Golf long drive competition to feature 5-time world champion

HARVEST – Golfers, listen up. A special long drive competition is scheduled for Friday, May 15 at Rocket City Dragway in Harvest. According to the event host, “The whole idea is to bring your driver and bring it to life.”

The first of its kind at the famed dragway just off Highway 53 on Quarter Mountain Road in Harvest, will be hosted by five-time long drive world champion Phillis Meti who holds a record drive of 414 yards. The native of New Zealand has won the Volvik World Long Drive Championship title in 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022 and 2024. She holds the female world record for the longest drive in women’s competition with distances of 406 yards in 2017 and 408 and 414 yards in 2019.

“Tempo and timing, as the ultimate goal is to get your hands through the ball as fast as possible,” said Meti, of her secret to hitting the long ball. “The use of the hips and legs are important, but hips without hands has no affect. In my coaching, I look at the hands first, then the arms, shoulders and then the hips.”

The day-long competition will be held for both men and women of all ages and feature advancing to different rounds. The pounding of the golf balls, which the event will provide, will begin at 6:00 a.m. and last until the last round is completed later in the day. Those wanting to participate can come at any time, post their distance and then arrive back later in the day if they have advanced in the competition. Those with a work or school schedule can drop by at any time.

Entry fee is $125 as the event is to help raise funds to build and operate a new clinic at Cavalry Hill in the Northwoods Community, Huntsville’s largest public housing community. The HAPPI Health clinic will bring primary care, behavioral health, social services, same-day visits and walk-in access closer to residents who often face transportation, scheduling and access barriers when seeking care.

“This is bigger than a golf ball going far. This is about how far we are willing to go to make sure families have access to care. Northwoods deserves healthcare that is close, consistent and compassionate, and this clinic helps us deliver exactly that,” said Michelda Johnson, CEO of HAPPI Health. “The longest drive gives our community a fun, powerful way to be part of building something that will have lasting impact.”

In all, HAPPI Health serves more than 13,000 patients across its clinics in North Alabama.

“This will be a charity event that is fun and competitive and a good chance where you can challenge a friend to a long drive contest, have fun and have a laugh,” said Meti, 38, who took the World Long Drive Championship in 2019 with her record setting 414-yard pop, where the runner-up was at 330 yards. “I met Michelda years ago and we have stayed in touch and it was she who suggested this long drive competition to raise funds for the clinic. The cool thing with long drive is the fact it’s in this community and it’s been my kind of responsibility to carry the flag of long drive, and to help HAPPI Health. This means something to me.”

Now based in nearby Atlanta, Meti played on the LPGA Tour 2009-2019 and joined the Long Drive Tour in 2017 and last year placed fifth in the world after being the defending champion for 2024. She has continued her work with long drive events after the passing of both her father and grandmother in a 14-month span.

At the Rocket City Dragway event, Meti may be delivering a free clinic on driving the ball and will be putting on a demonstration of her long drive talents she partially attributes to being 5-foot-11 and having a wingspan of 6-foot-5. That swing arc helps propel the hands through the ball. “After all, the club is held in the hands and getting those arms up to speed is where the real key is located,” added Meti. “The fun will be watching people hit under pressure.”

Participants will compete in scheduled agebased heats with each golfer receiving five longdrive attempts measured in real time. The competition will conclude with an awards presentation and reception recognizing top competitors and celebrating the sponsors and community partners helping make the clinic possible. HAPPI Health is a non-profit federally qualified community health center.

“Bring your driver and bring it to life as, after all, driving is the most exciting part of the game of golf,” said Meti.