History of the World Long Drive

The RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships is an annual golfing event, which has been held in the USA and Canada for the past 17 years.

The championship was successfully brought to South Africa for the first time in 1998 by RE/MAX of Southern Africa in association with Dale Hayes Golf Events.

The RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship evolved out of the National Long Drive Championship, which ran from 1975 through 1993 under the aegis of "Golf Digest." That competition launched the careers of such well-known and well-respected long drivers as Mike Dunaway, Evan "Big Cat" Williams, Wedgy Winchester, Terry Forcum and six competitors who have subsequently been elected to the LDA Hall of Fame - Sean Fister, Scott DeCandia, Mike Gorton, Michael Hooper, Art Sellinger and Bobby Wilson.

Since RE/MAX International became the title sponsor in 1995, the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship has evolved from a low-key event to the premier grass-roots golf event in the world – one that includes golfers from virtually every corner of the globe, and one whose finals are televised annually on ESPN and ESPN2.

One dramatic change in long driving during the RE/MAX era has been the longer distances posted by champions. Just as PGA Tour players drive the ball appreciably longer on average than they did a decade ago, long drivers have also kicked their games up a notch.

Whereas drives of 297 meters in the 1980s and early 1990s gave hitters a chance at making money, today's power hitters typically need to post at least 320 or 330 meters to advance in the qualifying rounds. At the RE/MAX world finals in Mesquite, long drive champions are more apt to finish closer to the 365-metre mark than the 275-metre mark.

Golfers from a dozen countries compete every October at the Long Drive finals in Mesquite, Nevada. The 2007 finals were played October 27 at The Palms Golf Club. 2004's Rookie of the Year, MIKE DOBBYN, won the title with a massive drive of 385 yards, winning a cheque of $ 125,000.00.

South African contenders to keep your eyes on at this year's event include, 5 time South African Champion, Nathaniel Barnes, 2007 runner-up Jaco Vosloo, and 2007 3rd place finalist, Rynardt Combrinck.

The 2008 season promises to be even more exciting with the World Championship Finals being played at the "New home of Long Drive" in Mesquite Nevada. The Finalists in all categories will be competing for a record purse of $ 600,000.00.