Tag Archives: Long Drive

Long Drive

Long Drive – Speed and power meet golf at RE/MAX World Championship

REMAX-WLDC-2014-Portada

November 4, 2014 –For the men who live to hit it long, the culmination of a dream can be realized today Tuesday night, 4th of November, when eight of the longest hitters in the world will showcase the raw power that each hopes will earn him the championship belt and the winner-take-all prize of $250,000 at the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship, airing live on Golf Channel.

The two-hour, live finale will originate from a competition set at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, where the finalists will hit their drives – requiring both distance and accuracy – in excess of 400 yards from a custom-made platform on to a Championship grid surrounded by thousands of spirited fans.

“There’s a lot at stake and a ton of pressure, so watching which one of these players can fight through his nerves and emotions to capture a world championship will make for a very compelling competition,” said Keith Allo, vice president of Original Productions, Golf Channel. “Add the lights, Las Vegas, head-to-head competition and the live ‘perform or go home’ atmosphere, and this will be high-drama at its best.”

The RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship identifies the longest golfer on earth and offers sports fans a chance to witness players who generate mammoth swing speeds of 150 mph and ball speeds of 220 mph. In comparison, the highest average swing speed on the PGA Tour last season was 124 mph generated by Bubba Watson. His fastest swing of the year was 127 mph.

Long drive athletes train and prepare all year for the chance to take a swing at becoming the World Long Drive Champion. Specialized training allows long drive athletes to generate maximum ball and swing speeds, and focus solely on maximizing distance during competition. The golf equipment used in Long Drive competition conforms to regulations for all golfers set forth by the United States Golf Association (USGA).

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The longest eight golfers on Earth competing will be:

  • Daniel Beckman, 30, Fresno, California
  • Jeff Crittenden, 43, Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Jeff Flagg, 29, Pelham, Alabama
  • Matt Hangar, 30, Anaheim, California
  • Joe Miller, 29, London, EnglandConnor Powers, 30, Naperville, Illinois
  • Jamie Sadlowski, 26, St. Paul, Alberta, Canada
  • Adam Smith, 24, Tomball, Texas

Joe Miller won the world title in 2010 and was undefeated in 2014 on the Long Drivers European Tour, where he has captured 12 titles. He finished as the runner-up at the 2013 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship to Tim Burke, who hit a world-record drive of 427 yards to win the title. Burke failed to qualify for a return trip to Las Vegas. Jamie Sadlowski, who famously broke two simulators during appearances on Golf Channel, is a two-time world champion and is making his eighth-straight appearance in the final – the longest active streak.

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The head-to-head format will provide some dramatic pairings from the beginning of the show, including former World Champions Joe Miller and Jamie Sadlowski going up against each other in what could be one of the most exciting matches of the night. Players are allowed six shots in each match, played three at a time. The highest-seeded player gets to choose to hit first or second.

Match 1: Matt Hanger vs. Jeff Crittenden
Match 2: Joe Miller vs. Jamie Sadlowski
Match 3: Jeff Flagg vs. Daniel Beckman
Match 4: Adam Smith vs. Connor Powers

REMAX-WLDC-2014-Presentacion

The Finals of the 2014 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship are officially underway in Las Vegas. The VIP Welcome Reception at the new Tropicana Las Vegas featured the Las Vegas 8 and showgirls from Las Vegas plus Golf Channel hosts Ryan Burr and Lauren Thompson. Presenting special trophies to each of the Las Vegas 8 was RE/MAX Vice President Mike Reagan.

Long Drive

Long Drive – Joe Miller, European Champion 2014 after winning in France

Joe-Miller-LDET-France-01

October 19, 2014 – Joe Miller won the eighth Long Drive European Tour tournament, played at Domaine de Barbossi, after beating CJ Hellström by 2 sets to 0 with a hit of 362 yards, and he is now the new European Long Drive 2014 Champion.

The France LDET Championship started with Group 1 where we have seen the American long driver Maurice Allen, one of the fastest players in the world. After the 3 rounds, he was the best of his group with a mark of 337 yards. In the pairings, the best scores of the other players were: Timo Petrasch (Germany, 316y), Dewald Lubbe (SAF, 300y) and Philippe Jost (France, 296y).

The 18 hole of Domaine de Barbossi has plus difficulties: a group of bunkers and several trees in both sides of the grid, so hitters had to be very technical instead of powerful to land the balls straight ahead into the grid. In Group 2, we saw in action three English guys and French hitter. The English Tom Hollingworth was the best of this group with a hit of 327 yards. The other players who were qualified: Scott Beaven (England, 321y), Dan Konyk (England, 320y and Eric Houballah (France, 302y).

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The highlight in Group 3 was four pros and one young amateur, Jack Groves (England, 17 years old). The Swedish CJ Hellström showed their power and recorded an incredible hit of 352y. Also go through to the next round: John McSloy (Scotland, 322y), Ronan Le Gac (France, 306y) and Jack Groves (England, 299y). Stanislas Heck (France, 295y) was eliminated.

The tournament’s qualifying rounds resumed with Group 4, where Joe Miller, Nº1 LDET ranking, went into action. In this group there were five players too, with an amateur Fredrik Frost (Denmark) that did a really good performance. He surprised everyone getting the second place (320y). Miller was first with an unusual and short mark of 335y. The best hits of the players in this group were: Lee Gauthier (England, 319y) and Fabien Trillard (France, 302y).

The players could follow their swing and fly ball analysis with TrackMan. One of the leader systems in golf stats has left figures as the ball speed of CJ Hellström and Joe Miller (142 mph) or Lee Gauthier (132 mph). On the amateur category the champion was Frederik Frost.

After the Matchplays, the quarter finals pairings in the afternoon have been: Maurice Allen vs. Dewald Lubbe; Joe Miller vs. Timo Petrasch; Tom Hollingworth vs. John McSloy; and CJ Hellström vs. Scott Beaven. Miller got the longest ball of the day with a bomb of 370 yards.

At semifinals we saw two high voltage duels. One of them between Allen and Miller. The American long driver did not make it easy to Miller who needed three sets to beat him. In the other battle, Hellström left behind McSloy in just two sets.

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In the big final of the France event Miller also achieved above the 360y. He only needed two sets to confirm that he is the best of Europe. The next and last LDET´s stop of 2014 season will be hosted by Lumine Golf & Beach Club in Tarragona (Spain). The 14th & 15th November will take place The Masters LDET Cup.

Pictures: ©LDET.

Long Drive

Long Drive – France could decide the 2014 European Long Drive Champion

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October 16, 2014 – The Long Drive show arrives to France thanks to Long Drivers European Tour (LDET) to celebrate the eight tournament of the season that will be hold in the city of Mandelieu-La Napoule next Friday 17th & Saturday 18th October. The best European hitters will play for the first time at Domaine de Barbossi, one of the best golf resorts in the south of the country.

France will see the most spectacular golf tournament that arrives into the final stretch of its second season, where LDET reaped successes in all new the countries. This 2014, the bombers have exhibited their drivers in new scenarios: Belgium, Germany, UK, Slovenia and Italy. The last event of the season, before the LDET Finals in November, is the perfect test to show the long drive player’s power.

In every event, the level of the competition has increased, but the English Joe Miller has shown that he is the #1 for a reason: ten victories in a raw in the Long Drivers European Tour (four in 2013). If he plays, he wins. He is intractable after reach six of the seven tournaments, but in the last one stop in Spain, he really suffered to beat Adrian Sánchez, one of the young long drive values in Spain.

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They were the main characters of a tournament where hitters exceeded the barrier of 400 yards. In Spain, Joe Miller blows this mark with a final bomb of 412 yards (his best ball this season). The numbers are clear: if he wins the French championship, he will be the LDET 2014 Champion.

Long Drive

Long Drive – Lumine Golf will host The Masters LDET Cup 14th and 15th November

Joe-Miller-LDET

September 25, 2014 – Lumine Golf has been confirmed as the venue for the final event of the 2014 Long Drivers European Tour season, The Masters LDET Cup, on the 14th and 15th November 2014.

In what is set to be a thrilling climax to the second season of the Long Drivers European Tour, the Masters LDET Cup event will have players like the English golfer Joe Miller, 2010 World and 2013 European Champion, the Scottish player John McSloy, the English Scott Beaven and the South African Dewald Lubbe, among others competing for one of the most coveted titles in the world of long driving.

This will be the first time that Lumine Golf hosts a long drive competition.

“We are certainly looking forward to working alongside the LDET tour to make this a truly memorable event for all involved”, commented Calle Carlsson, General Manager of the Troon managed resort. “We pride ourselves on hosting innovative golf events that bring new people into the game and I certainly believe the lure of watching some of the biggest hitters in the game will achieve that”.

Xavier Eusebio, LDET CEO and Founder commented: “We are very proud with this announcement as it’s an honour for us to stage the Masters LDET Cup at such a spectacular golf resort as Lumine Golf. I have no doubt it will be an amazing championship as we have some of the best European long drivers competing for the season ending title, that undoubtedly means so much to them all.”

Long Drive, Tournaments

Long Drive – Joe Miller wins Spain LDET Championship, with Adrián Sánchez third

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September 7, 2014 – The English Joe Miller has won the seventh Long Drive European Tour (LDET) tournament, played at the 13th hole of Los Lagos in Mijas Golf International, after beating his compatriot Dan Konyk by 2-0, in a tournament where several hitters exceeded the barrier of 400 yards. Miller was on the verge of falling in the semifinals after the Spanish Adrián Sánchez put him in trouble at the semifinals.

The Spain LDET Championship started with extremely hot weather. Competing in Group 1 were the pros Jamie Kinnell (Sco) and Timo Petrasch (Ger), and the Spanish amateur players Antonio Moreno and Sergio González. After hitting six balls, Petrasch qualified directly to quarters with a mark of 342 yards. In the pairing, Sergio González (316y) and Jamie Kinnel (311y) went to matchplays.

In Group 2 were the pros Dan Konyk (Eng) and Mauro Benaglio (Swi), and the amateur players Marc Apfelbaum and Jesús Garrido. The English Dan Konyk was the best of this group with a shot of 358 yards. The other players who qualified were: Benaglio (341y) and Garrido (311y).

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The highlight in Group 3 was the Spanish Miguel Pérez and the Scottish John McSloy (No2). McSloy showed his power and struck all his own records with an incredible hit of 386y, that led him directly to quarters. Other players who went to the next round were Miguel Pérez (326y) and Javier Romera (Spa, 325y).

The wind started to blow and the tournament’s qualifying rounds resumed with Group 4, where Joe Miller (Eng), the current No1 LDET ranking, went into action. No doubt, as usual he went directly to quarter finals with a bomb of 390 yards, his second best score. The best hits of the other players in this group were: Adrián Sánchez (Spa, 355y) and Fabien Trillard (Fra, 347y).

Spanish amateur players have shown their power too. Some of them reached distances beyond 300 yards. Javier Romera won the second edition of the Spanish Long Drive Amateur LDET Championship. Romera beated Jesús Garrido in the final thanks to a shot of 332 yards.

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After matchplays, the quarter finals pairings were: Timo Petrasch (314y) vs Adrián Sánchez (381y); Joe Miller (401y) vs Fabien Trillard (344y); Dan Konyk (380y) vs Miguel Pérez (357y); and John McSloy (402y) vs Mauro Benaglio (347y).

In the semifinals the audience enjoyed a great show with two high voltage duels. After releasing the first six balls out of the grid in the first set, Adrian Sánchez struggled with Joe Miller in a second set that was decided by inches: Sánchez (394,3y) and Miller (394,5y). The Spanish player was unable to force the third set, but he finished third after beating John McSloy in the consolation final. McSloy fell in his semifinal against Konyk, who also reached the 401y.

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In the final of the 7th stop of the Tour, Joe Miller and Dan Konyk also achieved above the 400y. In the first set, Konyk shot all the balls outside the grid. And in the second one, Miller did not forgive Dan and defeated his fellow with an incredible howitzer of 412 yards, the longest ball of the day.

The next LDET’s stop of the season will be hosted by Domaine du Barbossi in Cannes (France). The France LDET Championship 17th & 18th October will take place.

Pictures: Raquel Mateos.

Long Drive, Tournaments

Long Drive – The LDET bombers take Mijas Golf International course

Portada-Long-Drive-Mijas

September 4, 2014 – The Long Drive show returns to Spain thanks to the Long Drivers European Tour (LDET), to celebrate the seventh season tournament that will be hold tomorrow Friday 5th and Saturday 6th of September. The best European hitters are back at Mijas Golf Internacional course (Malaga, Spain), where the second edition of the Spanish Amateur Long Drive LDET Championship will also be played.

The most spectacular golf tour arrives to Spain in the final stretch of its second season, during which LDET has reaped successes in all new countries. This 2014, the bombers have exhibited their drivers in new scenarios: Belgium, Germany, UK, Slovenia and Italy. There are only two more events and the Spain LDET Championship could be a litmus test for winning the title of the Long Drive European Champion.

In the race for the title there is a name that stands out above all: Joe Miller. The English player remains intractable after winning five of the six tournaments –in Czech Republic he was absent due to personal reasons-. Miller made big hits this season and he was almost about to blow the mark of 400 yards, with 397,4y in Germany.

Long-Drive-Mijas

The hitter has not released the top of the ranking(#1 / 5,000 points) and he has nine straight victories in the LDET Tour (including the 4 of last season). Joe Miller has been also World Champion RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship 2010. The Scottish player John McSloy is in great form and he stands second in the ranking. And Dewald Lubbe, from South Africa, is the only player that has a tournament in his pocket, due to Miller’s absence in the Czech round.

Representing the Spanish long drive there is Miguel Pérez, a 20 years old player born in Malaga, who has participated in two tournaments: In the German stop, he reached the 1/8 final; and in the Italian one he arrived to the Quarterfinals facing Joe Miller.

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Miguel is the thirteenth in the rankingand this is his third tournament. He says that he faces the challenge “with many more nerves than the previous two tournaments. I am a member of Mijas Golf and my friends will come to see me and I have more pressure. I think my evolution was good and I hope to do much better next year,” he adds.

On the tee, we will also see another Spanish player: Adrián Sánchez (23 years old). He is another of the young talents of the Spanish long drive, who already participated in the final tournament of the last season LDET held in Torremirona.

The Long Drive Tour is also traveling around Europe looking for new talents in this specific sport. Therefore, the competition takes place also in each country with local players. The current Spanish Amateur Long Drive LDET Championis Jesus Garrido, who is coming back to participate in Mijas and will try to defend his title.