Long-drive champs are ready to tee it up

LEHI — The world's long drive champion looks like a person who could flatten a golf ball with about anything in his hands.

Jason Zuback, a four-time long-drive champion, is showing his form Monday and today at the Nokia Champion's Challenge at Thanksgiving Point. While Jack Nicklaus, Mike Weir, Mike Reid, actress Cheryl Ladd, Johnny Miller and comedian Bill Murray drew crowds, those who wandered near the practice range got plenty to gawk at with Zuback's swing.

A former power lifter, Zuback's arms are gnarly with muscle, sort of like the anchor chain on a cruise ship. His backswing, downswing and follow through look like something on a mechanical arc. The speed he generates from his club-head speed is lightning fast and nearly lifts him off both feet.

BYU associate athletic director Brian Santiago, invited by a pro am group to play Monday because of his own long ball off the tee, found out he was paired with Zuback and wondered, "they sure didn't need me."

Zuback owns the fastest ball speed ever measured by Titleist launch monitor, at 210 mph. His club speed has been measured by a laser at 163 mph. His longest drive in competition is 463, and he routinely knocks drives down the fairway 340 with a natural fade — not a draw.

Zuback harnesses enough energy to destroy club heads during performances. He has drilled golf-ball drives through phone books. He once set a record of breaking eight panes of Plexiglas with a slap shot of a hockey puck.

In Japan, Zuback's nicknamed Golfzilla. He travels the world every day putting on exhibitions, playing in tournaments and representing corporate interests and sponsors. His partner is Bobby Wilson, also a long-drive champion.

When asked to play in the Champions Challenge, they thought it was a two-man best ball, ho-hum. But when told it was a two-man scramble, Wilson said: "We're in."

Because Zuback and Wilson are not touring pros, they'll get to play from the gold tees while others, like defending champs Mike Weir and Dean Wilson, will go to the tips. Now, that should prove interesting today. "When we found that out, we looked at each other and said: 'OK, this will be fun, a whole lotta fun,' " Wilson said.

Both get hit up by amateurs on how to hit the ball longer. If they're serious, they believe they can help. If they're lazy and want a quick fix, they can throw some advice their way.