Paul Howell is 'driving for dough'
Paul Howell is a living contradiction to the golf axiom "drive for show - putt for dough". Bashing rockets off the tee is more than a side job for the Campbell grad.
"When I got down and got through to college. That's when I met my coach Bobby Peterson. He's like 'Man, you gotta special talent that I haven't really seen you know.' So we started working a little bit and I was kind of reluctant to do long drive. But once I got into it, it's been fun ever sense," said Howell.
With a "long" showing at a recent competition, Howell qualified for the World Long Drive Championships later this fall. A good blast for him travels four and a half football fields.
"My career best is 452 yards. That was earlier in the year the East Coast Classic down in Columbia, South Carolina. It was probably one of the better balls I've ever hit in my life. I've had a couple holes in one, stuff like that, but hitting a 452 yard drive actually ranks above a couple of holes in one," he explained.
Howell's size and flexibility are key - natural assets paired with an extra-long driver and special tee.
"My size helps me. But also understanding the ball flight laws of golf and why one ball is going one way and one's going another way kinda helps," he offered.
The Wilson native aspires be a PGA Tour player one day. Until then, he's happily driving for dough.
