Kyle Berkshire breaks his own world record for the longest drive, setting a new mark of 588.3 yards

On Wednesday, October 21, 2026, Kyle Berkshire hit a drive of 588.3 yards at the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course in the U.S. state of Wyoming. With this feat, the 29-year-old broke the world record he had set in October 2023 at the same course with a drive of 579.6 yards. The new record is 8.7 yards longer than the previous one. In a social media post, Berkshire wrote: “This is one of the greatest achievements of my career.”

The Long Drive World Record in Detail

The ball flew 540 yards through the air and then rolled another 48 yards or so. According to reports, it reached a ball speed of 234.2 mph, or about 377 km/h. It’s worth noting that Berkshire had set his previous record in 2023 with a ball speed of 241.6 mph. This time, he surpassed that mark with a slightly lower speed.

To achieve the record-breaking shot, Berkshire needed a practice session lasting a good 56 minutes, during which he hit 335 balls, according to the published video. During this session, his clubhead speed repeatedly exceeded 150 mph, or about 240 km/h.

The conditions were favorable. The wind was blowing at about 20 km/h from the west to southwest and was carrying the ball in the desired direction. With temperatures around 27 °C and an elevation of about 2,070 meters, air resistance is reduced, so the ball travels farther than it would at sea level. The drive was also downhill and with a tailwind.

Comparison to the PGA Tour

The longest drive on the PGA Tour during the 2026 season was a 465-yard drive by Marek Flemming at the U.S. Open. Berkshire’s drive was 123.3 yards longer—about 26 percent farther. According to season statistics, his ball speed was about 40 mph faster than the average of Aldrich Potgieter, the Tour’s longest Driver on average.

However, this comparison has its limitations. Berkshire achieved this single shot under ideal conditions, whereas the Tour’s figures are derived from tournaments. For average golfers, such distances are therefore not a realistic benchmark.

Read more: The Longest Golf Shots of All Time: Records and Distances

Voices from Rawlins

Kevin Gannon has worked as a golf pro at Rochelle Ranch since the course opened in 2004. Speaking to Cowboy State Daily, he described the impression Berkshire leaves: “Seeing him hit it is one thing. And then you step back, and the distance from where he tees off to where the ball lands is like: No one can hit a ball that far.”

Gannon, who is over 60 years old, also said, “If I did that, I’d probably be in the hospital tomorrow. But he’s a young guy.” Berkshire is systematically working his way up to such shots, according to Gannon: “He’s working his way up to it, and the more he hits, the faster he gets.” As early as 2023, Berkshire had hinted at his ambitions in Rawlins. Speaking to Cowboy State Daily at the time, he said: “I thought, ‘Someday, right here in Rochelle, I’m going to hit the longest drive in the history of golf.’”

Kyle Berkshire—Four-Time World Long Drive Champion

Berkshire is from Crofton, Maryland, and has won the World Long Drive Championship four times: in 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2023. He started out as a very good traditional golfer and later specialized in maximizing distance. His longtime coach, Bernie Najar, explained that the two developed a swing with higher hands and a wider arc. This is designed to help generate a lot of power against the ground before the club strikes the ball.

The Rochelle Ranch Golf Course is located on the outskirts of Rawlins. The municipal course opened in 2004 and, at 7,925 yards from the longest tees, is the longest golf course in Wyoming. The fairways wind through open high-desert terrain, with virtually no classic Rough.

“600 yards, here we come”

Berkshire is now aiming for 600 yards. According to reports, no competitive long driver has ever reached that distance. At the end of his video, Berkshire said, “We won’t stop until we hit 600. There’s still plenty left in the tank, and we’re going to do it. That number is going to fall.”

In his social media post, he summed up his ambitions this way: “I’ve spent the last decade pushing the limits of what’s physically possible with a golf club, and I have no intention of stopping anytime soon. 600 yards, here we come!”