Eddie Fernandes (Master), Phillis Meti (Women) and Maurice Allen (Open) are the defending champions !!! MARCH2019 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - 3
Editor: Luis Kuronya luiskuronya@latinogmg.com
Contributors:
Jeff Gilder , Alfredo Sanchez Gaitan, Martin Borgmeier, Jeff Crittenden, Rebecca Milner, Meredith Bethune, Eurolean LD Association and Alvin Cruz.
Social Media
A special thanks to our friends on social networks, sharing information and images.
- March, spring season is ready to have The Grid Clear! Good Luck to all players around the world. - Congratulations to European Long Drive Association. A new organization in Europe: Big steps !! - The World Long Drive is ready to start. The first stop is in California and Tennessee in the end of the month!. - All the info of the Amateur Long Drive, rankings and schedules! - We will continue supporting all the players and all those who strive to take this wonderful sport to the top.
Sources:
We join the Long Drive Show !
World Lond Drive, European Long Drive Association, Lonely Planet, Amateur Long Drive, Latinoamerica Golf Management Group and Quantum Drive.
Luis Kuronya Executive Director
The text, opinions and views expressed
within this publication do not necessarily reflect the opinions or the official policies of the editor and publisher. Products and services mentioned in this publication may be trademarks of their respective companies. Reproduction in whole or in part is authorized mentioning the source.
MARCH 2019 Vol. 2 No. 8
CopyrightŠ 2018 International Long Drive P.O Box 111 Greer SC 29650 info@latinogmg.com - www.latinogmg.com
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How was the experience in Mexico City? The Mexico experience was amazing! From the hospitality, hotel, to the set up at the course. Very professional run event was a privilege to attend! I had a great time in Mexico. I look forward to coming back next year and representing USA again. The members of the club where amazing! The hospitality they showed and excitement of winning the event was refreshing. One of the most fun pro-am I have played in. How you feel it for the new season? I am looking forward to this season. I feel stronger and seeing better numbers on launch monitors then the past years. I will have a plan for every
grid and will execute that plan this year. How you train during this preparation period? This year I trained differently went higher reps, less weights and lot of poly metrics. Had the idea of slimming down but failed at that part of the training lol. How you improve and what are the qualities we will see in you? I am going back to basics working fundamental with more balls in the grid. I am going back to playing more golf and treating the grid like a fairway.
New equipment and sponsors? New sponsors is Magne sport cream seems to me a miracle drug which has allowed me the first time in a long time to be pain free in long drive, Dog leg Reaper belts, returning Volvik, MOI Golf, New Balance Golf shoes, TCDi, Zero Friction, House of Forged, Muira Golf, Misig, Orange Whip.
"Our sincere thanks for having traveled to Mexico and shared excellent moments during the events. Congratulations for having won the Mexico Challenge 2019 with 406 yards, wind against."
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Congratulations Alvin Cruz !! New Krank Golf Director of Distribution.
We have had the opportunity to ask about the brand , the World Long Drive Champ. and the new products for 2019. For any question about distribution: alvin@krankgolf.com Who is part of the Krank LD team 2019? We are excited to have the Worlds #1 Long Driver Justin James sign with us this year. In addition to Justin we have added a number of rising stars in the domestic and international Long drive circuit. This year is going to be a great year for Krank Golf. What are the most important novelties that Krank presents us in the 2019 market? In addition to our Formula X Extreme, we are also excited to introduce our Formula Double X Extreme (USGA Non-Conforming) driver. We want to help everyday golfers gain back the distance they may have lost and make golf fun again. How has it been expanding in the international market? Starting a new season of Long Drive, what are the company expectations for the WLD? Coming off a great 2018 season, we anticipate nothing short of another spectacular year on the Volvik Long Drive Tour. This success will be driven by our new Formula X Extreme Driver, which is our fastest driver to date. Krank Golf is unquestionably the authority in distance hitting with 21 World Long Drive Championships, including 8 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
the 2010 (1st and 2nd), 2011(1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th) and 2012 (1st, 2nd and 3rd), 2013 (1st, 3rd and 4th), 2015 (1st, 2nd, and 8th) Open Division Championships, 2018 (1st, 2nd, and 3rd) Open Division Championships. Also, Krank Golf Drivers have completely dominated the Sport of Long Drive Worldwide for over 3 years winning more Professional Long Drive events than any golf company in history.
We are excited to introduce our high-performance drivers to the international markets. And we expect to grow our dealer and distribution network this year. What are the challenges for the near future? To continue to produce high performance drivers for everyday golfers. We believe every golfer should experience the Krank difference. We
simply cannot do what we do and win like we win if there wasn’t a difference. Make the best decision you have ever made when it comes to buying a golf driver and step up to putting a Krank Golf Driver in your bag. Why not hit the best of the best, the longest and straightest golf drivers in the world, The Krank Golf USGA Formula X EXTREME and Non-Conforming USGA Formula XX EXTREME Drivers?
Drive For Show Spring is just around the corner, daylight savings time is now in effect, and we just booked our 27th tournament of the 2018/2019 season. On our way to a goal of 40 tournaments this season, the ALD™ Championship Series is “almost” in full swing. We’re still waiting for the northern part of the continent to thaw and begin to #DriveForShow. The season has already produced some great experiences…getting to take Team USA to Mexico City for the Long Drive LatinoAmerica Championship was certainly the highlight.
U.S. and Canada Schedules ALD™ Canada and Series Commissioner, Fareen Samji, along with Series Directors Jacob French and Dan McIntosh are poised and ready to kick off their season at X Factor Indoor Golf in Calgary on March 28th, followed by Hitz, Okotoks on March 30th. The Southeastern U.S. leagues of Coastal Carolina, Western Carolinas, and North Florida are filling up their calendars with March, April, May, June, and July events to get their respective leagues / teams qualified for the World Championship August 16 and 17th at Barefoot Resort & Golf in Myrtle Beach, SC. We hope to see some New England dates soon, and more Utah-Nevada dates are in the works. 10 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
Be sure to check United States and Canada Schedules.
Regional Majors There are currently four Regional Majors scheduled or planned and a fifth being considered. All majors pay double points, and (at least) the winners in each division are invited to the Worlds. The winners are an automatic invitation. Based upon participation commitments to the Worlds, we may go deeper into each field of competitors. The Eastern Regional “The Rumble At Rocky Gap” is May 11th at Rock Gap Casino Resort in Flintstone Maryland. The Central Regional “The Capital City Clash” is June 15th at Turkey Creek Golf Center in Jefferson City, Missouri. The Last Chance Qualifier, the day before the Worlds (August 15th) at Barefoot Resort, is considered at Regional Major. The date and venue for the Western Regional is still unconfirmed. We hope to make that announcement soon along with and plans for returning to Des Moine Iowa for a fifth Major date. The Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) is likely to include the most transfer spots to the Worlds. Since it is the day before the World Championship, we will fill as many open slots as possible from that event. MARCH 2019 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - 11
Jarrin Josue "The Grid is Yours "
Pathway To The Worlds There are multiple “Pathways to the Worlds” and all those are outlined in more detail under the rules tab on our website: https://amateurlongdrive.com. The best way to increase your odds of getting an invitation the World Championship is to play as many tournaments as possible and earn as many World Ranking Points as possible. Keep in mind the leaders in World Ranking Points, each League’s division winners, and Major division winners will receive invitations to the Worlds. If those players are not able to make the show, the next person inline will receive the invitation. In addition to those three paths, players in each division with the highest CPI (Competition Performance Index) will receive an invite. CPI is simply tournaments entered multiplied by World Ranking Points earned. The fifth path to the Worlds are or Wild Card picks. Wild Card picks will include recommendation from our Tournament Directors and stand outs in the series.
Josue Jr. Future ALD Champion
More Growth Coming As of this writing, we are not able to make “official” announcements, but we are close to adding ALD™ Series, Leagues, and Sanctioned events in several countries. These negotiations may take weeks or months to finalize, but we’re confident we’ll be making announcements prior to the end of this season regarding countries in South America, and Europe. We can announce that we have entered into an agreement with the Latinoamerica Golf Management Group to sanction their Championship, the Long Drive Latinoamerica Championship. This agreement will allow their top hitters to be invited to the ALD™ World Championship.
U.S. (and other) Territories Available When we began the 2018/2019 season, we limited the number of territories allotted for competition to give us an opportunity to test the “League” concept, points system, and rules. There will be up to ten additional ALD™ territories allotted for the 2019/2020 season. If you would like to discuss becoming an ALD™ Tournament / Series Director / Commissioner let us know.
Corey Culver "ALD Champion"
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The points system is according to the number of participants in each vent.
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What Japan’s third-largest city lacks in terms of the historic temples and serene shrines of nearby Kyoto, it more than makes up for in culinary delights. And – especially if you’ve already visited Tokyo – you’ll immediately notice Osaka’s easy-going and fun-loving vibe. This city, like most others in the Kansai region, isn’t as stuffy as the capital. While Japanese foods like sushi and ramen are now available all around the world, Osaka lays claim to more obscure but equally delectable delicacies, including octopus dumplings, breaded skewers and wafer-thin sushi. And most of them pair exceedingly well with a cold Asahi beer or chilled whisky highball. It’s no surprise then that the city’s unofficial motto is kuidaore (‘eat until you drop’). Here are five must-try dishes from Osaka.
Tako-yaki According to legend, a street vendor named Tomekichi Endo created these octopus-studded spheres back in the 1930s. Tako-yaki have remained a favourite street snack across Japan ever since, but they will forever have a special place in the heart of Osakans. Countless stalls dedicated to the dumplings thrive in the 16 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
city centre. Come evening time, join the throngs in the long but quickly moving queue at Wanaka Namba or any of the other tako-yaki spots located within a few blocks of this brightly-lit Dōtonbori thoroughfare. The nimble staff carefully pour the batter into specially moulded skillets, before spearing the balls with a chopstick when they’re precisely half-cooked and then expertly flipping them. The fully cooked golden orbs, now crispy on the outside and molten in the middle, are piled into a boat-shaped tray and smothered in a savoury sauce (think Worcestershire meets American barbecue) and garnished with piles of dried bonito flakes. The dramatic preparation makes it tempting to dive right in, but approach fresh-from-the-griddle tako-yaki with caution. Poking a toothpick into the skin reveals the steamy interior: restrain yourself and release some of the heat before having a taste. Okonomiyaki This dish, another favourite from the city, might look like a pancake, but the eggy batter base dotted with grated yam makes it more evocative of an omelette. Thinly sliced pork belly is a popular addition. At Ajinoya, just blocks from the Dōtonbori, you can also request okonomiyaki made with squid, shrimp, octopus, corn, kimchi or even cheese layered over the top. Don’t pass up the opportunity to add yaki-soba (fried noodles), which adds extraordinary textural contrast. Have patience after placing your order. Okonomiyaki is made to order and prepared carefully, cooked one side at a time, on a flat teppan griddle. The pancake-like creation arrives on a plate, drenched in thick stripes of mayonnaise and savoury brown sauce. As with tako-yaki, a sprinkling of green aonori seaweed flakes, the requisite bonito flakes and sometimes pickled ginger are the crowning glory. Separate a small slice using the tiny spatula placed on the side and have a taste with your chopsticks. Perfect okonomiyaki are crisp on the outside and tender on the inside.
Kushikatsu Leave the Dōtonbori district and head south to Shin-Sekai, anchored by the imposing Tsūten-kaku tower, to experience another definitive Osakan dish. While it’s available all over the city, this district, in particular, is known as the origin of kushikatsu skewers, and the streets are filled with shops hawking breaded and fried morsels of meat, fish, quail eggs, and vegetables threaded onto wooden sticks. Daruma, offering panko-crusted pieces of everything from sweet potato to shishito peppers, scallops and even mochi, opened in 1929 and is a reliable stop for kushikatsu. Pull up a seat at the long bar. The cooks serve the skewers with an air of formality that seems a bit over the top for breaded bites on a stick. You’ll understand the pride, however, when you bite into a pepper or chicken cutlet with a crisp and crunchy exterior and a warm and juicy middle. A thinner version of the ubiquitous savoury brown sauce awaits on the table in a communal bowl. Whatever you do, don't dip the same skewer twice – double-dipping is considered bad manners. When you’re done with a stick, place it vertically, standing in the cylindrical container. Kitsune udon Thick and chewy udon noodles are a favourite lunchtime staple in all parts of Japan. But this particular version, made with hot dashi stock and topped with aburaage, or deep-fried tofu simmered in a sweet sauce, hails from 19th-century Osaka. The origin of the name is conflicting – while kitsune means fox in Japanese, it’s unclear if it’s a reference to the orange-brown colour of the tofu or connected to a Shinto legend. Regardless, find kitsune udon, along with other versions of the beloved soup, at Byakuan in the Yodagawa Ward, where the exquisite noodles are made on site using wheat grown in Japan.
rice that hails from Tokyo, now reigns supreme around the world. Sushi in the Kansai region, however, evolved into a particular type made with cooked, cured or pickled fish formed into brilliantly coloured jewel-like pieces. Traditional Osaka-style sushi calls for impossibly thin pieces of cured mackerel. The chef presses cooked sushi rice into a rectangular cypress box, layers the fish and sea kelp on top, and presses it. The resulting brick of sushi is then sliced and separated into individual pieces. Over the years, Osaka chefs have also introduced sea eel, sea bream, small shrimp and egg omelette. Most of the Kansai-style sushi restaurants have been at it for decades. Yoshino, for example, has been in operation for more than 170 years. Practicalities Osaka is served by Kansai International Airport. It's an hour from Kyoto and three hours from Tokyo on the shinkansen (bullet train). The city has plenty of sleeping options across all budgets. Meredith Bethune / Lonely Planet Writer
Osaka-style sushi All types of sushi have their origins in the ancient Southeast Asian practice of fermenting cured fish in rice. Edo-style sushi, the popular variety of raw fish paired with vinegared
How you feel it for the new season? I feel very good about the upcoming year ! I’m taking my training more seriously than ever and can’t wait to see my hard work pay off this year on the grid. How you train during this preparation period? I will do 3 weeks of gym training and slower swings to work on technique, and then 1 week of no gym training while hitting everyday at max speed. I repeat this each month during the offseason. How you improve and what are the qualities we will see in you? I’m primarily focusing on improving accuracy and spin rates. The goal is to drastically reduce ob sets and get more distance out of the speeds I’m producing.
"I feel great heading into the 2019 season. I’ve incorporated boxing, sprints, more Olympic style movements and more shoulder and hip mobility exercises. I’ve been training 4 days a week with 2 LD hitting days mixed in. Feeling great and working harder than ever. The changes Lucas Wald and I have made in my golf swing are really feeling like second nature now. My sponsors include Callaway Golf, Paderson Shafts, Torch Eyewear, Flightscope Golf, Antler Farms Nutrition, Rockwell Watches, Bushnell Golf and BoxHiit Fitness Forma." Eddie Master Champion 2018
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The canal in Tokyo's Naka-Meguro area is a top spot for seeing cherry blossoms © YP Photographer / Shutterstock
And that's just one of the reasons to visit Tokyo at this time of year: there are also traditional festivals, sumo, seasonal delicacies and a whole lot more in bloom in the city's parks and gardens.
by Rebecca Milner
Lonely Planet Writer
Bear in mind that spring is the most popular time of year to visit Japan and book your accommodation well in advance. Be especially wary of the string of national holidays, known as Golden Week; it's a peak travel period for Japanese that can drive up hotel rates. In 2019, Golden Week will run from 27 April to 6 May. This includes an extra national holiday just for 2019, ‘Coronation Day’ on 1 May, the day crown prince Naruhito will become Japan’s new emperor. 20 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
See the cherry blossoms, of course! Like someone took a paintbrush to the city, large swathes of Tokyo go from grey to blush pink come cherry-blossom season. Parks like Yoyogi-kōen and Ueno-kōen are famous for sake-drenched cherry-blossom-viewing parties called hanami. Waterside promenades, such as the one alongside Naka-Meguro's canal, Meguro-gawa, and the one opposite the Imperial Palace's moat, Chidori-ga-fuchi, erupt with canopies of blossoms.
Sakura (cherry) season, which begins in late March or early April, is like Carnival – one collective, citywide excuse to let go of daily cares and live for the moment. It’s a centuries-old tradition, inspired by the fleeting beauty of the blossoms, which last no longer than two weeks. What does last longer is all the sakura-themed treats sold at convenience stores and chain cafes. Sakura latte, anyone? In 2019, the Japan Meteorological Corporation estimates the cherries will bloom the last week of March. Download the fun ‘Sakura Navi’ app (on IoS and Android) to track the blossoms all over Japan.
And see other blooms as well Cherry blossoms hog the spotlight, but spring sees a whole cavalcade of seasonal blooms. They may not be an excuse to have a drinking party in the afternoon, but they definitely draw plenty of admirers. Bonus: from mid-April until early June (when the rainy season sets in), Tokyo is warmer and sunnier than it is during sakura season. Soon after the last cherry blossoms fall, bold, bright azalea (tsutsuji) flowers begin appearing around the city. (Unless you visit during this season, from the second week of April through the first week of May, you may not realise just how much of Tokyo's ornamental shrubbery is made up of azaleas.) The most dramatic spot to see them is at shrine Nezu-jinja, which has a whole garden of them – some 3000 shrubs representing over a hundred varietals. Following a week or so behind the azaleas (usually around late April) are the languid, lavender blooms of the 22 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
wisteria (fuji-no-hana). Kameido Tenjin, a large but otherwise somewhat ignored shrine in Tokyo's far eastern edge, is the best place to see them. There's a famous photo spot here (warning: it gets very crowded) where you can capture the shrine's signature red, arched bridges with the drooping flowers in the foreground. Koishikawa Kōrakuen – better known for its plum blossoms and fall foliage – also has a small area with some wisteria trellises. Around mid-June – the not-quitesummer rainy season – come the irises, which were a favourite of the late 19th-century Empress Shoken. Her husband (the Emperor Meiji) planted an iris garden for her at what is now Meiji-jingū Gyoen, the pretty strolling garden attached to Meiji-jingū. There are some 1500 irises here, which we can be sure is a fairly accurate figure because (according to shrine’s website) staff count the blossoms every day. The June rains
also bring hydrangea (ajisai), which are a favourite of Tokyo urban gardeners. True fans of these magnificent, multihued orbs will want to make a pilgrimage to Meigetsu-in, a temple in seaside Kamakura (an hour south of Tokyo) that is also known as Ajisai-dera ('Hydrangea Temple'). You could also go wild and take an overnight ferry down to Hachijō-jima to see the freesias, which bloom at roughly the same time as Tokyo's sakura (and where it will definitely be warm and sunny). Catch a traditional festival! May is the start of matsuri (festival) season, when shrines take their kami (gods) out for a spin on mikoshi, ornately decorated portable shrines that are paraded through the neighbourhood. Tokyo's matsuri go back centuries – to the founding years of the city in the 1600s – and the mikoshi-bearers look the part. Expect to see plenty of colourful happi (short, cotton kimono-style jackets), hachimaki (bandanas tied as
headbands) and, for the men, fundoshi (the loin clothes that you see on sumo wrestlers). In mid-May, the Kanda Matsuri is a major event put on by Kanda Myōjin on odd-numbered years (in 2019: May 11 & 12). On Saturday, there’s a procession all through central Tokyo (hitting neighbourhoods like Akihabara and Nihombashi) followed by a parade of mikoshi on Sunday, around the shrine precincts. The Sanja Matsuri, put on by Asakusa-jinja, is the biggest matsuri of them all, known to draw over a million spectators. It's held on the third weekend in May (in 2019: May 18 & 19). There are parades on both days, but the biggest mikoshi come out on Sunday. Or a festival that's just a little bit naughty Might we also suggest a detour to Kawasaki (just south of Tokyo) for the annual Kanamara Matsuri, otherwise known as the penis festival? As at asother traditional festivals, this one sees a parade of locals hoisting mikoshi through the streets – except that many of these mikoshi are strapped with giant phalluses. It’s a jubilant affair, with some revellers arriving in drag or fancy dress. There are all sorts of naughty talismans and suggestive snacks available, too. Don’t miss the locals carving radishes into, ahem, you know.Kawasaki shrine Kanayama-jinja hosts the event, which takes place on the first Sunday of April (7 April in 2019). The shrine is known historically as a place to pray for a happy marriage and a healthy pregnancy but also for protection from sexually transmitted diseases. See sumo wrestlers in the ring... and holding babies The second of Tokyo's three annual grand sumo tournaments takes place in mid-May (from 12 May to 26 May in 2019 – tickets go on sale from 6 April) at the national sumo stadium, Ryōgoku Kokugikan. A few weeks earlier, in late April (28 April in 2019), Asakusa hosts its annual Naki-zumo event at Sensō-ji, which pairs sumo wrestlers and babies in a cry-off. The wrestlers pull faces, competing to make their baby cry the loudest. This may sound bizarre (and a little mean) but the Japanese have an age-old belief that a crying baby will grow up to be big and healthy. Sometimes the babies are dressed up as tiny sumo wrestlers.
...for the players, and beyond...
Welcome to universe of the European Long Drive Association (ELDA)!
Founded in January 2019, the purpose of this association is the care, promotion and exercise of the Long Drive sport in Europe and elsewhere. This purpose is realised, in particular, by organising, coordinating and performing longdrive events on an international level. The ELDA additionally represents and coordinates all Long Drive professionals and all longdrive amateurs in Europe and beyond. The objectives of the ELDA are to reorganize and professionalise the sport, to establish a standardised operational ruling and ranking system and to let the Long
Drive sport grow internationally, with the ultimate goal to to work it up to an Olympic discipline. The ELDA is strives for creating and maintaining a fair, emotional, passionate, clean, modern and exciting sport. The ELDA forms an international network of European Long Drive executives, representing: Finland, Sweden, Balkan, UK, France, Malta, Greece, Spain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. European Long Drive Games - THE GAMES were established in 2019 as "a tour for the players... and beyond." We as the ELDA act as the umbrella in terms of rules, growth of the sport and fair play. The European Long Drive Games are run and marketed by "Powering Drives GmbH". Any professionally organised and "ELDA-accepted" tournaments will count for the European Long Drive Ranking. ASMUS LEMBKE - CHAIRMAN As a Fully qualified PGA Professional, Long Drive Professional and World Long Drive entrepreneur he is absolutely fired up to grow the sport. The Volvik World Long Drive Championship has produced dozens of Champions in the 40+ years since the competition was first staged in 1976. Winners of the annual event (Open, Masters, Women’s Divisions) each currently receive a corresponding Championship belt that recognizes their place atop the sport for the given year. German Long Drive The national series German Long Drive is run in and from Germany. The tour gives aspiring Long Drive Amateurs and Professionals an opportunity to compete in a professionally hosted event on national level. The executives are enacted, action authorized ELDA agents, who are exclusively in charge of representing and developing the longdrive Sport in their catchment area. The European longdrive sport is characterized by sportsmanship, brotherhood and collegiality between the players. The ELDA tries to conserve this spirit and specialty of the sport to keep it a "players´ game"! 24- INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
JORDAN BROOKS - VICE CHAIRMAN
As a golf professional and one of the top long drive athletes in Europe, Jordan is ready to make long drive great again.
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How do you feel about the upcoming season? I feel great! I’m really looking forward to finally get back to competing after the long winter. I feel like I’m healthy and I’ve been working on a few things with my body and my swing that I think will help me throughout the 2019 season. What type of training have you been doing in the off-season to prepare for this year? Well I’m a little older than most of the competitors now so a lot of my training has to do with staying healthy and being able to play competitively throughout the entire year. I always focus on core muscles as part of my workout regimen. I do this because it creates a stability throughout my swing which will in turn keep my back healthy. There’s a lot of stress put on the back in the golf swing so I make sure to do things each day to maintain strength. With that being said I also feel it’s important to get the heart rate up so I try to do various types of cardio workout to keep the blood flowing well. Cardio is not the most fun part of training so I usually mix things up so I don’t get bored with it. You can’t forget about mobility training though, without it you’re not going to perform at an optimal level so I have been doing Jason Glass’ LoadXplode series during the off-season and I think it’s been worthwhile. It’s something that aspiring long drivers or even just the normal recreational golfers can do to improve their overall game. I’m not the most flexible guy either so I’ve incorporated some things I’ve learned from David Weck and his Weckmethod training program. His ideas are definitely out of the box but the improvements I’ve seen so far, he’s MARCH 2019 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - 27
made me a believer. With golf and long drive it’s not just one thing, the swing is much too complicated so it pays to make your workouts and training broad in scope. What are the things you have been working on to improve your game and what are the qualities we will see in you this year? The past few years have been bitter sweet with a lot of success and failure so I’ve been trying to work on some problem areas that my coach, Bobby Peterson of the One Stop Power Shop, and I have noticed I repeat when I’ve struggled. One of the biggest challenges I have is correct body alignment to my target line. I tend to open up my shoulders at address so I’ve been working on walking into my shot and setting my shoulders without opening them when I look down the target line. The next thing I struggle with is a high ball flight. My natural ball flight tends to be lower which makes me very dangerous on a grid that will roll out but when the ground is wet or there’s not a lot of roll I’m not so dangerous. There were contests last year, specifically the world championship, where I felt like I should have won but didn’t because I wasn’t able to hit the high ball when I needed to. My solution to this challenge is to master the high ball flight so I can maximize the carry. To make this adjustment I’ve increased my spine tilt at address and teed the ball higher and forward in my stance. These changes might seem 28 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
very minor but for me it’s proved difficult since it requires a swing motion that is not natural to me but I feel like I’ve gotten much better at it and I’m looking forward to putting it to the test in competition. What equipment will you playing this year, anything new in the bag? I’ll be hitting the Callaway XR16 long drive version until they come out with their new EPIC Flash long drive head. We’ve done some testing with the prototypes and I think it’s going to be a hit with the players. It’s a very forgiving head for off-center strikes which is critical in long drive since you’re swinging the club as fast as you possibly can. It will be fueled by any number of Paderson shafts since I match my shafts to the conditions I’m playing in. It’s a great combination that I’ve been very happy with since I made the move to Paderson a few years ago. One thing that I’m also a big fan of these days are the EnVe golf shoes by Athlonz. They are pushing the technology of the golf shoe and for long drivers especially it’s a great piece of equipment. Just talking about all of this has me pumped for the 2019 long drive season.
Good Luck Ryan !!
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Thailand Long Drive 2019 awards ceremony Black Mountain stadium Congratulations to Khun Powerful Black. The winner goes with 363 yards. The 2nd. was Mr. Civilised with 358 yards. The 3rd. was Khun with 353 yards. WORLD LONG DRIVE CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFICATION 332 - INTERNATIONAL LONG DRIVE MAGAZINE - MARCH 2019
Thailand LD New record! Mr. Civilised - 378 yards
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1. Thorne van Zyl : 405.1m 2. Francois Mouton : 398.3m 3. Rick Louw : 384.6mm 4. Juan Nel: 384.4m 5. Jason Vickers: 382.2m 6. Mike Sidor: 377.9m 7. Gerhard Coetzee: 370.4 8. Ben Cilliers: 364.5 tied with Berno Korff: 364.5 9. Johan Jacobs: 343.5m
A number of elite Quantum Driving athletes gathered at the impressive new Ultimate Aim Indoor Sports Venue on Saturday the 16th of March, proudly supported by Volvik - the official golf ball for Quantum Driving. 33420192019 34 -INTERNATIONAL INTERNATIONALLONG LONGDRIVE DRIVEMAGAZINE MAGAZINE--MARCH FEBRUARY
Clearly, Thorne - The Eliminator showed why he remains nr.1 on the official rankings, with current SA Champion. Congrats !!! Next event April 6th. Luke Kelly hosts us on what is the greatest grid this side of Mesquite…
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