CEDARS AT DUNGENESS food and beverage manager Matt Eveland, 30, has qualified for the 2013 RE/MAX Long Drive Championship, set for Sept. 18-27 in Mesquite, Nev.
Eveland, a solid 6’4, 220-pound, six-handicap golfer who routinely breaks the 300-yard mark on his tee shots, was spotted at the Detlef Schrempf Celebrity Golf Classic at Port Orchard’s McCormick Woods Golf Course in late June.
Kevin Osborn, the organizer of the local qualifiers and regional Long Drive championships saw him hitting and told him he should show up for a July 6 qualifier at High Cedars Golf Course in Orting.
Eveland topped two others at the qualifier, hitting a 331-yard drive into a headwind and advanced to the Regional Championship, also at High Cedars, last Saturday.
He advanced through head-to-head matchups in a bracket format where contestants each had two minutes, 45 seconds to hit six drives.
All contestants at every level of the competition use Top Flite XL golf balls.
Eveland managed a long of 340 yards in the final bracket to advanced to the regional final where he competed against six others for four spots in Mesquite.
Winds shifted back in the faces of contestants, and Eveland hit his first couple of attempts out of bounds (the contest uses a 50-yard wide grid that starts at 300 yards out) before a competitor hit 345 and Eveland again notched 340, good enough for second overall and the chance to compete in Nevada.
He also had a 372-yarder, but that didn’t come down in bounds.
A total of 34 golfers competed at the regional final from Washington, Oregon, Idaho and California, along with a couple of players from Canada.
The kicker in this is Eveland’s relative inexperience in the event, having had barely a month to practice a swing that while related, really isn’t a golf swing.
Long-drive competitors have to generate as much swing speed as possible with the aim of swinging faster, but not necessarily harder.
Eveland said his swing speed on his normal drives is usually about 115 to 120 miles per hour, but to hit the specially-equipped long-drive drivers properly, golfers need to reach about 145 miles per hour.
He was able to talk with other contestants and get some tips that may pay off in the Silver State.
“A lot of these guys have been competing for a long time and many are sponsored by different companies like Krank, and they gave me some advice to get the proper equipment that can give me 15-25 more yards.”
There’s a whole long drive cottage industry, with brands like Krank and Geek Golf, and shaft makers like House of Forged, crafting drivers created with speed and, ultimately, distance in mind.
Eveland used a 7.5-degree, Triple XXX shaft Geek Golf No Brainer driver at the regional finals.
He is considering a switch to a Krank Rage driver, with a House of Forged Triple-XXXtra stiff shaft and five degrees of loft.
In Mesquite, Eveland will compete against more than 180 other golfers for eight spots in the Open Division Final at Las Vegas Speedway on Oct. 30.
A special teeing area will be placed in the speedway grandstands about 40 feet above the track’s grass infield, which will serve as the 50-yard wide fairway.
The Finals will be aired live from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, on Golf Channel with a winner-take-all prize of $250,000.
The Mesquite portion will account for three of the four shows chronicling the competitors’ drive to the championship that will air on Golf Channel in October, during what the channel is calling “Long Drive Month.”
Competition, equipment and travel fees are not covered and are all Eveland’s responsibility.
Eveland has one sponsor, James Alcaraz with Torres Realty, but is in search of more supporters.
He can be reached at 360-674-8104.
“I’d also like to thank 7 Cedars Casino and Cedars at Dungeness for their support,” Eveland said.
PT events on tap
Coming up next at Port Townsend Golf Course is the two-day Men’s Club Championship on Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 10-11.
Tee times start at 8 a.m. each day, and cost is $50 per player.
Low gross and low net winners receive a year’s worth of bragging rights and a personalized parking spots right in front of the clubhouse.
This tournament is open to all men’s club members.
Port Townsend also will host the Lynda Constantine Memorial ninth annual Relay for Life Golf Tournament on Saturday, Aug. 24.
The event is presented by Pacific Environmental Services Co. and the Hilltop Tavern.
A four-person, 18-hole scramble, the event will have a 9 a.m. shotgun start.
Tournament fees are $45 per player, plus $12 green fees for nonmembers.
Fee includes golf, prizes, KPs, LPs and lunch.
A special raffle will follow play.
Tournament sponsorships of greens and tees are also available for $125.
Sponsor two or more spots for $200, and participating sponsor spots are available for $300 (four-player entry and name on tee/green).
Phone Port Townsend Golf Course at 360-385-4547 for the full scoop.
Daisy and Duke tourney
SkyRidge also will host the second annual Daisy and Duke Golf Scramble, a four-person event that will benefit Chapter EP of Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO) on Sunday, Sept. 8.
The ladies in this organization advocate for the education and advancement of women through grants, scholarships and awards.
Entry for the tourney is $65 per player, with cart, green fees, lunch and snacks, such as muffins and chocolate chip cookies.
“Daisy and Duke” attire is optional, but each team must have at least one female golfer.
Registration will start at 10:30 a.m., with lunch from 11 a.m. to 11:45 a.m., a putting contest with honey pot at noon and a 1 p.m. shotgun start.
Awards for golf and best costume will be presented following the tournament in the SkyRidge clubhouse.
For more information, phone Lucille Blydenstein at 360-582-3136, or SkyRidge at 360-683-3673.
Dove House benefit
Last year’s Dove House Bluebill Golf Benefit was such a success that organizers will host the second installment at Port Ludlow Golf Club on Saturday, Sept. 7.
Proceeds from the event benefit Dove House Advocacy Services, a Port Townsend-based provider of crisis intervention, emergency food and shelter, medical advocacy, legal advocacy, individual support and counseling support groups and therapy for child and adult victims. Dove House also maintains a 24-hour crisis line at 360-385-5291.
Organizers of the event are the Boeing Bluebills, a Boeing-supported group of Boeing retirees and other volunteers who work with local agencies and schools to improve the lives of people in our communities.
Cost is $90 for the public and $45 for Port Ludlow members.
Players will receive use of a golf cart, box lunch, raffle opportunities and awards ceremony with hor d’oeuvres.
Registration is due by Thursday, Aug. 15.
For more information, phone Michael Graham at 360-437-5052 or Port Ludlow golf course at 800-455-0272.
Viva Las Vegas events
The SunLand Women’s Golf Association is set to host Viva Las Vegas-themed events on Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16-17.
A nine-hole “Best Poker Hand” scramble will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, followed by casino games, food and a no-host bar at 4 p.m.
A continental breakfast will kick things off at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, followed by an 18-hole two-woman better ball competition.
This round includes tee prizes, raffle prizes and low gross and net prizes that will be awarded during a luncheon following play in the SunLand ballroom.
Participants are encouraged to wear attire that carries out the Viva Las Vegas theme (such as an Elvis jumpsuit).
Prizes will be awarded for the best theme attire.
Practice balls will be provided both days at the SunLand driving range.
Handicap numbers are required and ladies need a partner.
The cost to play Friday and Saturday is $90 per person.
Golf on Saturday only is $75 per person.
Golf cart rentals are available for $15 per seat for 18 holes, and $7.50 per seat for Friday’s nine-hole event.
The entry deadline is Aug. 9.
For information or a registration form, call the SunLand Pro Shop 360-683-6800, ext. 13, and ask to have Cheryl Coulter or Carol Goodman return your call.
Park grand slam?
This weekend, Inbee Park will attempt to become the first golfer ever to win all four professional golf titles in the same season when she tees off in the Women’s Open at St. Andrews in Scotland.
Jack, Tiger, Hogan . . . nope, nobody has done it in the same year.
Watch her try on ESPN2 at 6 a.m. Thursday and Friday, and 7 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-417-3527 or pdngolf@gmail.com.