His students won more than 20 majors
Dave Pelz, one of golf’s most influential instructors and innovators, died on March 23 at his home in Dripping Springs, Texas.
A former NASA scientist turned golf researcher, Pelz revolutionized how the game is taught, played, and understood, particularly in the critical areas of putting and the short game.
Pelz was among the first to scientifically study golf performance and identify the short game as the primary factor in scoring success. His research led to the discovery that nearly 80 percent of shots lost to par occur within 100 yards of the hole.
That groundbreaking insight became the foundation for his teachings, shifting the focus of golf instruction toward more wedge play and putting.
The Pros’ Pro
Pelz’s work changed how professionals prepared for competition. His expertise in wedge play helped Phil Mickelson refine his short game, leading to multiple major victories. Other notable players he worked with were Tom Kite, Lee Janzen, D.A. Weibring, Beth Daniel, Steve Elkington, Vijay Singh, Jane Geddes, Payne Stewart, Mike Weir, Patrick Reed, and many, many others. His students collectively won more than 20 major championships.
Born in Indiana and raised in Kentucky, Pelz took up golf early and earned a four-year golf scholarship to Indiana University, where he studied physics and thought he would prepare to play pro golf. However, as he wrote later, “I kept being beaten by other Big Ten golfers… especially a kid from Ohio State named Nicklaus.”
He then spent 14 years at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center conducting experiments on the atmosphere of the earth and other planets. But his passion for golf proved too strong and in 1975 he left NASA to focus on analyzing the game, using his scientific background to develop a data-driven approach unlike anything else at the time. His research and teaching made him known on the Tour as “Professor Putt.”
Dave Pelz was a tireless innovator
Pelz’s creativity led to numerous inventions and training aids, which continue to be used by golfers worldwide. His Pelz Teacher Putter helped golfers develop a more consistent and repeatable stroke, while the Dave Pelz Putting Tutor became a staple for tour players looking to improve their alignment and roll. In all, he was granted 20 patents related to golf equipment and training.
A former employee of Pelz, Carl Mickelson, once told Alabama Golf News that he was drawn to work for him because Pelz had an authentic desire to “to teach people how to become better golfers.”
One of Pelz’s most significant contributions was the “3X4 Wedge System,” which transformed the way golfers controlled the distance of their wedges improving accuracy and scoring efficiency.
Beyond coaching elite professionals, Pelz was deeply committed to helping everyday golfers. Since the mid-1980s, the Dave Pelz Scoring Game Schools have taught thousands of amateurs throughout the U.S. and around the world.
As an author, he reached millions more with best-selling books such as Putt Like the Pros, Dave Pelz’s Short Game Bible, and Dave Pelz’s Putting Bible. He was on the instruction staff at Golf Magazine for more than 35 years, contributing hundreds of articles. And for 15 years, he hosted The Dave Pelz Scoring Game Show on the Golf Channel.
After scientifically determining the best measures of putting skill, in 1996 Pelz founded the World Putting Championship allowing any pro or amateur to compete for the title of best putter on earth.
At his home in Texas, Pelz built his dream, a backyard golf laboratory featuring replicas of famous holes such as Augusta National’s 12th and TPC Sawgrass’s island 17th. This coaching and testing ground allowed him and his Pelz Institute research team to carry on refining his theories and training techniques even in the final weeks of his life. His dedication to research and innovation leaves a permanent mark on golf and continues to shape how players and coaches think about the scoring game.
Dave Pelz’s legacy is one of passion, precision, and relentless innovation. His impact on the game will continue to be felt for generations as golfers around the world apply his teachings to improve their scoring and strategy. He is survived by his wife, JoAnn, their five children, nine grandchildren, and a grateful golf community.
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Featured image of Dave Pelz courtesy of Pelz Golf
