Kyle Berkshire On The PGA Tour?

[iacas]

Guys, the topic is Kyle.

[sjduffers]

If he can dial back a bit and find the fairway at 350+ 60 to 70% of the time (like most good drivers on Tour), he'll be a menace for sure, as long as he's got the other skills too, including putting and chipping. He's bound to be around the green a lot, when he unleashes one, and he will need to get those up and in more often than not.

It should be fun to watch: think DeChambeau on steroids (well, Bryson might already be on them... duh!).

[Vinsk]

On 12/24/2020 at 6:09 PM, sjduffers said:

If he can dial back a bit and find the fairway at 350+ 60 to 70% of the time

That’s his 3W.😂

Edited December 27, 2020 by iacas
fixed quote

[Darkfrog]

43 minutes ago, Vinsk said:

That’s his 3W.😂

Or maybe 7-iron

[sjduffers]

20 hours ago, Vinsk said:

That’s his 3W.😂

Perhaps in due time it will be. Wouldn't that be something. But long drive competition is wildly different than golf. They have huge "fairways" (like 50 yard wide) and many competitors still can't find them in 8 tries. Sure, they would go 400+ yards, but way in the woods or OB on a Tour golf course... By taming his driver, AND his 3wood, someone like Kyle could be dangerous, yes, as long as the short game is there too.

But, yes, you had me chuckle.

20 hours ago, Darkfrog said:

Or maybe 7-iron

Maybe. Yes, I read about the 8 iron going 302 yards, but that's gotta be some kind of fluke no? I mean some guys on Tour hit pitching wedges 190 yards, at times, given the right conditions.

[Vinsk]

On 12/25/2020 at 3:31 PM, sjduffers said:

Perhaps in due time it will be. Wouldn't that be something. But long drive competition is wildly different than golf. They have huge "fairways" (like 50 yard wide) and many competitors still can't find them in 8 tries. Sure, they would go 400+ yards, but way in the woods or OB on a Tour golf course... By taming his driver, AND his 3wood, someone like Kyle could be dangerous, yes, as long as the short game is there too.

But, yes, you had me chuckle.

Maybe. Yes, I read about the 8 iron going 302 yards, but that's gotta be some kind of fluke no? I mean some guys on Tour hit pitching wedges 190 yards, at times, given the right conditions.

Have you watched any videos where Kyle is playing? He’s pretty solid. He still hits drives 350yds+ in the fairway. 

[Bonvivant]

On 12/25/2020 at 3:31 PM, sjduffers said:

They have huge "fairways" (like 50 yard wide) and many competitors still can't find them in 8 tries.

PGA average fairway width averages around 30 yards. 10 yards per side really isn't that much more. The long drive guys are clearly less accurate than PGA tour pros, but not by as much as you would think when you look at angular accuracy. 

[WillieT]

Thinking he will be a novelty for a few tournaments and then the tourney grind will begin to work on him, a missed cut or two and folks will say he needs to go back to the Long Drive competitions...I recall when MJ tried pro-baseball, after the NBA, and the world was all hyped up about it.  The end result was the novelty coverage and the baseball world chewing him up and spitting him out as such.  As Kyle had college game before for going Long Drive competition he may have the stamina be a legit contender.  I am looking forward to that first tee shot - will he dial it back a little on the drives?  Will his approaches be legit pin seeking missiles?  Can he read a green to where the putts sink?  Yes, its going to be fun.  Funny thing is I am watching the Eagles Farwell Tour video and they are singing "New Kid In Town".  Kyle is the new kid, how soon will he be replaced by the next New Kid In Town that everybody loves.     

[Vinsk]

I don’t think KB is a starry eyed kid with over confidence. He set out to be the world long drive champ and accomplished it. He loves golf and knows how incredibly good the guys on tour are. He has a unique advantage in that he not only hits driver far, he hits controlled irons incredibly far as well. Being able to hit an 8 200yds as a pretty routine shot is quite an advantage. I think he has a good shot to compete with proper coaching.

[nevets88]

Here is a more detailed piece on Berkshire as well as an interview. I did not know he has 40% hearing loss in both ears.

Cover Story - Kyle Berkshire, 2019 World Long Drive Champion | AvidGolfer Magazine

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With his now signature long hair dripping with sweat, Kyle Berkshire makes his final preparations to become a long drive ...

 

[billchao]

3 hours ago, nevets88 said:

Here is a more detailed piece on Berkshire as well as an interview. I did not know he has 40% hearing loss in both ears.

Cover Story - Kyle Berkshire, 2019 World Long Drive Champion | AvidGolfer Magazine

---

With his now signature long hair dripping with sweat, Kyle Berkshire makes his final...

 

Listening to a cannon going off all the time without ear protection will do that 😜

[nevets88]

This is more instructional, but seems like a good place put it. Mickelson and Berkshire talk swing. The ending bit is funny with the name thing, lol.

Disturbingly unconcerned about any possible ricochet.

 

[Lugowskins]

Seems a lot of you don't know he was a D1 golfer who only quit when his coach saw him cut the corner on a dogleg that was a 320 yard carry with a 3 iron and told him he should look into long drive. The dude is a player and is very driven.

His most recent video is him playing Torrey Pines from what will be the US open tees. 7800 yards and he shot 5 over first time playing the course since he competed there as a junior. You all should seriously go watch his course vlogs his short game and putting is pretty solid actually and his accuracy and shot shaping ability with the driver is incredible.

For him it will be how much he can improve his approach game and considering he's only 24 years old and how driven I know he is (won the worlds longest drive at 21 after training for only a year) I have 0 doubt he could earn his tour card.  It's a tough sell to say he going to be going out winning majors but the right course, conditions, and a hot putter it's crazier to think someone with that skill set couldn't eventually get a win. 

[nevets88]

On 12/22/2020 at 3:20 PM, billchao said:

He’s listed as 6’3”, 215. He’s not that big.

That's true. I'll amend it to:

I want to see him succeed just to dispel the notion that big burly or insanely high swing speed golfers have no touch, finesse.

[sjduffers]

 

31 minutes ago, Lugowskins said:

Seems a lot of you don't know he was a D1 golfer who only quit when his coach saw him cut the corner on a dogleg that was a 320 yard carry with a 3 iron and told him he should look into long drive. The dude is a player and is very driven.

His most recent video is him playing Torrey Pines from what will be the US open tees. 7800 yards and he shot 5 over first time playing the course since he competed there as a junior. You all should seriously go watch his course vlogs his short game and putting is pretty solid actually and his accuracy and shot shaping ability with the driver is incredible.

 

I didn't know that about him, but I haven't been researching him either... Anyway, now you've got me more intrigued and I think it would be a great story (and entertainment) if he could make it on Tour and keep his card for a few years at least.  Thanks!

[Carl3]

On 12/26/2020 at 8:53 PM, Bonvivant said:

PGA average fairway width averages around 30 yards. 10 yards per side really isn't that much more. The long drive guys are clearly less accurate than PGA tour pros, but not by as much as you would think when you look at angular accuracy. 

The competitions I have seen they might put one or two drives in the grid out of 8, LOL. I have even seen a few never get on on the grid. Granted they have a much different objective in those competitions.

Hopefully he will debut with the long hair so we finally have an American that can compete with Tommy Fleetwood in that category.

[Bonvivant]

1 hour ago, Carl3 said:

The competitions I have seen they might put one or two drives in the grid out of 8, LOL. I have even seen a few never get on on the grid. Granted they have a much different objective in those competitions.

Hopefully he will debut with the long hair so we finally have an American that can compete with Tommy Fleetwood in that category.

That is true, but that's not the driver swing he brings to the course if you watch his stuff. He usually hits it between 340 and 380 on course, and I think that he varies how much distance he goes for based on the hole (danger zones, tightness, etc.)

I hope he does too. I have been growing my hair out for about 29 months (still hasn't been cut since the TST weekend this summer), and I just can't seem to catch up with him. I also hope that if he starts placing high that he goes for a full Joe Dirt mullet to piss off the tour.

[Carl3]

7 minutes ago, Bonvivant said:

That is true, but that's not the driver swing he brings to the course if you watch his stuff. He usually hits it between 340 and 380 on course, and I think that he varies how much distance he goes for based on the hole (danger zones, tightness, etc.)

I hope he does too. I have been growing my hair out for about 29 months (still hasn't been cut since the TST weekend this summer), and I just can't seem to catch up with him. I also hope that if he starts placing high that he goes for a full Joe Dirt mullet to piss off the tour.

I just watched one of his videos where he was carrying about 330 yards with his drives and using like a partial sand wedge into 400 yd plus holes.

I left a message on the video channel something about "when Vikings play golf". Looking forward to seeing your hair. My youngest son just cut his hair after maybe 8 years of letting it grow out!