Athlone native chosen for New Jersey golf coaching award

Athlone native Kelan McDonagh has been chosen for a prestigious golf award in the United States of America.

The New Jersey section of the PGA of America has announced its award recipients for 2026, with McDonagh selected as Teacher & Coach of the Year.

A native of Drum, Athlone, McDonagh is director of instruction at Metedeconk National Golf Club, based in Jackson, New Jersey.

Kelan showed considerable golfing prowess from a young age at Athlone Golf Club. He was selected on Connacht and Ireland underage panels on several occasions.

McDonagh won the Irish Youths title in 2009 and the Mullingar Scratch Cup in 2010, either side of representing Ireland at the 2009 Home Internationals in Hillside, Liverpool.

A former student of Maynooth University, Kelan was selected on a four-man Ireland panel for the World University Golf Championships in Sun City, South Africa in 2008.

The chance to work in the US golf industry was always one of Kelan’s ambitions and a chance encounter with an American visitor, when working in Lahinch in the summer of 2016, eventually led to those dreams becoming a reality.

Kelan has credited the influence of Mike Adams, who has been been a mentor and friend to the Athlone man after he made the move to the USA.

The New Jersey PGA plans to recognise McDonagh and the other award winners later this year, on Thursday, October 22, at a special celebratory event at Canoe Brook Country Club and at the NJPGA fall meeting on Monday, October 26 at Fiddler's Elbow Country Club.