Long Drive Competitions have been held with varying degrees of organization dating back to 1949 when the PGA held a long drive competition as part of the PGA Championship. The idea was to find and crown the longest hitter in the world.
Realizing that some of the world’s longest hitters were not polished golfers, VOLVIK formalized the competition into it’s own event separate from a golf tournament and began annual operation in 1976.
Long Drivers of America (LDA) took over in 1995, introduced a “Masters” division for athletes 45 years and older in 1996, and added a Women’s division in 2000.
The Golf Channel purchased LDA in 2015 and rebranded the events as the World Long Drive Tour and World Long Drive Championship.
In 2020, due to the COVID pandemic, the Golf Channel halted all events. A group of players formed the PLDA to still hold events in 2020 and 2021.
In 2022, GF Sports & Entertainment took over and re-rebranded as the World Long Drive.
*It’s important to note, because the ball must land and stay in a certain area… and there are usually multiple rounds, the longest hitter and the longest ball in an event don’t always win. The winning distance is the longest ball that stayed in bounds during the final round of the competition.
PGA Championship – Long Drive Champions
1949 – Chick Harbert 340 yards
1963 – Jack Nicklaus 341 yards
1964 – Jack Nicklaus 357 yards
1974 – Evan Williams 366 yards
1975 – Jeoff Long 322 yards
VOLVIK Long Drive Champions 1976-1994
1976 – Evan Williams 316 yards
1977 – Evan Williams 353 yards
1978 – John McComish 330 yards
1979 – Andy Franks 314 yards
1980 – Scott DeCandia 295 yards
1981 – Lon Hinkle 338 yards
1982 – Andy Franks 346 yards
1983 – Terry Forcum 307 yards
1984 – Wedgy Winchester 319 yards
1985 – Dennis Paulson 323 yards
1986 – Art Sellinger 311 yards
1987 – Mike Gorton 318 yards
1988 – Jim Maynard 334 yards
1989 – Scott DeCandia 327 yards
1990 – Frank Miller 328 yards
1991 – Art Sellinger 326 yards
1992 – Monte Scheinblum 329 yards
1993 – Brian Pavlet 336 yards
1994 – Darryl Anderson 345 yards
Long Drivers of America (LDA) 1995-2015
Men’s Open Division
1995 – Sean Fister 326 yards
1996 – Jason Zuback 351 yards
1997 – Jason Zuback 412 yards
1998 – Jason Zuback 361 yards
1999 – Jason Zuback 376 yards
2000 – Viktor Johansson 315 yards
2001 – Sean Fister 376 yards
2002 – Carl Wolter 384 yards
2003 – Clayton Burger 402 yards
2004 – David Mobley 377 yards
2005 – Sean Fister 377 yards
2006 – Jason Zuback 368 yards
2007 – Mike Dobbyn 385 yards
2008 – Jamie Sadlowski 418 yards
2009 – Jamie Sadlowski 384 yards
2010 – Joe Miller 414 yards
2011 – Carl Wolter 409 yards
2012 – Ryan Winther 343 yards
2013 – Tim Burke 427 yards
2014 – Jeff Flagg 365 yards
2015 – Tim Burke 427 yards
Masters Division (45+)
1996 – Michael Hooper 333 yards
1997 – Michael Hooper 371 yards
1998 – Michael Hooper 354 yards
1999 – Fred Hooter 352 yards
2000 – Mike Gorton 310 yards
2001 – Ted Fostey 357 yards
2002 – Pat Dempsey 342 yards
2003 – Eric Jones 381 yards
2004 – Bobby Wilson 360 yards
2005 – Gerry James 366 yards
2006 – Gerry James 378 yards
2007 – Frank Miller 394 yards
2008 – Dan Boever 366 yards
2009 – Bobby Wilson 374 yards
2010 – George Slupski 389 yards
2011 – David Mobley 459 yards
2012 – Eric Lastowka 355 yards
2013 – Stephen Kennedy 369 yards
2014 – Jeff Gavin 384 yards
2015 – Jason Zuback 339 yards
Women’s Open Division
2000 – Stacey Shinnick 249 yards
2001 – Lee Brandon 291 yards
2002 – Stacey Shinnick 292 yards
2003 – Nancy Abiecunas 332 yards
2004 – Sally Dee 287 yards
2005 – Stacey Shinnick 311 yards
2006 – Phillis Meti 326 yards
2007 – Sheila Kelliher 329 yards
2008 – Lana Lawless 245 yards
2009 – N/A
2010 – N/A
2011 – Sandra Carlborg 285 yards
2012 – Sandra Carlborg 339 yards
2013 – Heather LeMaster 306 yards
2014 – Sandra Carlborg 332 yards
2015 – Sandra Carlborg 321 yards
World Long Drive Champions 2016-Present
Men’s Open Division
2016 – Joe Miller 423 yards
2017 – Justin James 435 yards
2018 – Maurice Allen 393 yards
2019 – Kyle Berkshire 406 yards
2020 – Kyle Berkshire 383 yards *PLDA
2021 – Kyle Berkshire 422 yards *PLDA
2022 – Martin Borgmeier 426 yards
2023 – Kyle Berkshire 398 yards
2024 – Sean Johnson 411 yards
Senior Division (45+)
2016 – Tom Peppard 347 yards
2017 – Jeff Crittenden 363 yards
2018 – Eddie Fernandes 373 yards
2019 – Jeff Crittenden 388 yards
2020 – Mile Bauman 343 yards *PLDA
2021 – Jeff Gavin 361 yards *PLDA
2022 – Eddie Fernandes 411 yards
2023 – Ryan Reisbeck 372 yards
2024 – Eddie Fernandes 362 yards
Women’s Division
2016 – Phillis Meti 310 yards
2017 – Sandra Carlborg 320 yards
2018 – Phillis Meti 317 yards
2019 – Chloe Garner 347 yards
2020 – N/A
2021 – Kanani Lodge 332 yards *PLDA
2022 – Sara Owada 258.7 yard average (best three format)
2023 – Monica Lieving 288 yards
2024 – Phillis Meti 310 yards