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Golf has always reserved a special place for the biggest hits off the tee. When a player cracks one forward, he can drop jaws with a single, show-stopping swing.
From PGA Tour metrics measured with pinpoint accuracy to the extreme showcase of power on display at professional long drive competitions, we’ve recounted the top ten longest golf drives ever recorded in the sport of golf below.
10. Justin Thomas – 457 yards (2019)
Kentucky native Justin Thomas unleashed this thunderbolt of the tee when sizing up the 10th hole at the Club de Golf Chapultepec during the WGC-Mexico Championship back in 2019.
In the high altitudes of Mexico City, the air can thin dramatically, which in turn reduces drag and boosts the golf ball’s carry distance. That coupled with Thomas’s explosive swing allowed the American to take advantage of ideal conditions, turning a longish par-4 into a short approach with one 457-yard drive.
9. Luke List – 459 yards (2023)
Seattle-born List added his name to the annals and the Kapalua record books on the 7th hole during the 2023 Sentry in sunny Hawaii. The Plantation Course’s towering trees, downhill slopes and gusty ocean breezes create one of the most distance-friendly venues on the entire PGA Tour.
List’s fluid swipe carried the ball an enormous distance in perfect scoring conditions, to the amazement of onlookers in Maui. List tied for a modest 11th with -20 in the tour overall, but managed to leave the island with a memorable moment nonetheless.
8. Dustin Johnson – 463 yards (2011)
South Carolina-born Johnson’s effortless power was on full display at the 7th hole at the TPC Boston during the 2011 edition of the Deutsche Bank Championship. One of the top long drivers of his era, DJ routinely tops the driving distance charts and his shot was another perfect example of his prowess.
The hole in question measures 600 yards, but Johnson put the ball to within less than 150 yards of the target with his epic approach effort.
7. Charley Hoffman – 467 yards (2009)
Talk about an introduction. Hoffman clattered this impressive drive when lining up the opening hole at La Cantera Resort during the Valero Texas Open in 2009. The hilly, wind-exposed landscape at the course in San Antonio has a knack for rewarding big hitters and Hoffman’s launch gave him a huge advantage from the tee.
The journeyman’s ability to achieve such a length on the first hole of his third round made his drive all the more special. Hoffman went on to tie for 9th position at the tournament with an overall score of -12.
6. Jeff Sluman – 473 yards (2003)
Next, we head to the desert conditions of La Quinta, California for a drive that topped 470+ yards. Step forward Jeff Sluman, who produced this beast at the PGA West (Palmer Course) during the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in 2003.
The former PGA Champion’s power was often underrated, and on this occasion Sluman wowed, slamming the ball down the course with venom.
5. Davis Love III – 476 yards (2004)
Back we go to sun-soaked Hawaii and Kapalua, winding the clocks back to 2004 this time. Love III was one of the biggest hitters in terms of distance during this era and he proved as much at the 18th hole during the Mercedes Championship.
The Plantation Course’s aforementioned sea gusts and firm fairways have long been the perfect recipe for lengthy drives and this particular strike from Davis Love III was one of the longest recorded at any PGA Tour event.
4. Dustin Johnson – 489 yards (2018)
Unsurprisingly, Dustin Johnson was back for more in 2019 and the established long-distance specialist smashed a 489-yard behemoth down the fairways in the 2018 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club in Texas.
Unfortunately, this one wasn’t televised, which is a real shame, however, Johnson’s incredible drive was still officially recorded, allowing him to claim a second spot on the list of longest hits. Johnson remains a favourite with punters on golf betting sites in the longest drive markets, and for good reason.
3. Tiger Woods – 498 (2002)
Kapalua is calling again and two years before David Love III went for 476 yards at the 18th, Tiger Woods set a higher bar, remarkably at the same hole on the same course and at the same tournament.
In his prime, Woods’s all-round game was unmatched, though his ability to drive the ball long distances was sometimes overlooked as a result. His drive in Hawaii remains the longest golf drives of its kind in the PGA Tour in the last 40+ years.
2. Mike Austin – 515 yards (1974)
Still to this day the Guinness World Record for the longest drive in a competitive golf event, Austin achieved this astonishing distance at the age of 64 during the US Senior National Open Qualifier in Las Vegas.
He made the record-setting connection with his trusty persimmon wood driver, catching a tailwind to leap over a canyon, sending the balata ball over 500 yards into the distance. How he managed to do that with 1970s equipment remains equal parts mysterious and legendary.
1. Carl Cooper – 787 yards (1992)
We’ve reached the pinnacle of long drives, with top spot reserved for Carl Cooper. His insanely long drive at the 1992 Texas Open remains the longest drive ever recorded on a golf course, though its backstory has its quirks.
At the par four 3rd hole, Cooper leathered the ball away, which landed on a concrete path that was angled steeply downhill. Here, the ball took on new energy when connecting with the surface and continued to bounce down with extra vim. By the time it came to rest, it had travelled an unprecedented 787 yards.
