It’s a long drive

WHS grad Cook can go tee to green in a single stroke



PACKING A PUNCH—Brian Cook, a recent Westlake High graduate, can hit a golf ball almost 400 yards off the tee with accuracy.

PACKING A PUNCH—Brian Cook, a recent Westlake High graduate, can hit a golf ball almost 400 yards off the tee with accuracy.

“Grip it and rip it.”

It’s a common phrase used by the average golfer who might enjoy a casual day on the links.

But for recent Westlake High graduate Brian Cook, “grip it and rip it” has meaning and power behind it.

“Everyone has told (that phrase) to me since I was a little kid,” Cook said. “I love hitting the ball long.”

With one mighty yet smooth swing at Westlake Golf Course, Cook sends a golf ball majestically into the air and out of sight.

Seconds later, the ball lands 394 yards down the center of the fairway on a 410-yard par-4 hole.

Admiring the drive is Cary Schuman, two- time Guinness World Record holder for the longest drive at sea level (463 yards 10 inches).

“After watching his first couple swings, I knew he had tremendous amount of power and very fast hands,” Schuman said.

“He creamed the ball. He has a really good chance of becoming a world champion in the next year or two. I give him a good shot at it.”

Cook, 17, is quickly heading in that direction.

He surprised many in attendance when he won the Region Nine Super Qualifier event of the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.

The event was June 3 at the Woods Valley Golf Club in Valley Center.

“It was incredible. I was so happy and overjoyed,” said Cook, the youngest participant in the event.

“Once I realized I hit it 364 yards, I knew I had won the qualifier.

It was an awesome feeling.”

Cook is one of the youngest contestants to ever qualify in the Open Division of the Long Drive Championship. He now advances to the Long Drive Regional Championship in Billings, Mont., on Aug. 4.

If successful there, Cook will compete for a share of $500,000 in prize money at the RE/MAXWorld Championships in Mesquite, Nev., from Oct. 16-25.

The event in Nevada will be broadcast on ESPN3.

“Brian’s speed and swing is phenomenal for a young man of his age,” said Westlake High golf coach Rick Naranjo. “As he grows even taller and gets stronger, his speed will increase. He hits the ball a long way when he makes contact.

“ Getting advice from (Schuman) is a big factor. He’s been in that stage and he knows the necessities that are needed to be successful in a long-drive contest.”

What makes Cook’s accomplishments so unique is that he stands 6 feet tall and weighs a mere 162 pounds while competing against men that are typically much larger.

“It can be really intimidating,” Cook said with a chuckle.

“It’s a lot harder to hit a ball farther when you are smaller, but it still works when I know I can hit the ball far.”

Cook became interested in long-distance driving when he encountered two-time Senior Division World Long Drive Champion Frank Miller (2007, 2010) at a charity golf event last year.

When Miller saw Cook strike the ball for the first time, he immediately recognized the potential in Cook.

According to Cook, Miller said the youngster was “one of the top in the world for his age” and his accuracy at that distance would “give him more chances to stay in the grid and hit longer than other competitors.”

Long-drive contestants must land their shots in a golfing grid that is 75 yards wide.

When striking a ball more than 350 yards, the 75-yard grid shrinks rapidly as factors such as wind come into play, Cook said.

“I try to hit a smooth swing, time the wind, get a bounce and keep it in the grid,” said Cook, who plans on competing for Ventura College in the fall.

Cook’s father, Hal, appreciates the competitive passion and newfound ambitions of his son.

“When the ball disappears from sight still going up, I know it’s going far,” Hal Cook said. “It’s great to watch and fun to see how people react to it as well. I just enjoy watching him play.”

For the next two months, Cook will train in preparation for the aforementioned events in Montana and, possibly, Nevada.

“Personally, I would love it to happen,” said Cook of becoming a world champion. “It would be amazing to me.”

‘He has a really good chance of becoming a world champion in the next year or two. I give him a good shot at it.’

— Cary Schuman two-time world record holder for longest drive at sea level


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