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	Tuesday, April 11, 2006

Long Drivers of Europe

There was a Long Drivers of Europe competition at the weekend, and some of you may be familiar with the runner-up in the competition, Chris Roberts.

Better know to golf punks as Chris 'Maradona' Roberts, he is a regular in our forum and has recently been inviting all and sundry down to the London Golf Show for a meet up. Anyway, here's how he got on at the weekend.

“I think our aircraft are likely to cause more damage than your golf balls…” smiled the model plane enthusiast sagely, when he saw his usual flying spot at NMSI Wroughton usurped by the London Golf Show and Long Drivers of Europe (LDE).

Luckily for him and his friends the statement was not taken up as a challenge by those looking to set a new world record for long driving on the old airfield, near Swindon.

The miniature Charles Lindberghs departed for the far end of the runway where their impressive machines performed a plethora of loop-the-loops and dives – but they were still in danger from the Long Drivers of Europe.

Remember the Superball, manufactured by Wham-O and popular in all playgrounds in the early 70s? Well a golf ball reacts in a similar manner on an airport runway and those model aviators might well have seen a Pinnacle crash straight through their fuselage had they been any closer.

As it happened the longest drive of the day, in the London Golf Show-promoted event, came very close to popping straight into their packed lunches, with Paul Slater smashing the ball a staggering 884 yards – more than half-a-mile!

Slater came up with the goods when it really mattered – and not for the first time. His existing world record of 720 yards was set at London City Airport in February 2005, when it looked to all present that nobody would be able to wrest the accolade away from Aussie pro Stuart Appleby.

At Wroughton, Slater looked on while the new kid on the block, Adam Stacey, took his record away from him.

Londoner Stacey had not contemplated long driving until he tried his luck on a simulator at last year’s London Golf Show. He was so impressive he was invited to attend some of the LDE events last summer. It was the first step on a road which culminated in him being acclaimed as world number three at last year’s premier event in the United States.

The man in the Union Flag trousers cracked the ball down the runway and was encouraged by the urgings of his fellow competitors who kept telling him: “It’s still rolling – it’s down the middle.”

When it stopped rolling, and it took some time, it had exceeded Slater’s record by 24 yards – an impressive feat by any standards.

Slater was obviously impressed, for he asked to borrow Stacey’s driver. Such is the camaraderie of those on the LDE tour that refusing never crossed Stacey’s mind. European number one Joe Miller also offered up one of his.

Slater took one from each and blasted his first effort 723 yards through the Wiltshire air. It beat his previous world record by three yards, but he knew it wasn’t enough.

Two drives later and everybody present strained their eyes to catch sight of his ball. It started left and faded back on to the left edge of the runway – the perfect spot according to World Golf Trickshot champion Paul Barrington, who’d come along to take part and meet up with his old long-driving chums.

It was long; everybody knew it was long. One of the competitors chirped: “That’s about four quid in a taxi…”

Slater turned and, playing to the cameras, pointed his driver at Stacey and with a deadpan expression shouted: “It’s mine!”

It was. He added an unbelievable 164 yards to his previous best, with the driver borrowed from Miller – and outgunned Stacey’s new mark by another 140 yards. That’s how crucial the right bounce can prove when allied to sheer brute force.

But if Stacey was gutted, imagine how Welshman Chris Roberts felt. The 20-year-old from Caernarfon was last on the tee. His four shots included prodigious efforts of 735 and 760 yards – the latter the second longest drive on record.

He was disappointed, but pragmatic.

“I can take positives out of this,” he said with his trademark smile. “I beat last year’s record by 40 yards so I can’t be too disappointed.

“Slates’ effort must have had a freak bounce,” he laughed.

“I’m over the moon to see the guys here doing so well. They’re all friends of mine. I’ve been second twice at these world record attempts now so I must be doing something right. I’m sure I have the record in me for the future.”

Stacey was left to reflect on what might have been.

“At least I can say I was the world record holder – even if it was only for five minutes,” he said.

For Slater it must have been a case of déjà vu. Last year’s world record thrust him into the media spotlight, with interviews in national press, on TV and on radio. It also gave him the opportunity, with the backing of the London Golf Show, to tee it up in exhibition events with European Tour pros.

He was mobbed in Spain where his appearance on TV thrust him into the spotlight.

And on Saturday he was again in front of the microphones and cameras, though this time displaying the confidence of an old hand.

“I wanted my record back,” said Slater, with a nod of modest acknowledgement to Stacey.

“You’ve got five of the biggest hitters in Europe here and two of the biggest in the world. But I wanted it. Nobody had cleared 700 yards before I did it last year; and nobody had beaten 800 yards until I did it.

“And I did it with a borrowed club,” he added with a huge grin, holding aloft the driver borrowed from Miller.

Miller’s sponsor will be delighted. The new record was achieved with a Cobra XX Speed, with a loft of just four-and-a-half degrees.

“I’ve been recommending this club to everyone for ages,” added Slater. “They might start listening to me now.”
Golf Punks
4/11/2006 9:15:08 PM (GMT Standard Time, UTC+00:00)

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