World Long Drive Champion Gives Golf Clinics for Amari Pattaya & Hua Hin Amateur Golf Weeks

Hua Hin, Thailand, 25 February 2015 — The Amari Pattaya and Amari Hua Hin Golf weeks held in two beach side resorts of Thailand have been an overwhelming success with a sellout in Pattaya, and close to record numbers in Hua Hin this 2016 season. An added bonus for players attending this year is the inclusion of an exhibition by the 2013 World Long Driver Champion, Stephen Kennedy from Australia. Stephen has been competing in the REMAX WORLD LONG DRIVER SERIES for a number of years now and in 2013 finally cracked the big one (so to speak) by winning the seniors division with a might drive of 369 yards off his last ball of the tournament. When speaking to Stephen about Thailand, he says, ”I have travelled the world to play golf and do Long Drive Clinics, but never in Thailand, so when the opportunity arose I jumped at the opportunity to come. I’m looking forward to conducting a few clinics and sharing my secrets for hitting the long ball; hitting a few over the driving ranges’ back fences and cracking a few drives onto the par 4s in Thailand.” Stephens average swing speed is 217km/h, rocketing the ball at 321km/h which gives him distances of between 370-430 yards depending on conditions of the day. To put those sorts of numbers into perspective, the fastest club head speed so far on the PGA Tour in the 2016 season has been 207 km/h, and Bubba Watson’s best this year has been recorded at 194 Km/h. As for that question about “how far can you hit a driver?” – the best Stephen has recorded in competition is 425 yards( 387metres). Admittedly, Stephen says with a wide smile “that hit was with a long-drive driver, which are allowed longer shafts for greater club-head speed than standard clubs, but my best-ever drive was a 424m cannon during a pennant trial – with regulation equipment” (maybe downwind I think !!) Not just “A Happy Gilmore” Stephen can also putt, and plays from a tidy 2 handicap at his home club, so not only does he knock it past you 150 yards, he beats you into the hole as well. The golf courses being played in both Amari Golf Weeks include Siam Old Course which is hosting the LPGA the week prior, and Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin which is hosting their European tour event in early March. To get full details of the great tournaments that are being held throughout Asia during 2016, please see asiagolfweek.com.