Houston golfer plays 279 holes Friday for good cause

HOUSTON — Do you hate slow play on the golf course?

Well, Houston golfer Kyle Cokinos doesn’t just play golf. He plays golf fast. To give you an idea of ​​how fast he plays, he completed the popular East River 9 in a course record 12 minutes and 55 seconds. And not only did he do it quickly. He shot tied. Not too bad.

But on Friday he achieved something very significant with his speed and skill. On one of the longest days of the year, he played as many holes as possible from sunrise to sunset, raising money for mental health and Memorial Hermann.

“I’ve prayed about it. I’ve thought about it. And it’s beyond me,” Cokinos said.

Kyle said the idea was prompted by a traumatic event of his own. As a high school baseball player, Cokinos took a line drive hit to the head. The Hermann Memorial, he said, could very well have saved his life. He was taken by Life Flight to the hospital and recovered.

People promise money per hole, and the more holes he plays, the more money he collects. This is a particularly important time to raise awareness of mental health issues, he said.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month.

“I don’t know if you saw on the news the passing of Grayson Murray, a great PGA Tour golfer. He kind of had the job that we all imagine as a perfect scenario, but deep down, men struggle every day. general struggle every day and that’s kind of my motivation for being here,” Cokinos said.

As of Friday evening, Kyle had raised more than $10,000 thanks to 279 holes played between about 6 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Donations can be made until Tuesday. To make a donation, click here.