Dave Pelz is one of the most influential short-game coaches ever to have given a golf lesson.
His pupils have a collective 16 major championship victories between them including the wins from Phil Mickelson, Vijay Singh and Tom Kite.
But did you know he worked at NASA for 14 years? And has played with a guy who’s had 31 holes-in-one?
He is a prostate cancer survivor and has been helping Srixon promote their partnership with Prostate Cancer UK to donate £1.50 to the charity for every dozen balls sold.
Pelz has got some very strong views on how far the pros hit the ball and admits he owes much of his success to his wife.
He also has the best back garden in the world.
We met him at the 2017 PGA Show in Orlando…
Where do you grow up?
Lexington, Kentucky.
When did you first get into golf?
I played in my first tournament when I was seven.
I was a terrible golfer, I had just taken up the game, but I was enjoying it. I played with my dad, he was about a six to eight handicapper, and he took me to a handicap tournament and I played against a 77-year-old man.
At the end of the match, I have no idea what we shot, I don’t even know who won, but I remember shaking his hand and having my picture in the paper. I thought I was a golf star.
I thought I was going to be the best player in the world. I ended up going to college on a golf scholarship, I’ve been in the game my whole life.
What was your first job in golf?
I got out of school from Indiana University and I couldn’t make the tour.
I was a physicist. It was 1961, Sputnik had just been launched and NASAwere hiring physicists. So I got a job at NASA and worked 14 and a half years doing space research.
