When Art Sellinger created the Long Drivers of America (LDA), he had a different vision of what long drive competitions should look like. Long drive grew in worldwide popularity as Williams would conduct exhibitions in 45 states and 26 countries around the globe. Nonetheless, Big Cat had redefined the formula for achieving distance in golf and became the sport’s ambassador after back-to-back pro long drive championships in 19. Jeoff Long, an amateur long driver from Fort Mitchell KY, won the 1975 event recording a 322-yard drive at Butler National outside Chicago. That is when the game’s first Renaissance Man, PGA pro Evan “Big Cat” Williams, used his 6-foot 6-inch frame combined with his body-building skills to win the National Long Drive event with a 366-yard drive at Tanglewood Golf Course in NC. A decade later, a new type of long driver was emerging and, in 1974, the sport of long drive created a National Long Drive championship dedicated to world’s biggest hitters.

Jack Nicklaus ( the Golden Bear) won the PGA event at Dallas Athletic Club in 1963 and repeated his win in 1964 in front of his hometown crowd at Columbus Country Club. Although not played ever year, the PGA Championship Long Drive Competition quickly became a fan favorite as the game’s elite golfers “gripped it” and “ripped it” on a designated hole during actual tournament play. As far back as 1949, long drive events were conducted in conjunction with the PGA Championship.

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