PROFILE
> R E A D M O R E A B O U T L E N K E N N E T T ' S LO N G B E A C H L E G A C Y
L
en Kennett and his
wife Marie have
been married 64
years, but his love affair
with golf goes back even
longer than that. The Long
Beach resident is nearing
his 90th birthday, and has
been involved in the game
in Southern California as a
teacher and player since
before Arnold Palmer or
Jack Nicklaus had ever
won a professional
tournament.
His most notable
achievement may be the
junior event that bears his
name. In July, the 61st
annual Len Kennett Junior
Golf Championship was
contested at Lakewood
Country Club, with more
than 200 boys and girls
from age 11 to 18 teeing it
up in an event that over
the years has featured
many future tour players,
including Tiger Woods.
Kennett still serves as
the honorary starter,
introducing each player on
the first tee. A member of
the PGA Southern
California Section and
Long Beach Golf halls of
fame, he reflected recently
on a career in the game.
• • •
how are you keeping
busy these days? I retired
from Lakewood in 2001,
but I'm still involved in the
game. I play golf every
Wednesday at Virginia
Country Club with the
seniors group, and I've
shot my age 387 times.
• • •
what do you consider
your greatest
achievements? One, I
started no-charge golf
instruction for kids at all
the clubs where I worked,
including Marine
Memorial in Oceanside,
San Gabriel Country
Club, Los Verdes Golf
Course in Palos Verdes
and Lakewood going back
to 1951. To me, that was a
good use of my time, and I
still see a lot of kids around
that I helped get started in
golf. Two, I believe the
junior tournament being
played for 61 years is an
achievement, and I'm
proud of that.
• • •
what's your favorite
thing about the game of
golf? It's an excellent
family game. You can play
with your wife or Arnold
Palmer, and you have a
common opponent in the
golf course. I think it has
merit just on the strength
of that.
• • •
do you have a motto on
the golf course? "Stay
smooth." Basically, don't
get jerky and don't be in a
hurry – be smooth and
enjoy yourself. Smell the
roses. There are no secrets
in golf. If you hold the club
properly, stand over the
ball properly and swing
the club with rhythm, the
ball just gets in the way. If
you observe those relatively
simple suggestions, you
can play OK.
• • •
who would be in your
dream foursome? My wife,
Gene Littler and Paul
Runyan. The first one is
obvious. With Littler and
Runyan, they both cared
about the game. They
were always out to play
the game as it was meant
to be played.
leGend
in the
Game
Interesting insight
from longtime PGA
professional len Kennett
