By Malkeet Kaur
Malaysian veteran golfer Nellan Vellasamy no longer walks among us. The 71-year-old passed away at 2.30am this morning (May 16, 2020) at University Hospital, Petaling Jaya. According to his son Tharvindren, Nellan complained of a tightness in his torso, so they rushed him to the ER around 10pm last night. He was admitted and after several tests, the family was informed that his heart was slowly weakening and eventually, as his son said amidst choking back his emotions – “he just left us.”
Born on September 30, 1949, Nellan was one of those individuals with an engaging personality that was larger than life. He had a lot of stories to tell, some so outrageous one wasn’t quite sure if he was pulling one’s leg or not. The Libran had a wealth of colourful golf stories to tell anyone who listened, and he had a tremendous sense of humour, was never afraid to speak his mind on any topic, especially about the state of our local professional golf scene. Nellan was an accomplished professional and a well-loved teaching professional, not just in Malaysia but throughout Asia. He was truly a Malaysian golf legend.
“My father had always done things his own way. He was always joking. Even at the hospital, despite having just vomited, he was still joking with the nurses. I could hear laughter behind the curtains,” said Tharvindren, who revealed that the MCO was difficult for his father as he wasn’t used to staying put at home.
“He was always outdoors, travelling and living his life. We thank God that he was in the country when the MCO was imposed,” said Tharvindren.
Golf was the love of Nellan’s life. In his own words he once said that golf consumed his very being. This year, he celebrated 50 years of being ‘in the biz’ – a golden anniversary that meant the world to him.
Nellan was the eldest of 10 siblings who grew up around the Royal Selangor Golf Club (RSGC) area. His family – including him, starting at age 13 – earned a livelihood at the country’s premier golf club. Not many people can say they shared a lesson with crooner Engelbert Humperdinck or caddied for Malaysia’s then prime ministers Tunku Abdul Rahman and Tun Abdul Razak, as well as former premier of Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew.
Nellan played his first Malaysian Open in 1969 and his last in 1989. His two tournament victories included the 1985 Tasek Cement Matchplay and the 1987 Malaysian PGA Championship. He proudly represented Malaysia in two World Cups, recording the country’s best finish then at 11th place together with Bobby Lim in the 1977 edition at Wack Wack Golf & Country Club in Manila, Philippines. At the 1976 World Cup in Palm Springs, USA, he and Zainal Abidin Yusof finished 32nd.
In his lifetime, Nellan had met and socialised with a host of golf legends such as Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Gary Player – even the great West Indies cricketer Garry Sobers.
Nellan cheated death twice; he survived a plane disaster at Subang Airport in 1983 when the flight from Singapore crash-landed two kilometres short of the runway, and he beat colon cancer in 2007.
As a teaching pro, he had worked with Kelab Golf Negara Subang, Tasik Utara Golf Club (now known as Johor Golf Club) and Seremban International Golf Club. As an ambassador for Saujana Golf & Country Club, his teaching skills were in demand all over Asia – and that all began when a group of Indian visitors took lessons from him at Saujana and later invited him to teach beginners and juniors in India. Indeed, despite his advancing age, he had become Malaysia’s veteran golfing nomad travelling frequently to East Malaysia and to different parts of the world imparting his golfing knowledge and skills to groups of golfers who valued his homespun style of golf instructions.
Nellan was truly well loved, evidenced by the number of phone calls received by his family and friends from around the world, all saddened by the loss of their coach – most of all, a friend. Nellan is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter.
You will be sorely missed, dear old friend. Rest in peace.
