Northwest Golf -- `Hit Man' Evans Eyes Long Drive

Bruce R. Evans bills himself as "The Hit Man," and one whack of his driver tells you why.

Evans, 35, is one of the longest golf hitters in the nation. He finished second in the Re/Max North American Long Drive Championship in 1995, hitting a ball 351 yards.

The powerful Bellevue resident's longest drive is 407 yards (with roll) in competition. The 6-foot-3, 225-pound former Interlake High School athlete will try to win the national title that has eluded him Oct. 24-25 in Mesquite, Nev.

Other qualifiers from this state are Robert Kaindl of Mill Creek and Corey Castner of Vancouver in the open division and Tom Page in the senior division. Page is director of golf for Municipal Golf of Seattle.

Evans is a golfer who reverses the adage of "drive for show and putt for dough." He is a regular on what has become a nationwide circuit of 15 to 20 long-hitting contests. The Re/Max event is the best known.

Evans averaged 362 yards in 15 competitions this year.

"The guys I'm competing against all hit farther than Tiger Woods or John Daly," said Evans, referring to two of the longest hitters on the PGA Tour.

Evans said he "can't quite" make a living through his long drives but that could change if he won the North American championship with its first prize of $50,000 plus the endorsements that would follow. He supplements his income by working for his brother's construction company.

Evans uses a 48-inch Harrison Pro graphite shaft with a 7-degree grooveless prototype titanium head from Titleist.

"I prefer the smooth-faced clubs because the ball `knuckles' off the face and gets a tremendous amount of roll," Evans said. "That's perfect for the tournaments in dry climates where the ground is firm."

Evans' clubhead speed has been measured at 140 mph but he said a more important stat is "initial ball speed." Clubhead speed can be a misleading stat, he said, because lighter clubs swing faster. Titleist measured his ball off his club at 198 mph.

One of Evans' biggest paydays was $10,000 last year, won by hitting off the top deck of a riverboat in Iowa and clearing 360 yards on the fly.

In long-drive contests, contestants must also be accurate and keep the ball within a landing zone that is usually about 40 yards wide.

Evans often is asked to appear at charity scrambles where foursomes can "buy" a drive from him, usually for $20 with the money going to charity.

Evans prides himself on being "a good golfer first and a long driver second." He is a scratch player who has shot a 10-under 61 at Bellevue Municipal and a 7-under 63 at Lake Wilderness.

Evans is simply too powerful for most driving ranges. One that accommodates him is the range at Willows Run Golf Course in Redmond.

"I hit over the fence and the balls wind up on the second fairway," he said. "Then I go shag them and chip them back onto the range."

Note

-- The new driving range at Interbay operated by Family Golf Centers plans to open this afternoon. Golfers are advised to call 206-285-2200 before going to the range in case there are delays. The grand opening is Oct. 20.