On June 22nd, 2004 John Kretzschmar and Alan Hansen Begg got up early. 

About 4:00am or so, alarms went off in Watertown, MN where John and Alan were sleeping.  They had planned for this day for over 6 months and it was beginning very early.

In the fall of the previous year, Alan read an article in Disc Golf World News that told of some folks who flew to the twin cities from the east coast. They played as many courses and as many holes as they could in one day.
The record listed in DGWN stated that they had played 306 different holes in one day.  This sparked Alan's interest and he found a website that gave more information. The website noted that the definition of a day was determined in this case by the US Navy.  The record took place during daylight hours only.  The term "civil twilight" (CT)became part of Alan's vocabulary. A "daylight" day means from sunrise to sunset, but civil twilight is used to measure the minutes before sunrise and after sunset, when there is enough light to see.

The longest day of the year from CT to CT was June 22, so they chose that day to attempt to break the record.  4:48am to 9:38pm gave them nearly 17 hours to play more than 307 different holes. 

John and Alan started their adventure on hole #17 at Lion's Park in Shakopee, MN just SW of the Twin Cities. Waiting to drive them to the next course was Alan's wife Greta. Freinds Rayshele Kamke, Heather Van Brunt and Nephew Kyle Mareck were waiting and watching. Two friends of Alan happen to be Aaron Van Brunt and Kevin Berg who are  accupunturist and chiropractor respectively.  Alan and John were fortunate to have them along, as later in the day they were in great need of their services.

John and Alan played 18 holes in Shakopee, then drove North to Eden Prairie to play Staring Lake, a 9 hole course.  A photograper/reporter met them there and attempted to interview them.  Next, it was over to Bryant Lake, a beautiful 12 hole course designed in part by Timmy Gill.

South on Shady Oak Road a couple miles to Lone Lake Park to play a quick 9 holes (the course has been since pulled).  Greta drove them back up Shady Oak and East on Hwy 62 to Lake Cornelia in Edina, a 9 hole course very popular with local kids.

Moir park in Bloomington is a 9 hole saucer style course just  a few miles South.  Then they drove SE to Red Oak Park in Burnsville. On the way to Red Oak, they were delayed for over 15 minutes waiting for a train to cross.  Red Oak Park is one of the longest 9 hole courses out there, and took the longest on a per hole basis than any other course.  One of the baskets was missing, so they played 8.

After playing a quick 9 holes in Eagan at the middle school, they took an hour off from disc golfing and drove SE to Hasitings, MN.  Enough time for a meal and to get some much needed down time.

In Hastings, they played a beautiful 18 hole course named after C.P. Adams (civil war hero) and then drove North to Oakwood Park in Inver Grove Heights to play another 18.  North Valley Park is another long and hilly 18 hole course that is just South of Kaposia Park.  At Kaposia they played 18 holes of picturesque disc golf.

Crossing over to St. Paul they played a flat and fast-playing 12 hole course at the Highland Park course. This course is near Alan's sister Mary's house, and she and her son Joey stopped by to cheer them on.

Next stop was Acorn Park in Roseville.  Family freind Trish Tremert joined the group at this 18 hole course.

On to Lakewood Hills in White Bear Lake.  Leftwood (as it is known) is a hilly, long 14 hole course and John decided it would be better for his leg's sake to skip this course and get some cramps massaged out in the meantime.

After Lakewood, a series of 9 hole courses on the North side of the cities were played: Silverview, Hansen Park, Basset Creek, Central Park, Zachary Park and Sunnyside Park.

12 holes at Plymouth Creek in Plymouth were the last of the courses in the metro area.  North and West to Elk River for a fast 9 holes at Lion's Park II (and a bathroom break).  Then North to Becker and the 18 holes at City Park.                                                                                                                                                           

Riverside Park in St. Cloud was the course at which Alan went over 306. After the round, he was met with champagne and noisemakers cheering his success.  The caravan proceeded to Calvary Park to play another 12 holes.  In the St. Cloud area they also played Mississippi Heights School where 2 holes were missing, leaving 7.

9 more holes at Rivers Edge park in Waite Park before a sweet 18 hole course at Millstream Park in St. Joseph.  North to Sartell to play 12 holes and get high-fives from Greta's sister and her kids Taylor and Jordan (her son Kyle was onboard from the start).

The last course played that day was Mississippi River Park in St. Stephen, MN.  11 holes on a 12 hole course.

It was a grueling day, but in the end Alan had played 380 holes. John had broken the old record with 327 holes played.

Alan and John would like to thank their sponsors for this event: Atlas chiropractic, Jeanie Kerzman and Tahitian Noni, and Gotta Go Gotta Throw.

Also many thanks to all who drove, rode with, cheered, fed, massaged and adjusted us on the way to a new world record!