This week on G&E The Podcast | Golf & Entrepreneurship we were lucky to have on Maurice Allen, Professional Long Drive Competitor. Maurice was an incredible guest with an even better story.

Allen is currently ranked number eight in World Long Drive, was back to back (2015,2016) Volvik Long Drive European Tour Champion, has hit a golf ball 488 Yards with a recorded club head speed of 164 MPH, is the Ambassador of Golf for the Boys and Girls Club of America, and much more.

It All Started With A Bet

Maurice Allen is a true athlete through and through. He can do it all. Growing up, Allen played just about every sport you can imagine. Every sport but golf. This was surprising to hear considering his long list of accomplishments in the game.

Believe it or not, Maurice’s career with golf started with a simple bet. Allen was visiting a friend who owned a golf store. The bet, he was not athletic enough to hit a golf ball.

The result, He hit a 7 iron 230 something yards. Maurice’s friend immediately told him he had to give Long Drive competitions a try.

That same day Maurice signed up for a qualifier bashing a golf ball 389 yards. Unfortunately, it was out of bounds, but Allen realized that this was something he could do. And do it well.

From Doctorate to Long Drive Champion

In 2011, prior to picking up a driver, Maurice was in school pursuing a doctorate with the goal of becoming a chiropractor. Every moment of free time he had was becoming dedicated to hitting the range.

He started to realize that he had an opportunity to turn his new passion into a career. Maurice decided to put academia on hold and take his chances of becoming a professional long drive competitor.

So began a long journey. One that has had him travel all over the world. It has been filled with ups and downs. It is the reason why he has such a passion for the sport when you see him competing on the Golf Channel.

Self Belief and Persistence

To get to where he is today took an incredible amount of self-belief. Deciding to leave school and pursue a career in long drive meant taking the harder route. It was not going to be easy. He knew that but he believed that he was destined for something greater.

For a time being at the beginning of his career, Maurice was homeless. For three months, he slept in his car and on people’s couches while competing and making ends meet.

“I knew there was something bigger and better for me and I could just not give up on that dream. It had me sleeping in my car. When people look at me and I am yelling and screaming at golf balls and I am hyped up its because I remember when I use to go to scramble tournaments and hit balls at the tournament to make 200 bucks or something like that. That was the only time I could eat when they had those box lunches. I would stack them up and put them in my car. I would go to different golf courses to shower… I ultimately believed that at the end of the day I was called to do something so much bigger and I never gave up on that no matter how hard it got.”

This kind of sacrifice eventually led to a break year. In 2015, Allen was competing on the Long Drivers European Tour. He was victorious in Sweden, Belgium, and Italy. These wins earned him an exemption into the 2015 World Long Drive Championship where he finished tied for ninth.

He topped off the remarkable year being allotted Champion of the Volvik Long Drive European Tour for occupying the number one spot throughout all nine events.

No Plans On Stopping Soon

Maurice has big plans for his future with golf. Along with having a very successful 2017 season in World Long Drive, Allen is planning on giving it a go at either Web.com or PGA Tour Canada Q-School.

“I want to go and do something bigger. Not to have the fame or notoriety of being the long drive guy who crossed over and plays on the PGA Tour, Web.com or something like that. I want to show people that if you put your mind to something that you can really achieve anything you want as long as you never give up.”

Along with his professional goals, Allen believes to his core in giving back to the community. He is highly involved with the Boys and Girls Club of America being appointed Ambassador of Golf in 2013.

He also works closely with the Orlando Youth Minority Golf Association (OYMGA). The OYMGA teaches kids the game of golf and the character attributes that the sport can help you develop.  

His goal is to show the kids that there are all sorts of different things you can do with this amazing game of golf.

The Podcast

It was an honor to have Maurice on the Podcast and I hope you all enjoy his insights as much as I did. Throughout our conversation, we dive deep into his beginnings with long drive, the work ethic necessary for success, why giving back to the community is so important to him, and so much more.