Robert
Kaindl a plus scratch player at his home course of in Redmond, Washington.
He logged his first year as a professional golfer in 1997.
This 6'5", 255 lb. father of two, World Longest Drive
Distance Record holder has built one of his region's most successful
contracting businesses. He learned to fly at the age of 12 when he had
the distinction of being the nation's youngest student pilot, followed by
being the youngest licensed fixed
wing and turbine helicopter pilot as well. He also was an NBA scrimmage
player in 1981 and 1982 even though he never started playing the game
until the age of 20. In the early 80’s Robert also owned, produced and
conducted vacationally oriented seminars on “Zippity Zoom”, his 82’
Columbia sailboat to conduct Promotional Public Speaking engagements on
Motivation, Productivity and Business Theory. Running a business, giving
speeches, flying and being a NBA scrimmage player would be enough
challenge for most of us. Robert was seeking his next challenge and not
surprisingly, golf beckoned.
Robert began playing golf late 1995 at the age of 36, as
a 22 handicapper. His first game was a fluke 82. Golf was frustrating,
loved it, hated it, but knew it presented and created individual pressure
that he sought. From the beginning, he could naturally drive the ball
unheard of distances, but he wanted to play the game inspiringly, not just
hit the ball out of sight but hit it straight down the fairway and out of
sight. His handicap dropped to the plus side single digits and along the
way so did the World Longest Driving Distance Record that still stands
today.
During
a golf tournament at Coyote Lake Golf Course near Phoenix Arizona, Robert
set the World’s Longest Driving Distance Record with his 448-yard, 2-feet,
6-inch blast carried and cut the corner over the water on the left side of
the tight 10th hole 476-yard par-5. There was no tail wind and no
elevation changes assisting with this undertaking. He then made the
four-foot putt for his only Double Eagle. Followed with an Eagle on the
11th hole 337-yard par 4, then a Birdie on the ensuing 12th hole 125-yard
par 3, making that 3 hole sequence an extraordinary -6. Robert said that
his swing was effortless and he is continuously trying to obviously
replicate that elusive flawless swing that produced that inconceivable
sequence of events.
Golf for Robert has become more
than just a passion; it’s become a serious pursuit. Now he competes for
the
significant prize money offered in most tour tournaments and long driving
competitions along with the challenge of playing the world's best golfers
and it’s longest hitters. Despite his limited golf experience, with
Longdriving contest club head speed exceeding 155 mph he has fared well in
competition in conjunction with being a plus scratch player. Robert stated
that now while playing tournament golf his competition distances are not
as extreme as once experienced because accuracy and
repeated risk rewards are yielding to extreme distances with distinct
inconsistencies. In Longdriving events, each competitor generally gets 6
balls of the same make to hit in a 40-yard wide grid and where the longest
hitter wins. Robert is traveling extensively, often servicing as his own
pilot to compete in PGA Tour and Longdriving golf events including
staging Longdrive clinics and detailed demonstrations. His success has
yielded a number of high-end sponsorships that keep him active and in the
golfing circles today. Keep your eyes and ears open and maybe one day you
will experience the attention that he continually commands.
The preceding was a publication
written by Steve Turcott for Golf Magazine. Seattle papers published it,
and then this article caught the attention of the national publication
“USA Today”.

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