Kel’s bold coaching plan
WORLD renowned golf coach Kel Llewellyn has vowed to “take kids from kindergarten to the US Tour” after being unveiled as Geelong Golf Club’s director of coaching.
Llewellyn, who has devoted 60 years of his life to the sport, is considered a golfing legend in Asia and was awarded life membership of the PGA in 2011.
Despite guiding some of Asia’s best players to major tour victories, the 75-year-old’s passion for development burns as bright as ever.
“When I saw this place, I thought it was perfect,” the Geelong identity said. “I’ll continue to coach tour players. It’s been 25 years since I was teaching golf in Australia, so I want to show the Aussies I can develop super young players.
“That’s the competitive side of me — I want to show them that I’m a superior teacher.
“We’ll take kids from kindergarten to the US Tour, and we’ve got something for the oldies too — yards on their drives and years on their lives.”
Llewellyn’s CV makes for compelling reading. As a player he took on the best; as a coach he moulded the best.
He’s been a member of the Australian PGA since 1957 and been a national coach for six countries — India, Bhutan, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
From 2000-2004 he was the director of player develop- ment on the Asian PGA Tour and was the first Tour coach in Asia. Llewellyn’s players have won on the US PGA Tour, European Tour, Japan Tour, Asian Tour and Nationwide Tour.
Llewellyn said he would bring an individualised approach to coaching at Geelong Golf Club, which is now four months into its second coming after reopening last year.
“They’ll learn to play golf in a fun environment,” he said.
“I’ll teach them discipline about lifestyle, diet and attitude. Even today, what’s happening is people are getting the wrong information. It’s more than just how to swing a golf club, it’s what it’s like to play under pressure, philosophies, how to travel — all those things we had to learn the hard way.”
Llewellyn’s appointment at Geelong marks a full circle in his career.
He famously walked in off the street in 1955 as a high school dropout with no golfing experience to be employed as the club pro.
His career quickly took him out of town but he returned in the mid 1970s before taking off overseas again, where his profile continued to grow in Asia for pioneering the advancements in the sport.
“The Geelong Golf Club is steeped in history, it means a lot to me,” he said.
To book lessons or for more information contact the club on 5278 6000.