If you wonder who holds the world record for hitting the longest drive, what is the longest drive ever, what is the fastest ball speed ever recorded, read on and find the answers here. Know some famous golf professional who can drive a golf ball more than 400 or even 500 yards down the fairway. And best of all learn their techniques and maybe you can break their long driving records!
Top golf pros with a long driving record hit in a professional tournament
#1 Mike Austin
- Distance : 515 yards
- Device: Persimmon driver, Balata ball
- Event:1974 U.S. National Senior Open
- Venue: Winterwood Golf Course, Las Vegas
- Age: 64
About Mike Hoke Austin (February 17, 1910 – November 23, 2005) His shot was legendary especially at the age of 64 but Mike Austin is all flesh and blood. Born on an island off the coast of northern France, Austin at the age of six received his first lesson from a local golf pro. Austin became a pro in the late 1930s at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles.
#2 Davis Love III
- Distance : 476 yards
- Event: 2004 Mercedes Championships
- Venue: The Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii
- Age: 40
About Davis Milton Love III. An American Professional golfer, Love was born on April 13, 1964 in Charlotte, North Carolina. His interest for golf began when he was 10 years old. Before Love turned a pro golfer in 1985, his junior career as a golf player earned him a scholarship to the University of North Carolina.
World Long Drive Champions
What is Long Drive? Long drive is a sports event that evolved out of golf. The aim of the competition is to hit the golf ball for pure distance within a target grid. Whoever delivers the longest fairway drive wins the game.
RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship began in 1975 as a low-key event but became a celebrated competition joined by professional golfers and long drive golfers around the world. More than 10,000 competitors try to qualify for the finals each year. To get to the qualifying round, one has to drive the ball at least 350-360 yards. Scott Smith is the world record holder in a long drive competition with a distance of 539 yards.
Among the well-celebrated long driving champions are:
Jason Zuback
- Long Drivers of America Hall of Fame
- 5-time World Long Drive Champion (1996-1999, 2006)
- Longest Drive – 463 yards
- Club speed – 163 mph measured by laser
- Ball speed – 210 mph
About Jason Zuback. Born on April 24, 1970 and grew up in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, Zuback now resides in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. As a kid, he spent most of his time hitting golf balls in a grassy field near his home. By the age of 15 or 16, he could already drive the ball more than 300 yards.
Sean “The Beast” Fister
- 3-time World Long Drive Champion (1995, 2001, 2005)
- Longest carry in the WLDC history at 393 yards
- American record holder in the World Championship finals at 406 yards
About Sean Fister. Born to a family of 7 siblings, Fister earned his way to college through scholarships awarded due to his athletic abilities. He started in golf in early 1990s. All he learned in long driving is self-taught.
Art Sellinger
- 2-time national champion
- Swing speed personal record: 150 mph
About Art Sellinger. Selinger resides in Southlake, Texas and has finished his college degree at the Unoversity of Nevada, Las Vegas. As a producer of Art of Long Driving, Inc. and Sellinger’s Power Golf, he has traveled around the word conducting over 1,800 golf long drive clinics and exhibitions. Sellinger is also the owner of the Long Drivers of America and the producer of RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship on ESPN.
Aside from competitions, most golfers into Long Drive also perform for long driving exhibition shows and golf clinics. However, not all of them compete in the real game of professional golf. That is why Guinness Records recognizes only Mike Austin’s 515 yard as the world’s longest golf drive.
How about Tiger Woods?
What’s the longest drive he has ever shot in a PGA? You might ask since he is considered as the most successful golfers of all time. He must be, yet, he still has to drive a ball to carve his name among the top long driving golfers. To date, Woods has recorded a 425 yard drive during the season’s opening of Mercedez Championship in Kapalua, Hawaii.
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