“It’s looking at sport from a different angle. Rather than cricket being boring, it shows that elements of it can be quite exciting.
“For me to be here is like, let’s get off the couch, let’s get off your phone, do something a little bit random and get out there and have fun with an alternative sport, and this has ticked all those boxes.”
Joey Yovich and Lou Vincent. NZ Herald photo by Ben Francis.
Yovich said it was special to pull off the record with close friends and people devoted to the Northland community.
“We’ve always been a little bit innovative,” Yovich told the Herald. “So it’s nice to have mateship to give back that way, and I think that’s what makes this quite unique and quite special.
“It’s just nice to put little old Northland on the map. This place has been huge around community and giving back, so it’s a nice way for us to put this place in lights, and it is a little country club, which relates to us.”
The idea was dreamed up by Mullan, who wanted a challenge that combined cricket and golf. At first, the trio tried using cricket bats to see how far they could hit a golf ball off a tee-ball stand with various bats and sticks, but after hearing an interview with a man who had broken a string of unusual records, they decided to attempt one of their own.
The Alternative Commentary Collective speak with Joey Yovich. Photo / Ben Francis
Mullan had been promoting the record attempt on his Instagram page and said the support was overwhelming.
“I got a lot of messages from people I haven’t connected with in a long time, and I’ve had lots of people reach out to show their support,” Mullan told the Herald.
“It’s nice to feel that support, but also doing it with these fellas. We’ve had a laugh the whole way along – some good banter, trials and tribulations and everything in between – but it’s been awesome.”
Mullan already has his eye on a couple more records: The fastest hole of golf played, which must be at least 300m, and the longest golf shot hit and caught by the same person.
The idea was created as a unique initiative to put Northland in the spotlight and help raise funds for the ReSport Charitable Trust, a charity that collects new and gently used sports gear to share with people in need in the community.
Joey Yovich makes a diving catch. Photo / Ben Francis
Yovich co-founded the trust just over two years ago alongside JP Dignon, with Mullan and Vincent serving as ambassadors.
“We’ve had such a big impact on the local community,” Dignon said. “It’s amazing that a small idea can have such a big impact on our community.
“We’ve collected well over 10,000 units, we’ve redistributed over 8000, and saved the local economy over a million dollars.”
As the cost of flying out an official from Guinness was too high, the record attempt is provisional. They must now submit all evidence – including video of the attempts, witness statements, surveyor’s reports and even photos of the golf balls used – to have it verified before receiving their official certificates confirming the new world record.
Ben Francis is an Auckland-based reporter for the New Zealand Herald who covers breaking sports news.
