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Longest Drive question

Kenomikes

Kenomikes

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Settle a bet for me with my friend in a long drive hole yesterday that I won.

I was in the fairway and won a free fishing charter trip off Cape Cod so this question doesn't matter but what would happen if I had rolled another 2 yards straight ahead and caught that rough?

long drive.png9th_Hole_Golfer_a.jpg


First pic is my actual result with the long drive stake placed and second pic is a view of the hole towards the green (old stock photo).

My thought would be if I'm straight between the fairway lines but farther it still would be good but my friend says no. Makes no sense to me if your straight and farther (whether it catches that rough or even rolls into that front bunker but still it's between the fairway lines) it's a loser.

What do you say?
 
Every tournament I have been in required that the long drive be in the fairway, no exceptions. And it had to be that holes fairway, not another fairway.
 
If it's in the rough, it doesn't count. That's how it's been for every tournament I've played.
 
Fairway or no win. I've been well beyond the long drive winner on several occasions but didn't win because I was in the first cut, the bunker or the rough. It has to be in the fairway.
 
Whenever we have done a longest drive competition, it has to be on the fairway, no exceptions - I could have won a longest drive at one of our previous gatherings as I was past the marker, but literally less than 1yd off the fairway

If the ball is in a bunker or rough it doesn't count, even if there is a small section of rough that sticks out into the fairway - tough but it makes the rules clear and simple for everyone
 
It's very simple, in the fairway or it doesn't count.
 
Yup like everyone has said, fairway is the win. Situations like this are what cause additional rules to be added and read out loud at the next event...
 
I'm in the same boat as everyone else with "fairway or doesn't count". By going farther where the fairway starts to get narrower, you begin to risk accuracy for a return of more distance.

My dad's country club has a hole like that for their member guest each summer the long drive contest is on. Once you get to about 300-310 it starts to turn right and get narrow. Usually a long lefty wins that hole since he can draw it in.
 
For those of you saying fairway only. What if he put it on the green? I would assume that's a winner right? From the pictures it looks like a odd hole of long drive because its short.

Congrats on the win!
 
Schanker said:
For those of you saying fairway only. What if he put it on the green? I would assume that's a winner right? From the pictures it looks like a odd hole of long drive because its short.

Congrats on the win!
Click to expand...

If I were to "win" because it was in the fairway, but he drove the hole and it was on the dance floor, I would hand him the prize and congratulate him.
 
NullNomad said:
If I were to "win" because it was in the fairway, but he drove the hole and it was on the dance floor, I would hand him the prize and congratulate him.
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This!!
 
BlueHen2006 said:
I'm in the same boat as everyone else with "fairway or doesn't count". By going farther where the fairway starts to get narrower, you begin to risk accuracy for a return of more distance.

My dad's country club has a hole like that for their member guest each summer the long drive contest is on. Once you get to about 300-310 it starts to turn right and get narrow. Usually a long lefty wins that hole since he can draw it in.
Click to expand...

LOL. I'm a lefty and drew it in!

Thanks everyone looks like I lose the bet but still it's a nice fishing charter trip that I can't wait to go on next week with my brother in law.
 
Must be in the fairway or on the green (better be a par 5 or long par 4 with no stop in the fairway). If I drove it through the fairway (like this instance seems close to), I'd be one pissed off golfer with that prize on the line.
 
Fairway (or green) Only. That has ALWAYS been the standard.
 
Seems like a poor setup by the tournament committee that picked a hole where the rough crosses the end of the fairway. I would’ve recommended they find a different hole that has at least 400 yards of fairway to work with. (Might not be possible though)

Either way, no fairway, no prize.


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Schanker said:
For those of you saying fairway only. What if he put it on the green? I would assume that's a winner right? From the pictures it looks like a odd hole of long drive because its short.

Congrats on the win!
Click to expand...

To the OP, it's gotta be in the fairway. That said it helps to be in the last group. 20 years ago I played in one where the prize was season tickets to the Cleveland Indians. I absolutely smoked the drive and it was miles beyond the previous best and we were one of the last groups to go.

Fast forward to the awards banquet and they get to the guy announcing it. I stand up to walk forward and claim my prize when I hear a different name. What?? Some very small older fella goes up and claims the prize. What??? I sat there and didn't eat much of the dinner since I was now confused and upset. No way did he hit one further than that, no way!

So as were all leaving I approach him. The words still ring in my ears to this day. When I asked him how exactly he beat the drive I hit he said "son, it don't matter how far you hit it, it matters when you hit it". Lol. That was the last time I ever took anything like that even remotely seriously. I can't control others honesty and even though I'd have loved those tickets, I didn't sell my soul to get them.

Edit: Forgot to add, and why I quoted, I'd consider green as part of it. I was on it with that drive. He just went deeper on the green. Allegedly.
 
Drumdog said:
Every tournament I have been in required that the long drive be in the fairway, no exceptions. And it had to be that holes fairway, not another fairway.
Click to expand...

Yeah, me, too. Unfortunately, this is one we can't answer as it's dependent on the specific tournament you were playing, but past experience tells me it probably had to be in the fairway.
 
captaincaution said:
The last group has the advantage. Honest or not.
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I can see that now. I read it too fast the first time and thought he said he was the last group. Was thinking that maybe they picked up the card early, but couldn't decide how that wouldn't raise a flag when there was no long drive card in the middle of the fairway. No worries...
 
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