Bishops Gate Golf Academy (BGGA) Director of Instruction Kevin Smeltz has been named to Golf Digest’s annual list of The Best Teachers in Your State (2017-18) for the state of Florida. Smeltz is ranked No. 24 in Florida out of 52 teachers on the list.
“We are fortunate to have Kevin Smeltz as our Director of Instruction, rightly included in Golf Digest’s Best Teachers in Florida,” 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.
“It’s really an honor to be recognized by Golf Digest as one of the best teachers in the state of Florida,” said Smeltz. “Florida is a very competitive state, which is why the list includes 52 people. To be ranked by your peers as one of the best coaches is pretty incredible and that they think that highly of you.”
Candidates are voted on by their peers.
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. Four 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
Amy Yang – LPGA Tour
See the complete list of Best Teachers in Your State (2017-18)
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
Bishops Gate Golf Academy
407-580-9438
stacys@ijsa.com
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