Powerful and prospering: Columbia man among best in world at golf’s long drive
Dick LeBeau, one of football’s greatest defensive coaches, spotted this guy on the driving range at a Pittsburgh-area golf course and offered words of advice.
“You’re in the wrong sport, young man,” he said. “You ought to be playing linebacker for me.”
“Thank you, but no,” the potential Dick Butkus replied. “I’m a golfer.”
Indeed, Justin Moose is a golfer — and not just any golfer. He’s good enough to reach sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open three times and has posted a 9-under-par 63 round, but his forte is long drive.
Make that really long drive, defined by smashes in excess of 450 yards with enough regularity for him to be ranked No. 6 in the world among competitors on the World Long Drive circuit.
His name fits his size. Moose packs 240 pounds of his 6-foot-3 frame — the physique that attracted LeBeau’s attention — and he is fast becoming the darling of the long-drive world. His reaction after one of his majestic bombs in the 2018 Volvik World Long Drive finals — he finished second — made ESPN’s top 10.
“That’s pretty good — warehouse manager to ESPN in less than a year,” Moose said and laughed.
Moose and wife Nicole moved to the Columbia area three years ago, and his next event, the Exchange Celebrating Service: Fort Jackson, will be a home tournament. Competition in men’s, women’s and military divisions takes place Sunday through Tuesday at Fort Jackson Golf Club with Tuesday finals scheduled to be televised live 5-7:30 p.m. by The Golf Channel.
“The top 50 in the world will be here, and fans are going to receive a great show,” Moose said. He paused and added, “We do hit it a long way.”
Yes, they do, and long-drive’s popularity has grown since The Golf Channel took over the circuit. The network promotes the competition and guys like Moose make perfect spokesmen.
Just as PGA Tour fans shout “K-O-O-O-C-H!” after Matt Kuchar hits a good shot, Moose’s appearance on the long-drive hitting platform is heralded by cries of “M-O-O-O-O-O-S-E!”
Moose loves it.
And his blasts with his 3-degree driver with a 48-inch stiff shaft justify the adulation. His swing speed approaches 150 mph and the towering shots leave the clubface at 215 mph or faster.
He played other sports growing up, finishing fifth in the high school state championships in the javelin throw. But his game always has been golf. He got the bug from his dad, a golf course superintendent, and a long-drive show on television got him hooked on the long ball.
“My dad said, ‘You could do that,’ ” Moose reflected.
A solid college golfer at Division II Clarion, he added long-drive to his goals. A 403-yarder convinced him he could compete, and a tournament at West Columbia’s Par Tee Golf Center brought him to Columbia to stay.
“We stayed with (Long Drive competitor) Patrick Hopper and fell in love with the area,” he said, and he and Nicole moved to Forest Acres. He commuted to his “day job” in Orangeburg until one day last year, after he won the East Coast Classic at Par Tee, Nicole suggested he devote his attention to the World Long Drive circuit on a full-time basis.
He did, and he has prospered. He made the move last summer and finished the year with a runner-up finish in the finals. He opened 2019 with a third-place finish in an Arizona tournament.
“You have to be in the top 10 in the world rankings to make a living at long drive, and it’s great if you can,” Moose said. “So far, so good. I do a lot of yoga and stretching to train. Everything is based on finding more speed on the driver.”
Distance will be his focus at Fort Jackson, hopefully ending with a berth in Tuesday evening’s final. Then, he changes his bombing clubs for a regular set, cuts back on his swing to about 70 percent and dreams of earning an opportunity to compete with Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and their ilk.
Justin Moose, a golfer, has an 8:44 a.m. tee time at Columbia Country Club on Thursday in U.S. Open local qualifying.
About the event
At the World Long Drive Association’s Exchange Celebrating Service: Fort Jackson, competition in men’s, women’s and military divisions takes place Sunday through Tuesday at Fort Jackson Golf Club with Tuesday finals scheduled to be televised live 5-7:30 p.m. by The Golf Channel.
Visitors to Fort Jackson for the Tuesday evening finals must pick up a free ticket in advance at FJGC. Call 803-787-4437 for information on tickets, which are limited, and access to the post. Satellite parking will be a Victory Hall with complimentary shuttle service to the golf course. According to Fort Jackson, “Grandstand seating and concessions open at 2 p.m. Due to live telecast, please be in your seats by 4:30 p.m.”