Some people might use the Summer Solstice to squeeze in a few extra holes of golf.

A pair of brothers from Kingfisher squeezed in a few extra rounds...and then some.

Drew and Regan Henderson conquered the task of playing from dawn until dusk on Tuesday, the day with the longest period of daylight during the calendar year.

What they accomplished during their marathon day at Kingfisher Golf Course was an astounding 127 holes, several of them in temperatures that reached triple digits.

“It’s fun to look back and say we did it,” said Drew, 31, a 2010 Kingfisher High School graduate who lives in Edmond with his wife Tara (Newton, also a KHS grad) and two-month-old son Nolan, and is completing his master’s program in family nursing practice.

The sons of Brian and Carla Henderson, the brothers grew up playing golf.

Both played on the boys golf team under coach Chris Combs at KHS.

Now both college graduates, the hobby has carried over into their adult lives. Drew even won the 2021 Kingfisher Golf Association club championship.

They’ve experienced long days on a golf course before.

“I think there have been days when the course is empty and we’ve played more than 36 holes, but never anything like this,” Drew said.

The two read about the Bandon Dunes Solstice in Oregon when golfers walk 72 holes.

They were intrigued.

Regan, 25, a tax accountant at Ernst & Young in Oklahoma City, where he now lives, was also inspired by yet another KHS alum. “I thought about it more

“I thought about it more when I was watching my good friend Sam Walter run an ultra marathon at the Osage Hills State Park in May,” Regan said.

“I don’t enjoy running at all and obviously this is nowhere near the physical test. I wondered how I could do something similar in golf terms. This seemed like the most logical choice.”

So the Hendersons went from half-heartedly talking about golfing on the Summer Solstice to planning it.

One big decision was to ride in a cart and not walk.

“If we would have been walking, it would have been brutal,” Regan said. “Riding from shot to shot really didn’t put too much stress on the body, in my opinion.”

The day before, Regan did two things to prepare and motivate.

“I watched the Tiger Woods 2008 U.S. Open documentary on YouTube for motivation,” he said. “I also hydrated the best I could. The wise words of coach Combs echoed through my head. ‘Hydration is key!’” The two teed off at 6:15

The two teed off at 6:15 a.m.

They played three rounds – 54 holes – before they took their only real break of the day.

“We took a short break to jump in my parents’ pool and get some more ice and water and eat a bite,” Drew said.

Then it was back to the course for the bulk of the golf still to be played…and in the heat of the day.

After playing their fourth round, the duo decided to mix it up and played the fifth from the ladies’ tees.

Soon, the grind of so much golf began to set in, not so much physically, but mentally. “It started to become a

“It started to become a chore,” Drew said. “I was getting pretty tired around the 108th hole. Our speaker had died, we were running out of water and it was starting to get monotonous making the same look for the sixth time.

“That was probably the low point for me.”

Regan agreed.

“Maybe some doubt crept in around the hottest part of the day,” he said about being able to golf until dark. “Morale was definitely low for a couple of stretches in there.”

Their parents showed up for moral - and food - support.

“They brought a footlong cold cut combo out around 7:30ish,” Regan said. “That was a revival.”

Drew also got a boost from his father-in-law, Randall Newton.

“He picked up Nolan from daycare so I would be able to do this,” Drew said.

With the baby secure with grandparents and replenished by food, the brothers soldiered on.

“We decided we’d push to 120 holes,” Drew said. “Once we got to that point, it felt wrong not to go until dark.”

Both had average rounds and some solid rounds.

The worst for both was a 7-over-par 77.

Drew fired a 2-under 68 at one point and Regan a 69. Regan also shot 65 in that fifth round from the ladies’ tees.

There were memorable shots.

Drew drove the green on No. 1 from the ladies’ tees and then later No. 8 from the men’s (both par 4’s).

According to Regan, Drew also “inexplicably lost a ball into thin air” on the par-4 14th.

“We looked for it for a while,” Regan said. “The gopher from ‘Caddyshack’ has it is Drew’s theory.” The eighth and 18th

The eighth and 18th holes are generally two of the tougher ones on the course. However, Regan found a lot of success.

“Surprisingly they were kind to me,” he said. “I think I hit both greens pretty much every round and birdied both a couple times.” The sun was setting

The sun was setting just after 9 p.m. when the Hendersons finished their 126th hole of golf….seven full rounds.

They kept going, for one more hole anyway.

“The sun was setting and the ball was hard to see,” Regan said. “We could have squeezed in maybe one or two more holes, but it just seemed right to call it at 127.”

The two played about 14 hours of golf and more than seven rounds. “I was definitely tired

“I was definitely tired Wednesday, but not as sore as I thought I might be,” Drew said. “On Thursday I felt pretty much normal aside from the sunburn.”

Added Regan: “I really wasn’t hurting too bad. My neck and back were a little sore, but nothing crazy. I was just tired and probably a little dehydrated.”

It was a once-in-a-lifetime day.

Or was it?

“If it wasn’t quite as hot I think we could beat 127, so I won’t say never,” Drew said. “I don’t think it’ll be a yearly thing, but we’ll have forgotten the hard parts by next June, so well see.”

Regan said he’ll be ready.

“All in all it was fun and not the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” he said. “I would definitely do it again.”

Both brothers said they envision future solstice endeavors having a real purpose.

“The thought crossed my mind that maybe we could play for a cause next time,” Regan said. “I’m not sure how that would work out, but that would be cool to potentially raise money for charity.”

If that’s the case, he’s got a better shot at getting big brother to join him.

“Doing it to raise money for something or someone…” Drew said. “I’d definitely be in for that.”