Catching Up with Jamie Sadlowski

July 21st, 2008

Check out a couple photos of Jamie below.

Last month The LDA Tour staged it’s final competition of the 2008 season, The Desert Duel in Mesquite, NV. Jamie Sadlowski, the newest member of the Pinnacle Distance Team, put on quite a show en route to the finals. Using a handful of Cobra Pro drivers that he borrowed from Art Sellinger and Brian Pavlet, Jamie warmed up with drives of 409 yards in Round 1, 399 yards in Rounds 2 and 5 and 405 yards in Round 7. Advancing to the quarterfinals, he found another gear with a drive measuring 419 yards. In the semifinals he went even deeper, wowing the crowd with the competition’s longest drive, an amazing 436 blast into a 5 mph left-to-right-and-in crosswind. He won his semifinal match by 50 yards.

In the final Jamie went head-to-head against Brooks Baldwin, the 2007 RE/MAX World Long Drive runner-up. Jamie hammered three balls over 430 yards, just wide of the 40-yard grid. Another ball measured over 440 yards, but it also came to a stop just O.B. and Baldwin’s 401-yard ball held up for the victory. It was quite a coming-out party for Jamie, who earned $5,000 in just his second event as a professional. He seems to be firing on all cylinders as he approaches the 2008 RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship.

We caught up with Jamie recently for a quick interview:

PINNACLE: How did you get into the sport of Long Driving?

JAMIE: I joined a friend of mine who was competing in a junior qualifier in St. Albert. He talked me into competing, too, and I ended up winning. A little while later I went to districts and ended up beating the guy who had come in second place the year before. The site director of that event was very supportive. He helped me to get into more specialized equipment - a component head and longer shaft. Up to that point I had just been using my stock Titleist driver. He encouraged me to keep pursuing the sport, which I did.

PINNACLE: Winning two RE/MAX Junior World Long Drive titles?

JAMIE: Right, eventually. That was pretty exciting.

PINNACLE: When did you start playing golf?

JAMIE: When I was four. I grew up in St. Paul, in Alberta, Canada. I lived near the St. Paul Golf and Country Club and the greenskeeper there, Pierre deMoissac showed us how to play. Pierre was a big influence.

PINNACLE: You also play Junior A hockey. Do you plan on continuing both?

JAMIE: I think my hockey days are behind me. I’ve played hockey since I was three. It’s like the law when you grow up in Canada. I love it, but it’s very hard on the body. This past season I separated a shoulder and it makes you realize that the risks you take can have serious consequences. Long Drive is a big part of my life now. It’s something I really love doing and I want to see how good I can get - without any injuries limiting me.

PINNACLE: Have you ever been hurt in Long Drive? There must be a lot of strain on the body at the speeds with which you guys swing.

JAMIE: Surprisingly, no. But I’m a little different. Some guys really grind out here and hit millions of balls. During events I consciously limit how many balls I’ll hit. It doesn’t take long for me to get warmed up, and I don’t tinker much with my technique. So for me, I’d probably get hurt if I practiced hour after hour. When you get tired, you start to get sloppy and that’s when you can do some damage. I also like to take a lot of time off betweeen events, without practicing at all. I find that works for me. I’m able to save up my strength better and I don’t get burned out.

PINNACLE: What kinds of workout routines do you incorporate into your training?

JAMIE: Heavy on weights, but lots of cardio, too. With hockey that mix was probably 50/50, but now I give a little more attention to flexibility and core exercises, as well. I have a personal trainer now and we’re focusing on strength training with maximum weight. I’m trying to get a little north of 180, but to be honest, I’ve never been able to put on pounds. Maybe that’s not a bad thing, though. Speed is very important in this sport, and being lean might help.

PINNACLE: What professional long drivers have influenced you? Has anyone worked with your swing?

JAMIE: Well, I’ve never had formal lessons. I just kind of developed my own swing. But Kevin Blankhorn was great when I first started competing. He shared a few tips. And Art (Sellinger) and Brian (Pavlet) and Mike Moulton have been great to me - all the Pinnacle guys I’ve had a chance to meet so far have been terrific. But I do have to say that Jason Zuback has been the biggest influence on me. I remember seeing his golf bag on the tee at my first RE/MAX. It has the Canadian flag on it. I introduced myself and told him I was from Canada, too. He couldn’t have been nicer. Here he was, the king of the sport really, and he gave me all the time in the world.

PINNACLE: During the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship?

JAMIE: Exactly. I’m sure he had other things on his mind. That made a huge impression on me.

PINNACLE: Can you talk a little bit about the connection between hockey and golf? Are there mechanical similarities?

JAMIE: Somewhat. I guess because the ball and puck are both at ground level, or ice level, you have to move in a similar way. And balance is so important to both. But I actually have a left-handed shot in hockey.

PINNACLE: Can you tell us about your swing? What do you key on?

JAMIE: I try to keep it very simple. I’m not big into swing analysis. Maybe it’s because of hockey. You don’t think about a slap shot. You pick your target and let it rip. It’s completely reactive. I think my golf swing is a bit like that. Once I’m set up, I just get my hands set and cocked and release them down the line as fast as I can.

PINNACLE: Looking forward to RE/MAX, is it different competing in front of a big crowd like that?

JAMIE: It is. When someone hits a big ball, you know about it. But I don’t really feed off the crowd like a lot of guys you see. When it’s time for my set, I’m trying to get into the zone. Just me and the ball. I love that feeling when you can get into that state of real intense concentration.

PINNACLE: How do like your chances?

JAMIE: I’m feeling good, confident. Winning RE/MAX is a big goal of mine. If I keep swinging the way I am, I should do well.

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Entry Filed under: General, Jamie Sadlowski, Long Drive Events, Long Drive Team