The man who can hit 400m+
SUNNINGHILL – Local long-drive golfer hopes to play for South Africa again.
Sunninghill long drive golfer, Donovan Snyman (31) wants to reach new heights, which is hard to believe for a man who once hit a golf ball 415m.
Snyman has already represented South Africa in the sport. He hit the farthest shot in a 2015 game against Canada and has won more indoor matches locally than he can remember.
In long drive golf, the clubs have longer shafts and a lower angle on the head so players can hit much further. The heads are slightly stronger than traditional clubs, but not any thicker.
In long drive golf, linear boundaries on the left and right create an alley players need to hit their balls down. The player who hits the ball the furthest in a certain number of shots, wins.
The sport is new in South Africa and Snyman wants to take on tougher opposition.
“When you hit so far it’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “You don’t have to worry about hitting it straight. It is really fun and not many can beat me at the moment.”
That being said, Snyman had a poor round at the 11th Quantum Driving SA Championship at Copperleaf Golf Estate on 25 November, where he could not make the cut for the final eight players.
“The rain was bad and I did not do well, but then again, I was not the only person who played in rain.”
Matthew Eglington of Quantum Driving which hosts long drive events, said the sport has become something every golfer can understand and love but has not been accepted by golfers in South Africa to the degree it has been welcomed overseas.
“South Africa will host the Long Drive World Series in April,” he said, adding that South Africa’s Jason Cook has already qualified and will represent the country, with possibly one or two others.
Snyman aims to keep practising at World of Golf in Woodmead in the coming weeks, do well in the qualifiers in January, and represent South Africa in the series.
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