‘National Top Screen Long-Drive Selection’: GOLFZON GDR Academy Successfully Holds the First Round of the ‘2023 GDR The Longest’

• The first round of the ‘2023 GDR The Longest’ was held on April 9 at the GDR Academy Gangnam Center Field branch, with Hong Hyun-jun taking first place with a record of 384 yards
• A long-drive competition with a total prize pool of KRW 200 million through a partnership with World Long Drive (WLD); the nation’s top long-drive player will be determined by combining points with those of the final round this coming July
• The overall champion will be awarded a seed for the World Long Drive Championship
• Through a Korean-style long-drive competition leveraging the accuracy and technological prowess of the GDR golf simulator, GOLFZON showcases diverse entertainment and the energetic appeal of long driving

GOLFZON GDR Academy (CEO Song Jae-soon) announced that on the 9th it successfully concluded the first round of its nationwide long-drive competition, the ‘2023 GDR The Longest,’ at the GDR Academy Gangnam Center Field branch.

Now in its second year, the ‘2023 GDR The Longest’ is a Korean-style indoor long-drive competition that GOLFZON GDR Academy presents domestically through a partnership with World Long Drive (WLD). In particular, as the only competition in Korea that awards a seed for the World Long Drive Championship, the fierce shot-making contest among the country’s leading long-drive talents drew significant attention. Building on the high-reliability technology of GDR—recognized by WLD for its precise shot analysis and accurate data derivation—GDR Academy is introducing a wider range of golf fans to diverse entertainment and the appeal of long driving, which is hard to encounter in conventional golf tournaments.

The competition carries a total prize pool of KRW 200 million and is held over two stages: the first round and the final. This first round saw fierce competition among a total of 34 participants, with many of the nation’s top long-drive players taking part to deliver exhilarating shots of up to 384 yards in carry distance and ball speeds exceeding 95 m/s, bringing the first round to a close amid an electric atmosphere. First place in the first round went to last year’s champion Hong Hyun-jun, who recorded the longest carry distance at 384 yards (351 m), followed by Choi Jong-hwan in second with 376 yards (343.9 m) and Kang Ho-in in third with 360 yards (329 m).

The final round is scheduled for this coming July, where the nation’s top long driver will be selected by combining the points each participant earns across the competitions. Golfers who place will be awarded prize money along with a variety of additional prizes, including the GDR PLUS system, a CERAGEM Master V6, and an entry to the WLD Championship. Notably, this competition is scheduled to air in May through the Screen GOLFZON channel, a 24-hour broadcaster specializing in screen golf, offering an opportunity to experience the energetic appeal of long driving and to meet Korea’s hidden long-drive masters.

Meanwhile, GOLFZON GDR Academy operates GDR Academy indoor golf practice facilities nationwide based on GDR (GOLFZON DRIVING RANGE), a golf simulator developed in-house by GOLFZON, championing the standardization and popularization of golf lessons. As the official golf simulator of the LPGA, GDR is characterized by its sophisticated and accurate ball-flight simulation. In particular, the ‘AI Coach’ feature—a mobile app service incorporating AI technology—has been met with great enthusiasm, with around 20,000 analyses performed per day, contributing to higher-quality golf practice. The Academy is also striving to develop a range of services and technologies that meet golfers’ needs, in step with the recent growth of Korea’s golf population—newly drawn from the MZ generation in their 20s and 30s, female golfers, and others—and the continually rising demand for golf practice that has accompanied it.

Song Jae-soon, CEO of GOLFZON GDR Academy, said, “In this first round of ‘GDR The Longest,’ the nation’s top long-drive players showcased their skills to the fullest and demonstrated the energetic appeal of long driving without reservation,” adding, “In the final round this July as well, we will precisely measure the explosive shot records of our long drivers with GDR’s differentiated technology to identify the standouts who will compete in the World Long Drive Championship, so we ask for your keen interest.”