Drive to Show

If you think you’re being out-biked, out-run, out-hit or just out-energied by younger generations, then check out this story from Gary Nickerson –

It’s not very often I get to brag about myself or, for that matter, announce to many how I out-hit a golf ball over most of the men half my age. Long-ball driving is an expanding phenomenon worldwide and its popularity is growing by leaps and bounds. The REMAX World Long Drive Championship, held in Mesquite, Nevada in October, is the World Series of long ball hitting.

This event evolved from the National Long Drive Championships, held from 1975 to 1993 under the Golf Digest Magazine umbrella.  With prizes now ranging from $100,000 for “Men’s” to $14,000 for guys like me classified in the “Super Senior” division (55 years and up).

To get there, one needs to qualify first. This is no easy feat. Tens of thousands of hopefuls are trying to make it to those finals every year. If you should be one of those finalists and happen to win it, your life will never be the same.

I can hit a long ball (most of the time) but never thought of going into competition. That’s not until my golf buddies suggested it. I looked into this sport and one thing lead to another.  My first year of competition after making it through a local qualifier with a drive of 330 yards I fell a half yard short of going to the World Championships.

I did, however, manage to finish second in my province of Ontario and third overall in Canada in the Canadian Seniors division two years ago and the following year third in Ontario and fourth over-all in Canada.

And this year, with serious training, a strict diet, and an understanding wife, I have had training hits of 350+ yards. Let’s see what happens when I begin to qualify.

The best part though, is going golfing as a single. I usually get teamed up with some ‘hot-shot’ young guy who has just bought the latest graphite shaft driver with an exploding titanium club face and expensive grips, not to mention the golf balls he uses that have names like Nuclear-Developed, which are livelier than any ball on the market and so on…and so on…

It isn’t until he stands on the first tee and addresses the ball and hits it left or right about 100 yards out that I say to myself, “This is going to be fun.”

They usually follow up a bad shot by saying something like, “Damn, I don’t usually do that,” or “God, these new clubs are going to take some getting used to.”

My turn.  Tee it up, (higher than normal), look at my landing area and “WHACK,” straight down the fairway about 310, 320 yards.  I know the response: “Hey old man, nice hit.”  I usually say “Thanks, got lucky on that one.” It’s not until about the third or fourth hole when they start to realize that I can hit a long ball and hit it consistently. That seems to really muck up their already horrible game. By the time we make the turn, they are asking, “Just how does one manage to hit a ball like that?”

I don’t give lessons, because no two people have the same swing and I don’t need that frustration, I just want to play golf. Not teach it. Leave that to the pros.

It’s always a show when I am at the driving range too. There they are, in their muscle shirts, cut-off shorts, and trying to impress their sweethearts who are more interested in watching other young men in their cut-offs.

After about ten minutes of hitting these usually ‘dead’ balls out of the range, I have a small group of people just standing behind me watching my balls fly out 320, 330  340 yards. I don’t mind the attention, because I use that for my nerves. Having people watch you hit is what happens when you are in competition. So, I need that.  But, I would be lying if I said I don’t get nervous when in competition.

As I continue to train and improve my swing, my friends have already decided what to nickname me. They call me Gary Baby Boomer Nickerson. Baby Boomer yes, but not because I’m a brand new 60 years old, but because I Boom a golf ball long.

It’s great being 60 years old, especially when I can still out perform the young ones in something I love doing.  Some say I don’t look 60 and that’s fine, but it’s how I feel. Yes, I feel like 30 when I out-drive these young big shots. I feel every bit of 30 or even younger.

So, you baby boomers, whatever you do, do it with all you’ve got, be confident in your abilities and keep in shape.  Be committed to whatever it is you do and you too, one day, will feel that extra enjoyment, that sudden rush when you accomplished your goal.   I do every time I make contact with a golf ball.

Contact Gary — gnickers@apotex.com