Email from Art / Callaway long drive XHot Driver

[Jacoby]

It looks like Adams is no longer associated with the LDA. I read Art's email and I am really curious about the new Callaway LDA XHot driver. If I remember correctly there was a long driver who was sponsored by Callaway. Was it David Mobley?

 

Anyway, here is the email for those who did not get receive it (the note about the Callaway XHot is at the bottom).

 

Dear Long Drive Competitors and Fans,

 

Welcome to 2013, a year that promises to be a turning point in the history of LDA, the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship and the sport of long drive.

 

Our new partnership with Golf Channel/NBC Sports, which calls for three "Road to RE/MAX" taped installments next October and a live telecast of the 2013 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship finals on October 30th, promises to create unprecedented exposure for power golf and the players that produce that power. Millions of golf fans around the world that have never been exposed to this great event are in for a wonderful show.

 

LDA has made a significant financial commitment to this new broadcast partnership. In keeping with this huge outlay, we have decided to concentrate our efforts in 2013 exclusively on making the RE/MAX world finals the most memorable, widely followed spectacle our sport has ever seen. After all it will be the first live finals show and will be back under the lights where it all began.

 

From coordinating RE/MAX local and regional qualifying here and abroad, to securing additional sponsorships we definitely have our work cut out for us. Couple this with conducting several Open division round brackets and championships for six other divisions in late September in Mesquite along with our Live Finale a month later, LDA staff will focus solely on these tasks.

 

Beginning with the Desert Launch in Mesquite March 1-3 and running right through the final swing of the final hitter on October 30th, LDA's activities will fall under the banner, "All RE/MAX, All the Time."

 

By necessity, therefore, LDA has made the following decisions:

 

1. We will not sanction Tour events in 2013, nor stage an LDA Tour Championship;

2. We will suspend our LDA membership program in 2013.

 

As to point one, the immediate effect on RE/MAX WLDC qualifying is that exemptions to the finals that in years past were secured at LDA Tour stops will be reallocated as spots available at regional qualifiers. As to point two, the cessation of our LDA membership program means that member discounts will no longer apply to local or regional qualifying entry fees; everyone will pay the same amount. However, we will honor those LDA members that have already paid for 2013 and honor the discounts they have coming to them.

 

I hasten to add that we deeply appreciate the outstanding efforts of Bart Hartsell, Derek Hines, Dave Zajac Sr., Jeff Farley, Tom Roskos and others who in recent years have hosted and staged LDA Tour events. Even without a formal LDA Tour per se, many long drive tournaments will dot the 2013 calendar, providing platforms for both seasoned and aspiring power golfers to gear up for the 2013 RE/MAX WLDC. We wish all these individuals and their tournaments well.

 

In the next few weeks, LDA will release detailed information pertaining to the 2013 RE/MAX WLDC qualifying, entry processes, rules, & purse payouts. LDA has met numerous times with Golf Channel Executive Producers over the past several months and will continue to work close with them to produce the best possible and compelling shows. Their input on formats and show content is highly valuable.

 

Again, 2013 RE/MAX qualifying for both the Open Division and Senior Division (45+) begins with the Desert Launch in Mesquite on March 1st. Registration for buy-in divisions (Super Seniors, Grand Champions, Legends, Masters and Ladies) will be open later this spring.

 

For now, I'll leave you with this exciting news: Callaway Golf has signed a multi-year sponsorship package to become the official golf club manufacturer for the 2013 RE/MAX WLDC and LDA. LDA is honored to be associated with such a prestigious global golf brand and we welcome Callaway on board. The creation of the new XHOT LDA driver and Callaway's impressive marketing promise to make a major impact on the long drive scene in the months ahead.

 

See you on the tee,

Art Sellinger

CEO/Owner

Long Drivers of America

[ProjectX]

Long time LDA champion Vince Howell told me a long time ago when Callaway released the FT-5 that he thought if Callaway released lower lofted heads for Long Drivers they would win all the events. It seems this vision has now become a reality.

[Diezal]

Hey there, Joe Miller the 2010 World Champion from England is associated with Callaway.

[Jacoby]

[quote name='Diezal' timestamp='1357876272' post='6207837']
Hey there, Joe Miller the 2010 World Champion from England is associated with Callaway.
[/quote] I remember him winning with Krank. Did Callaway every try to make him an LD head? From what I have seen, Krank is a dominant LD head.

sidenote: Anybody else besides me want to see a Callaway Long Drive team like the old Cobra Long Drive team?

[Diezal]

He did win with a Krank head, which has dominated since about 2010 I think (at least the last 3 years of champions have hit Krank)... I suspect it's because Callaway didn't (yet) make a long drive head/ club... http://joemillerldc.com/joe-powers-through-with-callaway/

I wouldn't mind seeing a Callaway team, nor mind being part of it depending on the head they introduce

[VinceRKG]

Joe did hit Krank for two years and just missed finals when Wolter won.....taking 1st 2010, 4th 2011 and when he swtiched to Cally took 12th. He switched right after 2011 worlds. He used the RAZR i believe but only had 5 heads.

[QuigleyDU]

So is Art Jaimes manager or something? those two are tied very tight at the hip.

[hound25]

[quote name='creeder06' timestamp='1363048359' post='6593039']
So is Art Jaimes manager or something? those two are tied very tight at the hip.
[/quote]

Yes he is and it creates some nice controversy amongst long drivers.

[QuigleyDU]

i bet, I went to my first local last year. I didnt do well and hope to do better this year. but I could see that it could how that could be a little bit of an issue.

[VinceRKG]

Yes big controversey about the Art and Jaime Duo..but also with Art and how tight he gets with the club sponsors as well.....

[QuigleyDU]

Interesting.