Driven To Success

Cary Schuman drives for show and for dough.

Schuman is in the Guinness Book of Records for the longest drive on record, 463 yards 10 inches at Royal Fox Golf Club in St. Charles, Ill., in 1994.

“The 10 inches was the hardest part,” quipped Schuman, who lives in Calabasas.

Schuman showed his stuff at a clinic for the Westlake Golf Course Junior Camp last week.

After warming up by hitting his seven iron 180 to 190 yards, Schuman dug into his bag of tricks, first tossing candy to the youngsters who laughed at his jokes.

He drove the first green, 297 yards away, with a right-handed three wood and a left-handed three wood turned on its toe, and was a few feet short of driving it with a one iron.

Then he hit a golf ball more than 100 yards out of a box that usually holds three balls, and hit another ball out out a box within another box.

“I can hit the ball a long way but I can also putt,” Schuman said.

He demonstrated by teeing up several balls and hitting them about 150 yards with his putter.

After hitting several drives more than 300 yards into the trees behind the first green, he finished the 30-minute display by driving a ball with his 50-inch driver through a piece of plywood two inches thick.

“He puts on a great show,” said Joe Buttitta, a PGA teaching pro at Westlake. “We have him out here for a clinic at least once a year. He’s great with the kids and they just love it.

“He generates so much club-head speed but he also hits the ball right on the club face almost every time.”

But Schuman didn’t tell the young golfers they should adopt the John Daly method, “Grip it and rip it.”

In fact, he told them just the opposite.

“The two things I want to get across are watching or focusing on the ball, and having timing and rhythm in your swing,” Schuman said.

“You look at the great golfers and they have the same swing whether they are hitting a wedge or a driver. Fred Couples has a nice, easy swing but he uses it on every shot, short or long. Tiger Woods has a fast swing, but it’s the same every time.”

Schuman, who grew up in the Valley and started playing golf when he was 12, was on the team at Grant High and played one season at UCLA before playing only for recreation until his 30s.

He appeared on television for seven years as a regular on “Happy Days” with Ron Howard and Henry Winkler, and did stunt work in the movies.

He had to be talked into his first long-drive competition.

“I was playing with these guys every week and hitting the ball farther than everyone else,” Schuman said. “They urged me to enter a long-driving contest, so I did, but I bombed my first time out.

“Then I entered a national long-driving contest at Navy and Marine Golf Course in Hawaii and hit one 411 yards 32 1/4 inches in the quarterfinals for my first world record.”

Schuman turned his skill into a lucrative profession, performing at corporate outings, charity tournaments and putting on clinics.

He has sponsorships with Tommy Bahama clothing and Maui Jim sunglasses, and owns the company that makes the Peace Missile driver he uses.

“I’ve done clinics all over the world,” Schuman said. “When I do one for the kids like this, I don’t charge. I like to give something back.

“I’ve played golf with two presidents. I played a round with President Clinton at Congressional Country Club and gave a putting lesson to President Reagan. I’ve also gotten to know guys like Gary Player and Johnny Miller, and played golf with them.”

Schuman, 47, has entered several national long-driving contests and made the finals twice, finishing seventh and ninth.

Drives in one round don’t carry over to the next. That’s why Schuman failed to win when he hit his record-setting drives.

It’s not a matter of just hitting the longest drive. Each contestant gets six shots in each round against three other long-bombers. Only drives that stay within a 40-yard fairway count.

“Most of the time these days, I’m competing against guys who are 20 years younger than I am and usually they are a lot bigger,” said Schuman, who is 6 feet 1, 215 pounds. “I’ve competed against Jason Zebak, who has won the last four national championships, four times and beaten him once.

“I’m 21 years older than he is.”

So Schuman has found a way to level the fairway.

He’ll try to win his first national title in October in the senior long-driving championship at Mesquite, Nev., for golfers 45 and over.

“This is my first time with the seniors,” Schuman said. “I haven’t competed as much in the last couple of years because of injuries but I’m ready to go.

“Any one of the top guys can beat all the others on a given day, but I’ve won most of the contests I’ve entered, so I like my chances.”

Maybe he can throw the book at them.

*

Woodley Lakes waits for clubhouse 24 years later. Page 13

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Tee Times

A look at upcoming tournaments in the region or major events involving top regional players:

JULY

* Today-Saturday: Moreno Valley City Championship, Moreno Valley Ranch GC.

* 31: U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Apple Valley CC; Seven Oaks CC, Bakersfield; Friendly Hills CC, Whittier.

AUGUST

* 1: U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Warner Springs Ranch.

* 1-4: Pacific Coast Amateur, Olympic Club, San Francisco.

* 5-6: Oceanside Women’s City Championship, Oceanside GC.

* 5-6: Simi Valley Amateur Championship, Simi Hills GC.

* 7: U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Hillcrest CC, Los Angeles.

* 7: U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Eagle Glen GC, Corona.

* 7: Oldsmobile Scramble, Yorba Linda CC.

* 7-12: Santa Ana Invitational, Santa Ana CC.

* 8: U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying, SCGA Member’s Club, Murietta; Industry Hills GC, Industry.

* 8: U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Cottonwood at Rancho San Diego GC, El Cajon.

* 9: U.S. Senior Amateur entry deadline.

* 9: Oldsmobile Scramble, PGA of Southern California GC, Calimesa.

* 15: U.S. Mid-Amateur Sectional Qualifying, Cypress Ridge GC, Arroyo Grande; Desert Island GC, Rancho Mirage.

* 21-22: SCPGA Club Professional Championship, PGA of Southern California GC, Calimesa.

* 24: Seal Beach Seaside Lions Charity tournament Navy Golf Course, Cypress. Cost is $100. Includes cart and dinner. Benefits local Seal Beach charities. Information (562) 431-6092.

* 28: SCGA Senior Amateur qualifying, Mission Viejo CC.

* 28: SCPGA Two-Man Scramble, Yorba Linda CC.

* 28-29: SCGA Mid-Amateur Championship, Virginia CC, Long Beach.

* 30: U.S. Senior Amateur qualifying, Candlewood CC, Whittier.

* 31: SCGA Senior Amateur qualifying, SCGA Member’s Club, Murietta.

Leaderboard

VENTURA CITY CHAMPIONSHIP

Buenaventura and Olivas Park GC

36-Hole Final Results

Championship Flight

139--James Logeman (Agoura Hills), 69-70

141--Zack King (Ventura), 72-69

143--Jacob Lusk (Ojai), 70-73

Bob Valerio (Hawthorne), 71-72

Jason Esp (Goleta), 73-71

A Flight (Net Scores)

128--Manny Hernandez (Hueneme), 63-65

136--Edward Layola, 68-68

138--Jose Tristan (Oxnard), 69-69

144--Allen Johnston (Ventura), 74-70

John Scott (Ventura), 73-71

B Flight (Net Scores)

135--Michael Keane, 65-70

137--Steve McMurrow (Ventura), 69-68

Dave Brooks (Ventura), 69-68

139--Mark Edwards (Ventura), 68-71

140--Tom Jackson (Ventura), 68-72

C Flight (Net Scores)

128--Hector Macias (Santa Paula), 65-63

133--David Ball (Ventura), 66-67

137--Aaron Cunningham (Santa Paula), 71-66

141--Ken Koga (Ventura), 67-74

143--Don Slayton (Granada Hills), 70-73

COMPAC JUNIOR ALL-STAR CLASSIC

Eagle Ridge Inn and Resort, Galena, Ill.

Boys’ Division

146--Tarik Can (New York, 71-75

147--Kyle Dowden (Somis), 75-72

James Dickey (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), 73-74

150--Patrick Herzog (Red Wing, Minn.), 76-74

Adam Cohan (Wayne, Pa.), 74-76

Jondavid Metzger (Norman, Okla.)

Girls’ Division

153--Jane Park (La Crescenta), 78-75

155--Chris Brady (Apex, N.C.), 78-77

160--Christie Reed (Coral Springs, Fla.), 79-81

161--Noriko Nakazaki (Hanover Park, Ill.), 80-81

162--Jillian Ferrante (Battle Ground, Wash.), 81-81

VENTURA COUNTY JUNIOR TOURNAMENT

Saticoy CC, Somis

Boys’ 15-17 Division

74--Kyle Thurston (Moorpark)

76--Jordan Silvertrust (Camarillo)

78--Jon-Paul Romane (Ventura)

79--Brian Van Heel (Thousand Oaks)

80--Jason Vaught (Ventura)

Trevor Maddux (Agoura Hills)

Philip Evseff (Newbury Park)

82--David Naish (Westlake Village)

Taylor Neal (Thousand Oaks)

Darren Schwartz (Westlake Village)

Sean Martin (Oak Park)

Eric Paris (Thousand Oaks)

Chris Colton (Oak View)

Boys’ 13-14 Division

75--Ramie Sprinkling (Camarillo)

77--Wyeth Bonney (Ventura)

78--Ian Olsen (Camarillo)

79--Jason Wilk (Camarillo)

Malachi Mahan (Camarillo)

Ryan Todey (Camarillo)

Colin Wilcox (Camarillo)

81--Danny Lawlor (Camarillo)

82--Ryan Kirby (Ojai)

84--Thomas Speakes (Camarillo)

Justin McGeorge (Simi Valley)

Girls’ 13-17 Division

93--Molly Bradley (Simi Valley)

94--Lotta Andonian (Camarillo)

95--Alanna Silvertrust (Camarillo)

96--Anne Neumayr (Thousand Oaks)

Katrina Sutton (Camarillo)

98--Nikki Shum (Camarillo)

99--Catherine Pease (Camarillo)

100--Ashley Freinberg (Westlake Village)

105--Barbara Kane (Camarillo)

Kristin Smith (Moorpark)

108--Laura Perry (Somis)

At Sterling Hills GC, Camarillo

Boys’ 15-17 Division

72--Devlin Thomas (Ojai)

73--Darren Schwartz (Westlake Village)

75--Titus Bonney (Ventura)

76--Richard Young (Oak Park)

Kurt Taylor (Thousand Oaks)

Chris Pederson (Thousand Oaks)

Boys’ 13-14 Division

74--Jeremy Bovill (Agoura Hills)

75--Ramie Sprinkling (Camarillo)

76--Ryan Todey (Camarillo)

77--Colin Wilcox (Camarillo)

78--Ian Olsen (Camarillo)

Girls’ 13-17 Division

80--Rebecca Norris (Thousand Oaks)

85--Katrina Sutton (Camarillo)

87--Nikki Shum (Camarillo)

89--Shauna Barmasse (Westlake Village)

89--Catherine Pease (Camarillo)

At Lake Lindero CC, Agoura Hills

(Par 58)

Boys’ 15-17 Division

55--Darin Higashi (Oxnard)

60--Richard Young (Oak Park)

Mark Marceletti (Camarillo)

61--David Naish (Westlake Village)

62--Brandon Hart (Oxnard)

Boys’ 13-14 Division

56--Colin Wilcox (Camarillo)

62--Ian Olsen (Camarillo)

69--Danny Hoffenberg (Simi Valley)

70--Cameron Burkett (Thousand Oaks)

71--Parker Evans (Westlake Village)

Girls’ 13-17 Division

65--Molly Bradley (Simi Valley)

67--Catherine Pease (Camarillo)

Shauna Barmasse (Westlake Village)

Nikki Shum (Camarillo

68--Lotta Andonian (Camarillo)

Barbara Kane (Camarillo)

Note: Colin Wilcox made a hole in one on the 145-yard 18th hole at Lake Lindero.