NZ dates released for 2010
We are pleased to release the programme for the 2010 RE/MAX Long Drive Championship of NZ. This year's competition will again be held in Auckland at the Avondale Racetrack which is a great Long Drive venue.
Dates are Thursday 23rd to Saturday 25th September 2010.
A welcome function, registration and 'meet the players' will be held at The Golf House Newmarket on Wednesday 22nd September from 5.30pm
The championship will be contested in a new format to showcase the big hitters of the sport and to gain maximum TV coverage for the event on The Golf Club.
The field will be limited to the first 32 entries received. The revised system is based on the world finals with qualifying rounds, elimination rounds and the chance to compete again in a repéchage round, match play divisions, semi finals and finals.
Each player is guaranteed qualifying rounds and at least two rounds of match play According to the distances recorded, players will be seeded in four divisions of eight players to compete in a match-play format. First round losers will get the chance to compete in a repéchage round.
The top placed New Zealand citizen or Permanent NZ Resident will be offered the chance to represent New Zealand at the 2010 RE/MAX World Long Drive Finals in the USA in October.
RE/MAX World Long Drive
The sport of LONG DRIVE was first introduced in the USA in 1995. It is the premier event in power golf and one of the world’s fastest growing TV spectator and participation sports. Its star attraction is being able to unveil hidden talent and stir up an enormous potential following.
Over 10,000 competitors from 300 events covering 45 countries including USA, Canada, UK, Europe, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa compete nationally for qualifying places in the annual RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship in the USA with a purse of over USD $550,000.
The ‘have a go’ attitude fuels the power golf craze, providing power hitters with an adrenaline-drenched, high impact event, and the opportunity for international notoriety as the RE/MAX World Long Drive Champion. RE/MAX, one of the world’s largest selling real estate companies, has been the naming sponsor for a number of years and was instrumental in creating a purpose-built Long Drive stadium to hold the championships in Mesquite, Nevada, USA.
For more information about Long Drive please go to www.longdrivers.com
RE/MAX Long Drive in New Zealand
The RE/MAX Long Drive Championship of New Zealand aims are to uncover New Zealand’s long hitting superstars. In 2006 New Zealand produced the RE/MAX Women’s World Long Drive Champion, in Phillis Meti from Auckland. She belted out a long drive of 326 yards leaving her other competitors in her wake. In 2007 and again in 2008 Phillis was the longest driver at the World Championships but was beaten in a matchplay final by a local American.
Not to be outdone, our New Zealand men have also been on the world stage with Baden Waiwai from Wairoa finishing 5th in 2006. More recently in 2008, Sheridan Vining from Palmerston North competed well in the World Final but came up against some pretty tough competition with the winner Jamie Sadlowski from the USA shooting 418 yards.
In 2009 Baden Waiwai from Poverty Bay represented New Zealand at the RE/MAX Long Drive World Final.