Throughout the Centenary celebrations, PGA we would like to highlight the contributions and achievements of PGA Members from all corners of Australia, paying particular attention to both the PGA’s history and just as importantly, its future.
The Centenary Ambassadors listed below represent different elements of the PGA Membership showcasing the diversity of our Members and the career paths possible from being a PGA Member.
Peter Thomson
Kel Nagle
Charlie Earp
Peter Ormsby
Bruce Green
Col Swatton
Mat Goggin
Lisa Newling
Kevin Conlong
Matt Jager
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Peter Thomson, PGA Life Member, VIC
One of the most recognisable and renowned PGA members, Peter Thomson is one of our country’s most successful Professional golfers. In addition to his on-course prowess, Peter was the Associations longest standing Chairman and even today commands respect as one of Australia’s top course designers and historians. During his playing career, Peter won an astounding five of The Open Championships, which is still second behind only Harry Vardon. As such an established golfer and great of the game Peter was inducted in the World Golf Hall of Fame in 1988 and also held the position of President of the PGA of Australia from 1962 until 1994 and in 1998 was the victorious non playing captain of the International Team for the President’s Cup.
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Kel Nagle, Life Member, NSW Kel is one of the PGA’s most revered members. In 1946 he turned Professional and his first big win came at the Australian PGA Championship in 1949, that he went on to win another six times and the Australian Open once. With such success in Australia Kel also won the New Zealand PGA Championship eight times and the New Zealand Open six times on the Australasian Tour. Kel would go onto win 61 times within Australasia and had many successes overseas in Britain and America, winning the British Open in 1960 and finishing second in a play off to Gary Player in the 1965 US Open. Gary was quoted as saying that Kel was “one of the best short game players he had ever seen”. He continued to play back in Australia for several more years and joined the PGA Senior Tour in America in the 1970’s scoring three more PGA Championship wins. In 2007 Kel was bestowed the highest honour and was inaugurated into the World Golf Hall of Fame.
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Charlie Earp, Life Member, QLD Charlie Earp has nurtured many of Australia’s greatest golfing talent the world has seen, and has done so in an unassuming way. Having coached Greg Norman and Wayne Grady respectively, Charlie is Australia’s most recognised golf coach but his contribution goes way beyond this. It’s the help he freely gives to junior golfers and his Club’s members that really makes Charlie stand out- generosity that continues even today. With 47 years within the golf industry Charlie has made his stamp not only as a player but also as a coach. Most famously as Greg Norman’s coach and mentor, this relationship has run for the entirety of Greg’s full time playing career and still to this day they speak. As an inspiration to the game Charlie has taught tens of thousands of pupils throughout his time as a Club Professional, passing on his traits and mentoring our junior golfers. He believes that the future of golf lies with the talent that is coming through our clubs and hopes to develop such talent to go on to the big stage in the golfing world. Charlie has been awarded many achievements over his illustrious career including Life Membership to the Australian PGA in 1978, in 1993 he was given the Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to golf and in 2000 was awarded the PGA Life Time Achievement Award and is still currently the only Club Professional to receive such an honour.
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Peter Ormsby, Head Professional, SA The father of European Tour Player, Wade, Peter Ormsby has experienced professional golf at all levels and is currently the Head Professional at Adelaide Shores golf facility, Peter is well respected amongst his peers and also the wider Adelaide community. Peter has been at the forefront of development of Golf Superstores and developed and owns the Swingyde golf training tool, which is now used by many golf academies and Tour players around the world. Peter’s golf superstore “Pete’s Golf”, was iconic in South Australia, and was sold in 2007, allowing Pete to develop the new ProShop, Golf Academy and Driving Range at Adelaide Shores.
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Bruce Green, Head Professional, VIC The Head Professional of arguably Australia’s most prestigious golf club, Royal Melbourne, Bruce Green represents the Australian club professional who day in, day out service their local golf community. Bruce has a broad understanding of the game as he was a Tournament Professional winning the Victorian PGA Championship in 1967 and 1973, along with finishing 7th in the Australian PGA Championship. As a PGA Professional Bruce has taught some of Australia’s most successful golfers and coaches, Craig Parry, Ian Baker Finch, Matt Griffin and Geoff Ogilvy to name a few and continues teaching the fundamentals skills of golf as they last within the person forever. Through his experience Bruce became the coach of the Victorian Junior and Senior teams for 5 years. He is a very well respected figure within the Australian golf industry and has built a reputation based on improving the game of golf of men, women, seniors and juniors of all abilities.
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Col Swatton, Teaching Professional, QLD With his Auntie placing a golf club in his hand at a young age Col has grown into one of our nation’s greatest coaches on the World stage. As the long-time coach of upcoming Australian golfer, Jason Day. Having worked with Jason since he was a young child, Col epitomises the desires of every golf coach to develop a young golfer from an early age through to success on the PGA Tour. Colin is more than a coach – he is a mentor and takes a holistic approach to the modern game. He loves being a part of developing a golfer, whether it be creating a handicap or watching them win a Tour event it is all part of learning who they are and who they can become.
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Mat Goggin, Tournament Professional, TAS One of the best talents to ever emerge from Tassie, Mat Goggin, despite his success, continues to give back to the game of golf. Through his foundation, the Mat Goggin Foundation, Mat continues to help develop young Tasmanians reach new heights. In 2010 Mat launched a program to financially support a Tasmanian PGA Trainee. Mat is currently playing on the US Nationwide Tour and in 2011 has already had two wins and is leading the Nationwide Tour money list, putting him in a great position to move onto the US PGA Tour in 2012.
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Lisa Newling, Head Professional, NSW
Originally from regional New South Wales, Lisa has worked in the golf industry for 15 years and besides being an AAA rated Head Professional, is an active member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. While not the only female Head Professional, Lisa is one of a limited number of PGA members and at her club, Eden Gardens. Lisa employs another female PGA AAA rated PGA member. Through her position at the Sapphire Golf School Lisa focuses on coaching children starting from the age of 3 to the beginner and advanced level classes for teenagers. The junior golfers give Lisa inspiration with the satisfaction of watching them grow, learn and laugh as a golfer. Lisa can honestly say that she loves her job as a Head Professional.
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Kevin Conlong, Assistant Professional, VIC Kevin Conlong is a recent graduate of the PGA’s Trainee program. Kevin completed his Traineeship in 2010 and in early 2011 was named the 2010 PGA Trainee of the Year. As a full Member, Kevin now teaches at the Heritage Country Club in Victoria where he hopes to build a career in teaching. Kevin has a great understanding of the philosophy of Golf he believes that every golfer no matter what their demographic is unique and that as a coach wants to find the most efficient and effective way for each player to achieve the best out of their ability. Implementing such teachings into his everyday life Kevin hopes to gain a position as a Head Teaching Professional.
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Matt Jager, Tournament Professional, WA Matt Jager is one of Australia’s best up and coming tournament hopes. With his parents as support, they have provided him with the opportunity to chase his dreams of becoming a successful Tour Professional. Having has an outstanding Amateur career in which he had wins in the Australian and New Zealand Amateur Tournaments, Matt turned professional during the 2010 season. Now at the age of 22, he represents the future of the PGA, illustrating how players can progress from successful amateur careers directly into the professional ranks. Matt strives to continually challenge not only himself as an individual but his game in order to become the best golf player he can be.
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