Golf enthusiasts who love the feeling of crushing their drives can take it even further as Amateur Long Drive (ALD) Canada launches a Championship Series across Canada, starting March 2019.
“Long drive is to golf what the Home Run Derby is to baseball, and what the NBA Slam Dunk Contest is to basketball,” says Fareen Samji, ALD Canada Tour Commissioner. “It’s fun to participate in and exciting to watch!” Samji brings a wealth of experience to this sport. She is a five-time Canadian Women’s Long Drive champion, and in 2018 was named coach and manager of the ILDC Canadian Long Drive Team. “Long drive has gained popularity on the Golf Channel and the time is right for amateur golfers to have the chance to compete,” she says.
The ALD Canadian Championship Series is an opportunity for amateur golfers to have fun and swing harder—and faster—than ever before. Fueled by music and cheering from the crowds, competitors can unlock their true distance potential. With ALD Canada, the barrier to entry is reduced, as the only equipment needed is a driver and participants are not required to be members of a golf course to join the Championship Series.
Each ALD Canadian Championship Series event is led by a golf teaching professional or a long drive professional. Divisions are available for male and females from Youth (under 13) to Super Senior (60+). Participants first become a member of ALD Canada by purchasing a tour card. They can then compete in events in Alberta and Ontario, with more provinces to follow in 2020. ALD Canada competitors are also eligible to earn world-ranking points to qualify for the ALD World Championship in Myrtle Beach, Florida on August 16, 2019.
For more information, or to participate in the ALD Canadian Championship Series, visit Canada.AmateurLongDrive.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/AmateurLongDriveCanada/
Twitter – @ALDCanada
Instagram – @amateurlongdrivecanada
About Amateur Long Drive (ALD) Canada
ALD Canada events are fun, adrenaline-charged events. ALD Canada offers competitors a chance to show off their long drives, learn more about how to hit the ball further and increase their confidence off the tee. Long drive events are accessible to both golfers and non-golfers because you only need a driver to compete. The ALD Canada Series events are open to anyone, from Youth (under 13) to Super Senior (60+), and the minimum qualifying distance starts at just 175 yards. However, it’s not just about how far you can hit it; the ball also has to finish in the grid. Participants have two minutes to hit golf balls into a grid that’s about a fairway wide.
ALD Series Events will be held in Alberta and Ontario with more provinces to follow. Alberta Events are led by Series Director, Dan “Smackintosh” McIntosh and his team of professional long drivers. Ontario Events in the GTA are led by Fareen Samji and in the Collingwood/Orangeville area by Jacob French, a golf teaching professional. ALD Canada will also be launching an Adaptive Division in Ontario led by Todd Keirstead, a world leader in promoting and empowering individuals of all abilities to play golf.
For more information on how to compete, visit canada.AmateurLongDrive.com.
About Fareen Samji
Fareen “Far” Samji
Fareen “Far” Samji is a five-time ILDC Canadian Women’s Long Drive champion, with a personal best of 334 yards. Samji is a passionate advocate for the sport and in 2018 was named coach and manager of the ILDC Canadian Long Drive Team. She is excited to create an opportunity for amateurs to develop their long drive skills, as this wasn’t the case when Samji competed. A former professional golfer, Samji played for four years on the mini tours. She is also an entrepreneur and author of Smashing the Grass Ceiling: A Women’s Guide to Mastering Golf for Business Success (2017). Born in Mombasa, Kenya, Samji came to Canada at the age of 14 and has degrees in Psychology and Kinesiology from McMaster University.
