WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Air visitors controllers at Palm Seashore Worldwide Airport might need observed some blips on their radar just lately, however to not fear.
It was simply World Lengthy Drive champion Kyle Berkshire and his buddies launching some bombs 4½ miles away at Bear Lakes Nation Membership. Berkshire and his friends can hit it excessive (250 toes) and hit it lengthy.
How lengthy? Berkshire broke the world record last month when he hit a 579-yard drive in favorable weather conditions at Rochelle Ranch Golf Course in Rawlins, Wyoming, about two weeks earlier than he gained his third world lengthy driving title.
Take into consideration that … 5 hundred and seventy-nine yards, with a carry of 512. That’s twice so far as most experts hit it and thrice so far as most amateurs. Who cares if the ball was helped by a tailwind of 17-22-mph with 6,700 toes of elevation (although the temperature was within the low 50s)? That will be lengthy sufficient to drive nearly each par-5 within the U.S.
“Oh, that’s it!” Berkshire screamed on video after his world-record drive. “That’s it!”
Whereas having lunch in Bear Lakes’ new clubhouse final week, Berkshire mirrored on that second.
“After I caught that ball, I knew it was the toughest ball I hit,” mentioned Berkshire, a 27-year-old Orlando resident who is thought for his lengthy darkish hair. “It was additionally spinning sufficient to remain within the air with a tailwind. With the wind coming off the best, I had a 10-yard-wide window the place the ball would carry into the green. It felt superb.”
Berkshire understands most golf followers concentrate on the yardage of his drives, however he and his friends use the ball pace coming off their prolonged drivers because the true barometer of their expertise. Berkshire set a world report with a ball pace of 241.6 mph.
When requested what means extra to him, the world report or the championship belts he acquired for the three world titles, his reply was faster than his swing.
“As an athlete, I care about that belt greater than something,” Berkshire mentioned. “When my profession is over, I need to go away a legacy of being the best. It’s a must to have the belts. Like in basketball, it’s important to have the rings. If you would like the belt, it’s important to be clutch.”
Berkshire had aspirations of sometime taking part in on the PGA Tour when he was competing collegiately at North Texas, however that modified throughout a apply spherical his sophomore yr. A backup on the course allowed his complete workforce and coaches to look at as he pumped a drive four hundred and forty yards on the seventeenth gap. It was a minimum of 70 yards previous everybody else.
“When my complete workforce and coach noticed that, my path was just about set,” Berkshire mentioned. “I needed to determine if I believed I may make my (PGA Tour) card first or win a belt first. I felt I may get a belt in three years, and it will take six years to get a card.”
Seems he’s as correct as he’s lengthy: It took him three years to win his first world title. Now he’s not frightened concerning the different.
“Upon getting the belt, you may make a really, excellent residing out right here,” he mentioned, smiling.
The 2023 World Lengthy Drive in Atlanta, the place Kyle Berkshire gained the title.
Berkshire has made hundreds of thousands by being often known as the man with the lengthy hair who hits the ball a really great distance. Berkshire mentioned his bouffant occurred organically.
“I went to the barbershop in early 2018, and the barber by no means confirmed up,” Berkshire mentioned. “In a pair weeks, I performed on TV and my hair was simply lengthy sufficient for announcer Jonathan Coachman to say it. As soon as I heard that, I let I develop, and it turned a factor.”
Berkshire was at Bear Lakes final week filming his ever-popular “Bombers Club” YouTube podcast with buddies Billy Ray, Bobby Bradley and Karol Priscilla. Within the movies, they play matches, commerce barbs and hit 400-yard drives whereas exhibiting a cooler, youthful aspect of golf.
Whereas Berkshire mentioned he beloved the Jack Nicklaus-designed Lakes and Hyperlinks programs, the Bombers Membership people didn’t thoughts making their very own design: One of many competitions was hitting from the fifteenth fairway on the Lakes Course to the par-3 14th. It was a 341-yard carry — into the wind over water. Berkshire gained by hitting his regular-length driver to 25 toes.
“I like doing the present as a result of I could be myself,” he mentioned. “Folks solely see me in a severe lens after I’m competing. This permits me to point out my persona.”
Kellie Stenzel, a instructor who has labored with Berkshire on the Bombers Membership, mentioned don’t be fooled by his picture.
“It’s simple to have a look at him and say he’s the long-drive man with the lengthy hair,” mentioned Stenzel, a Palm Seashore Gardens resident. “However when Kyle begins to speak, he’s so sensible and considerate. There’s an intelligence behind the expertise.
“And who doesn’t need to hit the ball farther? All of us dream of that.”
Berkshire agreed that there’s extra of a psychological strategy to his sport than most followers consider. It’s not simply hit, scream and hit once more.
“Lots of people assume lengthy drive is simply bashing a ball time and again, however there’s a ability to it,” he mentioned. “For those who each swing the identical pace and one hits it additional, that’s the ability of the sport. That’s why the quick man doesn’t all the time win. We’re not simply wailing away with no regard to consistency or accuracy.”
Berkshire is associates with main champion Bryson DeChambeau they usually usually speak about their seek for extra clubhead pace and distance. Not like DeChambeau, Berkshire has but to expertise his dream of taking part in on the PGA Tour (hear that, The Basic in The Palm Seashores officers?) or Korn Ferry Tour on a sponsor exemption. Why not? All of us love the lengthy ball.
“I play mini-tour occasions, and I can grasp with them,” Berkshire mentioned of execs. “I’m not getting blown out. I normally shoot low-70s.”
The one concern: Is there a course lengthy sufficient?
