Army MWR rolls out red carpet for Military Long Drive competitors 091030
PHOTO CAPTION: Two-time Military Long Drive Champion Ryan Hixson, a U.S. Coast Guard ensign, practices Oct. 26 on the driving range at The Palms Golf Course in Mesquite, Nev. He successfully defended his crown against 20 other military golfers on Oct. 28. (Photo by Tim Hipps, FMWRC Public Affairs.)
Army MWR rolls out red carpet for Military Long Drive competitors 091030
By Tim Hipps
FMWRC Public Affairs
MESQUITE, Nev. – The Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation Command rolled out the red carpet for 21 servicemen in the 2009 Military Long Drive Championship presented by 7UP, scheduled for Oct. 28 at the Mesquite Sports and Event Complex.
Nobody knows more about the first-class treatment provided here than three-time Military Long Drive champion Ryan Hixson, an ensign in the United States Coast Guard.
Hixson has enjoyed three all-expenses-paid visits to the desert oasis golf and casino resort town, where he collected a complimentary travel bag, shoes, shirts, hats, sunglasses and dozens of golf balls, among other goodies. He played in numerous pro-am tournaments on a few of the more picturesque courses in America. He also earned $30,000 in prize money and three exemptions into the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.
“It’s just a phenomenal trip, more than I would ever expect,” said Hixson, 27, who is stationed at Pensacola, Fla. “I have a lot of buddies who compete in the open division. I tell them some of the things that Dr. Pepper/Snapple Group and MWR have done for me on these trips and they don’t want to hear very much because we get the royal treatment and they don’t. And it’s gotten better each year.”
The royal treatment exemplifies the goal of the Army Family Covenant, which promises to provide Soldiers with opportunities commensurate to those they pledged to defend.
Three-time Military Long Drive finalist Air Force Reserve Staff Sgt. Carl Taylor qualified this year with a 357-yard drive at Fort Campbell, Ky.
“We get the red carpet rolled out for us and get treated like kings every year we come out here,” Taylor said. “I tell everybody that qualifies to come out here just to qualify and you’ve won. Ten thousand dollars is great, but just getting here is just an unbelievable experience. Sponsors take care of us.
Dr. Pepper, 7UP, Army MWR, Long Drivers of America – everybody just treats us like kings out here. It’s awesome.”
Retired Army Sgt. 1st Class John Merritt, who qualified with a 364-yard drive at Fort Belvoir, Va., finished third in the inaugural Military Long Drive Championship in 2007. He returned this year determined to make amends.
“The first year I was basically coming out of a unit that had just come back from deployment to the desert,” Merritt said. “So having that kind of red-carpet treatment was great. I hadn’t seen that kind of hospitality since I left Savannah. I’ve been looking forward to this since I left here in ’07. I thought I was done because then it was only for active duty.”
In the 2007 finals, Merritt got knocked from second to third place by Army Staff Sgt. Bryan King’s final drive.
“I’m here to have fun,” Merritt said. “My parents are going to be here. … I just love the way MWR takes care of me.”
Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class Scott Damon qualified with a 347-yard drive at Fort Dix, N.J. He’s made five attempts at earning a trip to Mesquite in the open and military division.
“This place is incredible,” Damon said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In more than one way these guys are awesome to us.”
Utah Army National Guard Capt. Jeremy Williams had this year’s longest qualifying drive of 418 yards at the high altitude of Cheyenne Shadows Golf Course on Fort Carson, Colo. He also was a finalist in 2007 at Mesquite.
“That was an unbelievable experience and I’ve spent the last two years just trying to get back to have that experience again,” said Williams, a scratch golfer who also attempted to qualify this year at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif. “I played a little college golf at Southern Utah University and I’ve been playing since I was 11.
This is by far the coolest golf experience I’ve ever had in my life.”
Army Reserve Pfc. Nate Chadwick qualified with a 333-yard drive at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He has competed twice in the open division at Mesquite.
“My past experiences here have been absolutely phenomenal,” Chadwick said. “I tried qualifying for the big boys this year but just couldn’t cut it. I kind of stumbled upon the August 15 date at Fort Leonard Wood and I left at midnight the night before and drove about 6 1/2 hours from Milwaukee.
“The open division competitors are just awesome guys. It’s a very tight-knit group, but it doesn’t compare to the sacrifice that Soldiers make. Some of us unfortunately have to pay the ultimate sacrifice, so there’s just nothing that compares to that.”
Air Force Tech Sgt. Jeffrey Johnston qualified at Fort Huachuca, Ariz., with a drive of 350 yards. He realized that long-drive competition might be a good idea on Jan. 22 when he made a hole-in-one on the 378-yard No. 16 at Forest Ridge Golf Club in Broken Arrow, Okla.
“I had some witnesses even, so it was a good day,” Johnston said. “I had another (hole-in-one) on a 200-yard par 3 a few years ago, so that was my second one, but my most memorable, by far.”
Army Staff Sgt. Jake Taylor, who qualified with a 339-yard drive at Fort Bragg, N.C., crashed his motorcycle and suffered road rash and a concussion three days before reporting to Mesquite.
“My entire hip is black and blue,” said Taylor, 25. “I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to come, absolutely, but this has been a dream of mine since I was 15. I started out playing baseball, and on my eighth-grade golf team I was hitting it 320-330.”
He continued driving the ball deep for Davie High School in North Carolina.
“Nobody liked being in the group in front of me because I’d hit into them,” Jake Taylor said with a grin. “Then I joined the military, got away from the golf thing, and I’ve just been working ever since between deployments trying to get things done on that side of the house.”
He since deployed to Iraq once and Afghanistan twice, but says nothing compares with Mesquite.
“This is surreal,” Jake Taylor said. “It’s like a dream come true just seeing the big names here. It’s incredible.”
At least he was not dodging bullets or improvised explosive devices in Nevada.
“Nope, only if I put some bombs out there,” Jake Taylor replied with a smile. He then walked out of the registration tent and got his first glance at the grid on which he later competed.
“Incredible,” he said. “I’m used to watching this on ESPN, and now I’m going to be doing it.”
Army Sgt. Kelsey Steiner came all the way from Camp Zama, Japan, with bigger plans than anyone in the competition.
“There’s really no pressure on me,” he said. “I’m coming here to have fun. I’m getting married on Thursday at Elvis Chapel in Las Vegas. That’s where it’s at, right there.”
Steiner had plenty of fun before heading to the chapel.
“For everybody who likes to hit the ball far, this is it,” he said. “I love hitting the ball hard.”
Connect with us:
www.Facebook.com/FamilyMWR
www.Twitter.com/FamilyMWR
www.YouTube.com/FamilyMWR
ks 110107
Posted by familymwr on 2011-01-07 21:23:21
Tagged: , Two , Time , Military , Long , Drive , Champion , Ryan , Hixson , U.S. , Coast , Guard , Driving , Range , The , Palms , Golf , Course , Mesquite , Nevada , Defended , Crown , Golfers , FMWRC , MWR , FMWR , Army , Family , Morale , Welfare , Recreation , Command
Advertise your bike business at Bikes n Customs
#bikesncustoms
