Golfers' epic record attempt

Four amateur golfers will attempt to set a new Guinness World Record next week by playing golf on six continents in six days.

Led by Isle of Man businessman Brian Kelly, the fourball will tee off in Cairo at dawn on January 26 then travel to Singapore, Sydney, Santiago and Miami, before completing their epic journey on their home course, the Castletown Golf links on the Isle of Man on January 31.

Never previously attempted, it involves more than 30,000 miles of air travel as well as 108 of the world’s toughest golf holes. This Global Golf Challenge is supported by the Isle of Man Government and will help raise funds for the island’s Commonwealth Games team to compete in Melbourne in March 2006.

The challenge is the brainchild of Kelly, 44-year-old owner of Mann Link Travel and account Ramsey Golf Club member Basil Bielich(42), a fellow member at Ramsey (Isle of Man) Golf Club.

The pair got the idea for their journey when they ran alongside Sir Ranulph Fiennes in the New York marathon during his successful bid to compete in seven marathons on seven continents in seven days.

They will be joined by David Dean Adrian Cleevely.

To be officially recognised by the Guinness Book of Records, each PGA-recognised course must be 18 holes and at least 6,000 yards in length. Sadly, with no course meeting the criteria in Antarctica, the golfers’ challenge must be confined to Europe, Asia, North and South America, Africa and Australasia.

Crossing the international dateline means that the players will play in Australia and Chile on the same day despite completing a 15-hour transfer!