HOUSTON – Golf has an old adage: drive for show, putt for dough. Houston’s Glenn Wilson Jr. can drive for both show and dough.
“I play more recreationally now in terms of golf, but long drive has been a passion of mine and it’s fun to go compete,” said Wilson, Jr.
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Wilson is the son of former Houston Astros outfielder Glenn Wilson, who played for Houston in 1989 and 1990.
“My dad didn’t have any golf background, but swinging with a baseball bat translating it into golf he’d tell me ‘swing hard in case you hit,’ that’s kind of how I learned the game and stuck with it,” said Wilson, Jr.
These days the 41-year-old Wilson, Jr. travels the country trying to hit the ball as far as possible. His longest is a 478-yard bomb at a contest in Colorado, with the altitude helping him achieve the distance. He’s particularly proud of a 469-yard drive in a tournament in Oklahoma. In practices in the humid Houston environment, Wilson says he averages roughly 380-400 yards.
Wilson, Jr. is a member of Montgomery’s Bluejack National, the top-rated residential course in Texas, and one of the top 20 in America.
This past week, Bluejack National hosted the World Long Drive Tour, with Wilson’s squad winning a team contest, which aired on national TV on ESPN 2.
“I couldn’t think of a better place to do it in,” said Wilson, Jr. “I’m grateful the owners blessed it, for them to say let’s go do this and have some fun, it shows what Bluejack is all about. The people are what make it so special.”
Wilson’s long ball prowess has him ranked in the top 75 on the World Long Drive Tour, and he hopes to continue to have success crushing golf balls.
