How I Became the Longest Hitter in the World…and still one of the, 20 years on…

- By Phillis Meti

I didn’t realise I was the longest hitter in the world the first time I was on tour.

That realisation came ten years later.

After winning my first World Long Drive Championship, and finishing runner-up twice more, I spent the next decade pursuing professional golf.

When I returned to long drive, I wasn’t simply coming back to compete — I was stepping back in as a different woman.

That time away refined me. I had walked through the realities of professional sport, experienced the loss of both my grandmother and my father within 14 months, finally graduated with my Bachelor’s degree and learned how to rebuild myself with clarity and purpose one step at a time.

I came back mature, more grounded, and more certain of my value and my place in the industry.

That’s when I discovered what I was truly capable of.

The biggest change in those ten years wasn’t my swing. It was my mindset and paying attention. I had a lot of help in the paying attention department.

I understood that being powerful in this game wasn’t about hitting it hard — it was about knowing when to switch it on and when to switch it off. When to put things to the side and stay present long enough to complete the job at hand. That as a foreign athlete, sometimes you had to force your way through to get what was deserved.

Once I aligned my work with my purpose, my performances exploded.

When I came back to the World Long Drive Tour in 2017, I already had elite swing speed. I could move the club faster than most players in the field. But that season taught me something important:

Talent alone doesn’t win. Intention does.

If I wanted credibility, sponsorship, and real exposure, I had to become undeniable. I had to win.

So in 2018, I took my career seriously. I built a professional team around me — coaches, trainers, and people who believed in the vision I was stepping into. That’s when I became a world champion again.

That journey taught me that every golfer — and every person — has their own version of “championship power.”

My advice for anyone who wants to improve their game or chase their own greatness is simple:

Know your strengths. Refine them. Then identify your weaknesses and clean them up as you go - not focus on them solely < you’re there because of your strengths.

Champions build themselves with intention.

Distance isn’t just about speed.

It’s about growth, clarity, and the willingness to become the strongest version of yourself.

And if you keep going — without stopping and without looking back — you’ll be amazed at how far forward you can go.