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World Long Drive Championship.....Is it a thing now?


Titleist99

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> @tiderider said:

> um, it's been a "thing" for quite some time ... this just in: this is america ... there are no 'conventional' acts ...

 

I know it's been around for quite some time....and I was born and raised right here in the Old U.S.A. Let me rephrase ...Is it cool now after the rebranding.....most guys look like weight lifters, except the guy with the long hair and there are more women Drivers.

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I remember some guy named Evan big cat William's would show up at paid events claiming he'd won some ....probably legit. Before my time. I did watch when that short and stocky Canadian guy (forgot his name) handed the reigns over to the even longer (and much thinner) canadian sadlowski. They were entertaining. And then there's this guy who apparently bests them all but I've just never seen it.

 

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They've managed to make bass fishing a thing, so why not some fat blokes hitting a ball into a grid

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> @Titleist99 said:

> I can't get into it.....somebody help me.....LOL! I know that they are bringing in better looking women with tattoos….

 

I feel like it gets across better in person. I came across a long driver in a PGA super store once and he was cool to watch. I had swing speed of around 125 at the time, long by normal standards. The difference between him and I was dramatic (he was around 145). Its like watching the home run derby, good in doses but I wouldn't revolve and entire season around it.

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It’s not very compelling when they go 0 for 8 or 1 for 8. And that happens often.

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> @Titleist99 said:

> > @Bingo1976 said:

> > They've managed to make bass fishing a thing, so why not some fat blokes hitting a ball into a grid

>

> LOL! why not!?! …..It's close enough to golf...It do require training, technique and special equipment.

 

Yeah but some of them really have terrible swings and just go all out. It's really far from what golf is other than a golf ball. Even the drivers are not playable on a course. That said they do produce some real sweet clubhead speeds though. Youtube highlights is as far as it goes for me. The crowds seem so small too at events. I wonder how they survive.

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I've competed in 2 long drive events. It's boring to watch on TV. It's cool as hell in person. And no, most of the guys I played with were either scratch golfers, or they shot high 70's. Very few weren't good at regular golf. I have played golf with a 4 degree driver, and hit the same amount of fairways as my 7 degree gamer. There is no way I can just pick up a 48 inch long drive driver and automatically hit it at all. I need a solid 15-20 balls for warmup off a 4 inch tee.

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I do find it entertaining and will definitely watch. The girls, for the most part, have by far the better golf swings and will generally keep more shots in the grid. One of the girls, Alexis Belton, actually just made it through the first stage of the LPGA qualifying series so she obviously has pretty good game. Two events ago, she lost in the finals by only 2 feet and then won the next event by 2 yards.

 

Couple of weeks ago in one of the events we were watching, Kyle Berkshire put on a show. In the quarters, the other guy hits his 8 shots and it only takes one shot for Kyle to hit it past him. In the semi's, the other guy hits his 8 shots and it takes Kyle two shots to hit it past him. Then in the finals, after the other guy hits his 8 shots, Kyle ended it again with his first drive.

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> @grm24 said:

> A few years back (2015) that Art Sellinger sold the LDA to Comcast/Golf Channel. It was rebranded to the World Long Driver Championship. Cheap programming for Comcast/Golf Channel.

 

I definitely agree with the Cheap programing. I feel as though something is missing and the event need to be enhanced in some way.....something other than trick shots...LOL!

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> @JD3 said:

> I remember some guy named Evan big cat William's would show up at paid events claiming he'd won some ....probably legit. Before my time. I did watch when that short and stocky Canadian guy (forgot his name) handed the reigns over to the even longer (and much thinner) canadian sadlowski. They were entertaining. And then there's this guy who apparently bests them all but I've just never seen it.

>

>

 

Jason Zuback is the short, stocky Canadian you speak of

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> @puttfordoux said:

> This article from 2017...mentions Dennis Paulson as the NCAA long-drive champ back in 1985 (!)...

> https://www.worldlongdrive.com/news/champions-corner-world-long-drives-increasing-relevance-golf-landscape/

 

I. Believe Dennis won the National Long drive not the NCAA

For a good player, he had insane length and control

 

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Definitely fun to watch in person. Most golfers love to hit the long ball more than anything else. Many are very good golfers with scratch or better handicaps. Kyle Berkshire was a +3 handicap on the North Texas golf team when he discovered long drive. Entirely different skill set from traditional golf, but on the verge of becoming its own thing.

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> @SavageCy said:

> > @JD3 said:

> > I remember some guy named Evan big cat William's would show up at paid events claiming he'd won some ....probably legit. Before my time. I did watch when that short and stocky Canadian guy (forgot his name) handed the reigns over to the even longer (and much thinner) canadian sadlowski. They were entertaining. And then there's this guy who apparently bests them all but I've just never seen it.

> >

> >

>

> Jason Zuback is the short, stocky Canadian you speak of

 

whoa, whoa, whoa , whoa, whoa, whoa.. that hammer sure can hammer the ball. He's all American

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> @RSinSG said:

> It’s not very compelling when they go 0 for 8 or 1 for 8. And that happens often.

 

This. Sure, it's great that they can hit the ball as far as they can, but it's not entertaining to see the vast majority of their shots get hooked and sliced to hell. If they added some element of accuracy into the competition (aside from just making sure it lands in the field of play), then I could get behind it more. That is, I'd rather the winner be the guy who goes 8 for 8 with a long of 375 than the guy hooks seven balls but whose one ball in play goes 390.

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> @Philomathesq said:

> > @RSinSG said:

> > It’s not very compelling when they go 0 for 8 or 1 for 8. And that happens often.

>

> This. Sure, it's great that they can hit the ball as far as they can, but it's not entertaining to see the vast majority of their shots get hooked and sliced to ****. If they added some element of accuracy into the competition (aside from just making sure it lands in the field of play), then I could get behind it more. That is, I'd rather the winner be the guy who goes 8 for 8 with a long of 375 than the guy hooks seven balls but whose one ball in play goes 390.

 

So like an _average drive_ competition instead of LONGEST DRIVE?

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> @Golfjack said:

> > @Titleist99 said:

> > > @Bingo1976 said:

> > > They've managed to make bass fishing a thing, so why not some fat blokes hitting a ball into a grid

> >

> > LOL! why not!?! …..It's close enough to golf...It do require training, technique and special equipment.

>

> Yeah but some of them really have terrible swings and just go all out. It's really far from what golf is other than a golf ball. Even the drivers are not playable on a course. That said they do produce some real sweet clubhead speeds though. Youtube highlights is as far as it goes for me. The crowds seem so small too at events. I wonder how they survive.

 

No one said it was golf. It’s one aspect of golf but with the sole purpose of hitting 1 of 8 shots further than your opponent. Actually the clubs are playable on the course. They are limited to 48” in length which is legal limit on tour.

 

It’s a niche sport and they survive thru sponsorships. Guys used to work real jobs and do long drive as a side gig and some corporate outings. Now with tv exposure it’s brought in sponsorships for events and players.

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> @Titleist99 said:

> I can't get into it.....somebody help me.....LOL! I know that they are bringing in better looking women with tattoos….

 

Yeah they have been recruiting women with tattoos to increase their image for some time now. Tattoos are cool so to answer your question it is definitely cool now.

 

But, joking aside I enjoy watching it for many of the reasons above. Guys with side jobs that do WLD for a living. Will Hogue is a firefighter aside from WLD, not an easy gig and long hours in addition to practicing WLD. Every year they are pushing the distance further. The Grid/Conditions change from event to event. Not easy to swing 150mph, find the sweet spot, and hit a grid 50 yards wide. There is not much of a audience because you can barely see the ball travel that far. But, there is definitely a following although not very big because it is a niche audience.

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> @BrandonDunes said:

> > @Titleist99 said:

> > I can't get into it.....somebody help me.....LOL! I know that they are bringing in better looking women with tattoos….

>

> Yeah they have been recruiting women with tattoos to increase their image for some time now. Tattoos are cool so to answer your question it is definitely cool now.

>

> But, joking aside I enjoy watching it for many of the reasons above. Guys with side jobs that do WLD for a living. Will Hogue is a firefighter aside from WLD, not an easy gig and long hours in addition to practicing WLD. Every year they are pushing the distance further. The Grid/Conditions change from event to event. Not easy to swing 150mph, find the sweet spot, and hit a grid 50 yards wide. There is not much of a audience because you can barely see the ball travel that far. But, there is definitely a following although not very big because it is a niche audience.

 

Are we getting to the point where as this takes off and the guys and gals can do this on a full time basis? Can they make a living with sponsors and clinics? Any thought on how to make it more mainstream...

On a side note: This seems like something that NIKE would get involved with, to show some of their golf shoes and golf clothes.

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