Travis Kellegrew a Standout Golfer

Travis Kellegrew, a soon to be junior at UMass Lowell, has a busy golf schedule ahead of him. The Chelmsford native qualified for the Mass Amateur Golf Tournament this summer, and also plans to compete in the Lowell Cities tournament several weeks later. To qualify for Mass Amateur, Kellegrew established himself as one of the top 140 amateur golfers in the state.

Last summer, Kellegrew finished in the top 12 for the Lowell Cities tournament.

Posting an average score of 80.82 for the 2010 – 11 season, Kellegrew was named captain of the D-II team for next year, and as one of the oldest starting players on the team, he plans to lead by example.

“I’d like to lead the team as a captain. You don’t necessarily have to be the best player, but id like to go out there and have some good rounds to show the guys what we expect,” he said.

Just halfway through his college career, Kellegrew already has an impressive resume in the golf world. He golfs with a handicap of three, and was named MVP on his high school team two years in a row. He lists Brandt Snedeker as his favorite golfer.

Over the years, Kellegrew’s love for the game has helped him to become a standout player. Golfing and entering tournaments for fun provided valuable practice time, without seeming like work.

“My golf career revolves around having fun. I don’t play in too many tournaments, and when I do, I just like to have fun; I don’t care what I shoot. I play with my friends mostly, and after years of doing that, I’ve eventually gotten pretty good,” he said.

Kellegrew has continually improved over the years. As a freshman at UML, he was named freshman of the week, and posted an average of 81.57 for his first season on the team. For this upcoming year, Kellegrew aims to get his scoring average down to a 76 or 77.

“I’m playing better now than I was last year,” he said.

The key to his game is the strength that he can put behind the ball. Kellegrew explained that he can use a three wood, a club that allows for more a precise drive, to hit the ball just as far as an opponent could using a more powerful, but less accurate driver. This allows him to hit the ball far away, but right where he wants it to land.

“I’d say my strength is my power, but I’m not a person to go out there and try to kill it as hard as I can every single time,” Kellegrew said.

Kellegrew said his favorite part about playing golf is participating on the UML team, because he gets to travel to tournaments that he otherwise wouldn’t be able to attend.

“The school tournaments are really fun,” he said. “We get to play a lot of really nice courses anywhere from New Jersey, to California, to New York, and then around here.  [Sometimes], it feels like I’m playing on the PGA tour. Every week I go to a different place, and we stay in hotel rooms, and eat out. It’s just a bunch of guys having fun.”

"Most of my friends from school are on the golf team, because I spend every weekend with them. That’s why I picked UMass Lowell, because I knew I wanted to play golf, and it’s exactly what I thought it would be; it’s really fun," said Kellegrew.