Long drive

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Long drive is an offshoot of golf which is focused on hitting a golf ball for pure distance within a target grid. It is a combination of power, technique, and consistency with the purpose of producing the longest fair drive possible.

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[edit] Rules and regulations

Long drive is done on a level target grid about 35 to 55 m (40 to 60 yd) wide instead of on a course. Competitors are given a set number of attempts, usually from 3 to 6, to hit the ball as far as possible within the grid and within a set time limit. A shot must stay within the grid for the distance to be counted; otherwise, it is counted Out-of-Bounds (OB). Major competitions are done over several rounds in a modified double-elimination format. Clubs must conform to United States Golf Association(USGA) standards for local qualifying events but for district qualifying events and World Finals, all clubs used must appear on the LDA (Long Drive Association) Conforming List at www.longdrivers.com. Maximum club length is determined slightly differently from the USGA. Maximum length permitted is 50 in. but is measured with the club at a right angle to the ground (90 deg.) from the lowest point to the highest, coresponding to a USGA 48 in measurement Clubhead size is maintained at a maximum of 460 cubic centimeters.

[edit] Distance

Professional long drivers can average over 350 yards (320 m) in competition, compared with 300 yard (274 m) averages from the top PGA Tour drivers and 200 yards (183 m) for an average amateur. Some shots in competitions surpass 400 yards (366 m). The world record in a long drive competition is 539 yards (493 m) by Scott Smith, although the record recognized by Guinness Records as longest drive in a competition is 515 yards by 64 year old Mike Austin in 1974 of the US National Seniors Open with a 43.5" steel shafted persimmon wood driver and balata ball. The record distance achieved in The RE/MAX European Long Drive Championship is 474 yards (433m) by Englishman Joe Miller in September 2005. Fast swingers can swing their club heads at over 150 mph (245km/h), well beyond the 85 mph (140 km/h) average for an amateur. They train for strength, flexibility, and speed and often perform corporate exhibitions for money, exhibiting a variety of trick shots. Contrary to popular belief, the better long drivers usually tend to be scratch players, sometimes skilled enough to play on the PGA TOUR. Many believe long drivers are not scratch golfers, and the phrase "drive for show, putt for dough" began.

There are several well-known names in long drive. Jason Zuback is perhaps the most famed, being one of two people to win multiple World Long Drive Championships, with four consecutive wins from 1996-1999 and a win in 2006. Sean "The Beast" Fister is the other, winning in 1995, 2001, and 2005. Art Sellinger, once a two-time national champion, is currently the owner of the Long Drivers of America organization.

[edit] Equipment

Long drive clubs, which are always drivers, are different in many ways from consumer clubs. Until the recent club length limitation rules, the shafts were much longer than a normal 44in. (112 cm) shaft, sometimes exceeding 55 in. (140 cm). In 2005, the 50 in. (127 cm) limitation was introduced.

Long drive shafts differ from standard shafts. The main difference is stiffness, as a shaft not stiff enough will lag in an inconsistent manner, causing a loss of control. Long drive shafts are much stiffer in flex and almost always made of graphite, which is lighter than steel. In order to be stiff, a shaft is usually heavier and stronger. The shafts usually are still longer than a normal shaft, although within limitations. The kick point or bend point is also higher for a lower trajectory relative to the swing, and the shaft has a lower torque, meaning that it will not twist as much, allowing the clubhead to stay straighter.

Clubheads usually approach the 460 cubic centimeter limit, rarely below 400cc. They must stay within the Coefficient Of Restitution(COR) limit of 0.83, which measures how a ball hits off the surface. Most clubheads only approach the COR in the center of the club, so technology has allowed more area of the club to possess a COR of above 0.80. Thus, mishits are less affected by the newer clubheads. The loft of a long drive club is also much lower than a consumer club, sometimes around 4 or 5 degrees, as opposed to 10.5 degrees for an amateur's driver. That is because long drivers place their balls on high tees toward the followthrough of the swing as to hit the ball on the upswing for a higher angle. A lower loft hitting the same trajectory reduces excess backspin and can bounce and roll more upon landing, which can account for considerable distance.

In all Long Drivers of America (LDA) sanctioned competitions, competitors must hit the same type of ball, the Pinnacle Gold Long Drive. The characteristic of this ball is raw distance with minimal spin, which helps the bounce and roll. It is optimized for long driving and is less sensitive to play with on a regular course, albeit possible.

Despite having unique, custom clubs, a Professional Long Driver can still hit any normal club much farther than an amateur or most PGA players could.

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