FACTFILE: More than 1,000 kilometres in the same pair of shoes
From Levi in Lapland to an off-limits military island, all in the name of golf
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Näppis On Tour lasted 11 weeks (20.5.-31.7), with a total of 65 days on the golf course, as there was a ten-day break either side of the Midsummer holiday.
Not that he rested then, mind you - Markku Leinonen took part that week in Paltamo in an annual challenge competition that carries his name, and which involves playing as many holes as possible - last man standing wins.
Naturally he won, after playing 200 holes non-stop (no sleeping, but shower and sauna breaks of half an hour are permitted between rounds) in 45 hours.
And yes, you can see to play around the clock in Paltamo in late June.
The itinerary in May centred on southern courses for climate reasons, and then in June headed north and west to the northernmost course in the country in the shadow of the Levi ski-resort in Lapland, and then down the eastern side of the country again.
Leinonen played his home course of Paltamo - and scored 81 - on June 20th.
Total number of courses played: 150 official courses of nine to 18 holes, plus a further 20 or so par-three courses (134 holes all told) at different golf clubs, and an additional eleven unofficial or private courses, with 106 holes in total.
In all, he played 2,772 holes of golf in 65 days.
Longest day: 74 holes (including par-three courses) in 17 hours, Hillside Golf & Country Club (Vihti) and St. Laurence Golf (Lohja).
Scoring average (18-hole courses) : 80.6. Leinonen’s official HCP is 5.2.
Best score: 72 (par) at Kullo Golf Club, 23.5.2008. Round included two birdies and an eagle.
Biggest disaster: 93 at Keimola Golf, but in his defence he did play the front nine using vintage hickory-shafted clubs.
Birdies: 130 (including one eagle)
Lost balls: 41
Time spent on the course: c. 535 hours.
Distance walked: approximately 1,080 kilometres (more than 2 million steps), wearing the same pair of shoes the whole time. The distance is nearly as great as from Paltamo to Helsinki and back.
Average distance walked per round (18 holes) : 8.3 kilometres.
More than 300 playing partners.
Leinonen travelled up and down the country (and more often than not slept his nights) in a mobile home, and the vehicle's trip-meter put on 10,500 kilometres during the tour. He also gave more than 100 interviews.
Helsingin Sanomat / First published in print 1.8.2008
More on this subject:
 Markku "Näppis" Leinonen ends his gruelling golf marathon with a guard of honour
Helsingin Sanomat
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