After nearly two years of hiatus and anticipation, the 2024 China Long Drive Championship is officially set to relaunch on September 9, 2024.
Golf enthusiasts can register and participate through the official China Long Drive WeChat account. The 2024 competition will consist of two main stages: the National Qualifiers and the Grand Finals. The National Qualifiers will commence on Monday (September 9th), allowing competitors to participate in any RUNGolf simulator facility across the country. Open to the entire golf community, anyone meeting the age criteria can register through the official channels.
The inaugural China Long Drive Championship, part of the 2020 World Long Drive Championship series, successfully concluded at Haikou Mission Hills Golf Club on September 18, 2020. Wu Di from Shenzhen secured the title of China’s Long Drive Champion with a drive of 322 yards, and he has held this title ever since due to the cancellation of the 2021 and 2022 finals caused by the recurring pandemic. The worsening pandemic in late 2022 forced the organizing committee to cancel those tournaments, prolonging Wu Di’s reign.
Originating in 1976, long drive competitions focus on hitting the ball the farthest within a set number of swings and time, distinguishing it from traditional golf tournaments. Since its inception, the sport has gained widespread popularity, growing from its U.S. roots into a global competition series with a World Tour. It is now one of the most-watched events on the Golf Channel in the United States, praised by industry professionals, media, and fans alike.
The 2024 Championship will follow similar rules to the previous China Long Drive Championships. Each competitor will have 2.5 minutes (150 seconds) to hit six balls, with the farthest valid shot within the designated area recorded as their final score. The tournament will be divided into two phases: National Qualifiers (online and in-person) and the Grand Finals. The competition includes four categories: Open Division, Women’s Division, Master Division and U16 Youth Division. In each stage, the top 26 men will advance directly to the National Finals.
According to the schedule, the online simulator qualifiers will take place at over 800 RUNGolf-connected venues across various cities in China. The qualifying rounds will follow a weekly points-based format, with six rounds determining the final participants for the Grand Finals. The National Finals are tentatively scheduled for November 1-3, 2024, with the location to be announced.
Additionally, the top 8 competitors from each category in the Grand Finals will qualify for the 2024 Asian Long Drive Championship, set to take place in Phuket, Thailand, where they will face off against the best long-drive competitors in the Asia-Pacific region.