more than places to play a round. They’re hubs for competition, community, fundraising and challenges that give golfers and non-golfers alike a chance to test themselves, have some fun and do something extraordinary!
You can follow Grace’s golfing journey across most social media platforms via @gracehallinangolf.
