Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla. (February 20, 2017) – Bishops Gate Golf Academy (BGGA) Director of Golf Kevin Smeltz has been named to Golf Magazine’s biennial list of Top 100 Teachers in America, one of the most coveted titles in instruction. Smeltz has appeared on golf’s longest-running list of elite teachers since 2013.
“We are fortunate to have Kevin Smeltz as our Director of Golf, once again rightly included in the Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America,” said BGGA CEO Andrew Summers. “He is an outstanding instructor, coach and role model for our students and staff.”
Smeltz joined BGGA early in 2015 to oversee the academy’s golf program. Smeltz has a passion for training and developing junior golfers and enjoys the long-term development opportunity that a year-round boarding academy provides.
“I am thrilled to be included once again in Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers list,” said Smeltz. “To be included in a list made up of so many talented coaches, including some of my mentors and idols growing up in my profession, is more than I could have imagined when I began my career.”
Candidates are nominated by the PGA, LPGA, United States Golf Teachers Federation, top industry executives and GOLF Magazine readers. A rigorous selection process, applications are screened against 15 baseline criteria recommended by the Top 100 Teachers Credentials Committee and ranked by a group of active and former Top 100 Teachers. Final recommendations are made by a separate Selection Committee, comprised of GOLF Magazine’s instruction editors, established Top 100 Teachers and alumni, and invited World Golf Teachers Hall of Fame members. The recommendations are then submitted to GOLF Magazine for final consideration.
While under his instruction, Smeltz’s players have won 21 tournaments on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour and LPGA Tour. His players also won multiple professional tournaments in Europe and Asia. Under his tutelage, five of Smeltz’s students achieved PGA Tour status for the first time, and six of his students achieved Web.com Tour status. Three of his players were ranked in the top 10 in the world while working with him, both on the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour. Smeltz taught two U.S. Walker Cup team members, two No. 1-ranked college players, a No. 2-ranked college player and many top-ranked juniors.
Smeltz currently works with several professional tour players, many of whom train at Bishops Gate Golf Academy.
Past and present students include:
Chie Arimura – LPGA Tour
Andy Bean – Champions Tour
Na Yeon Choi – LPGA Tour
Charles Howell III – PGA Tour
Roope Kakko – European Tour
Song-Hee Kim – LPGA Tour
Sue Kim – LPGA Tour
Jee Young Lee – LPGA Tour
Will Mackenzie – PGA Tour
D.A. Points – PGA Tour
Nick Price – PGA Tour
Sarah Jane Smith – LPGA Tour
Jennifer Song – LPGA Tour
Yani Tseng – LPGA Tour
Camilo Villegas – PGA Tour
Manuel Villegas – Web.com Tour
Bank Vongvanij – Asian Tour
About Bishops Gate Golf Academy
The Mission of the Bishops Gate Golf Academy (BGGA) is to inspire and build excellence of golf skill and character in our student-athletes. BGGA’s golf development program combines athletics and academics for high school and postgraduate students with boarding and non-boarding options. Our coaching team delivers a strong individualized program that combines technical, mental, strategic and physical development in an ongoing cycle of training, preparation and tournament competition. www.bgga.com
Contact:
Stacy Shanks
stacys@ijsa.com
855-378-8177
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