A Drumheller golfer known for his power is taking it to the next level and will be representing Canada at the Ultimate Long Drive competition in Florida.
Rob Thomas lives in Rosedale and is an avid golfer. Last month on a spur-of-the-moment decision, competed at the Canadian Long Drive Championships in September. He qualified with a drive of 289 yards.
“It was just a whim. I was in Calgary one night working on the range, pounding balls. I just sort of got lucky or fluky and happened to win,” he said.
“When I went to the Canadians, there were competitors from Ontario, Quebec and Alberta, and I hit a drive of 331yards that day. I came in second in the country, but the guy who beat me hit it 333 yards, so it was only a couple of yards,” explains Thomas. “I still qualified to go down to the world championships. There are four of us who are going down.”
The Ultimate Long Drive Championships are in Florida, October 27-29. Thomas will be competing in the over-50 amateur event.
Thomas is a regular at the Drumheller Golf course and gets his shot in on the range wherever and whenever he can.
Since the win, he has gotten more serious about his training and is hitting balls daily.
“Team Canada sends us daily ability and flexibility exercises. We have weekly range sessions via Skype. They also sent us a coach to do mediation and stuff to ease our minds,” said Thomas. “So the last month we have been going pretty hard. We are in the gym every day.”
He says the secret to hitting a long ball is a combination of flexibility, ability, technique, concentration and strength. Accuracy is also needed as the ball has to land within a prescribed space to count.
This event may lead him into the world of long-drive competition.
“The pros will be down there at the same time. What happens is the winner of this event, Team Canada will sponsor one winner for one year to go on the pro tour after this. If I do well and have a good day, you never know what will happen,” he said.

The Dragons are working their way back up the ranks of the Vittera South conference after racking four of a possible six points last week.
The Dragons had a slow start to the season, but last week appeared to be hitting their stride when taking on the Blackfalds Bobcats on Tuesday, October 4 at home.
The Dragons outshot the Bobcats 16-4 in the first period and Ty Daneault opened the scoring midway through the period. However, the Bobcats were leading 2-1 after one.
The Bobcats extended the lead by a goal in the second, but Dylan Glinski got the Dragons back in the swing at the midway point, and Vann Yuhas tied the game at 3 to end the second.
Glinski scored his second of the game less than four minutes into the third. Will Christian added another two minutes later, and Daneault scored his second to put the Dragons up 6-3 for the win.
The Dragons were on the road on Friday, October 7, to take on Canmore. The Eagles scored first, but Glinski tied it up early. From there, Canmore went on a run, pumping in five straight goals, despite being grossly outshot. Isaiah Peters scored for the Dragons 2:10 into the third, and Tate Yule added another with a minute and a half left in the game, but they couldn’t keep up to the Eagles’ clip, falling 8-3.
The Dragons had no time to rest as they were back on the ice on Saturday, October 8 to play the Calgary Canucks on the road. Ty Whitford put the Dragons up less than three minutes in, and Noah Danielson added a short-handed goal two and a half minutes later. Calgary rattled one in at the midway point, and the Dragons led 2-1 after one. In the second, Yuhas scored early, followed by Kai Matthew two minutes later, which carried the Dragons to a 5-2 lead after two. Calgary added one in the third, but it was too little too late as Drumheller went on to a 4-2 win.
This week the Dragons are heading north to take on Whitecourt on Thursday, October 13 and then Spruce Grove on Saturday, October 15. They are back on home ice on October 21.