At Jack Nicklaus’s 1st Masters in 1959, George Bayer won the Long Drive competition on the first hole of Augusta National with a 321 yard belt. Golf Hall of Famer Frank Stranahan came second with 293 yards.
At 245 lbs and 6 foot 4 inches tall, Pasadenan George Bayer hit regular 365 yard drives and was the first modern professional to drive over 400 yards. He was discovered by Bob Hope at the Inglewood City Championships in Los Angeles.
In 1960 the USGA came up with a new ball measuring machine to stop the touring pros from averaging more than 260 yards to save golf courses from having to buy more land to lengthen their layouts!
For George they said they had nothing, because they couldn’t stop muscles!
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