Golfing Scrapbook of "Koala" Karl Vilips

email: pauls@westnet.com.au

Karl Vilips

Australia
ph: 0410646708
pauls@westnet.com.au

Biography

Quick Facts about Karl (as @ February 22nd, 2012)

Karl is 10 years old.
He has Won 2 US Kids World Championships, at Ages 7 & 9.

Personal Best 18-hole Score of 5-over Par, achieved twice in January, 2012 in Member's competition at Southern Golf Club.
Plays off a current Men's Golf Handicap of 7.7
His best Men's Handicap as a 9-year-old was 11.3 and as an 8-Year-old was 16.2. He did not have an official handicap as a 7-year-old.
Has won 25 tournaments in Australia and 6 tournaments in the USA
Has been raised by his Dad since the age of 1 year.
Got a plastic set of clubs at the age of 2.
Got a beginner metal kids set at age 4.
Started "getting into golf" at the age of 5.
Until recently had bought all his clubs, bags & balls by finding lost balls in the rough at a local course, cleaning them up and selling them to the local golf shop in exchange for his equipment.
Is Mizuno Golf's youngest Contracted Player.
Competed in his first US Kids World Championships in 2008 in the 6-Year-old division with a half set of beginners clubs, finishing 7th.
Won the 7-Years division of the 2009 US Kids World Championships at age 7. Results here.
Won the 9-Years division of the 2009 US Kids World Championships at age 7. (Karl wasn't able to compete as an 8-year-old due to funding.)
Came 4th at the 2009 Callaway Junior Worlds in the 7-8 year old division whilst age 7 and 13th in 2011 in the 9-10 years division at age 9.
Came 2nd in the 2010 Callaway FCG World Championships, 8-years boys, going down in the 7th Playoff hole.
In 2011 he came 5th in the same event in the 9-10 Boys age division, also winning the Underclassman Award (Best 9-Year-old's score).

Had his first Hole-in-One at the 2009 Callaway Junior Worlds at age 7. Scorecard here.
Current Swing Speed of over 80mph and Driver "carry" of over 180 yards, as measured at the Bridgestone Ball Testing facility at the 2011 US Kids Worlds at Pinehurst.
Best Competition score as an 8-year-old of a 9-over 81 off the back Tees on a 6,327 yards Par 71 layout in August 2010 at a Greg Norman Junior Masters qualifying event.

Best Competition score as a 9-year-old of a 7-over 79 in Southern Golf Club"s annual ANZAC Day Men's competition on the Par 72, 6,623 Meter (6849 yard) Southern Golf Club on April 26, 2011. The course rating is 73.

The amazing life of Karl.

Karl was on 16th August, 2001 in Jakarta, Indonesia, but is an Australian Citizen and moved to Australia at 3-months of age.

He has a Eurasian ethnic mix, with his mother being Indonesian and his Dad Australian.

Karl has been raised solely by his father since he was 15-months of age after his mother left Australia. At age 5 his father had to sell their home due to factors beyond his control.

From age 7 to 9, Karl lived the double life of being a golf champion whilst being without a home, calling more than a dozen temporary living situations "home" over this period. Whilst meeting the likes of Tiger Woods, Greg Norman and Adam Scott, neither they nor few others knew of his unusual situation. Despite all this, Karl flourished at school.

Since moving to Melbourne in April, Karl's once again had his own bedroom after 2 years without one via temporary emergency accomodation whilst they await permanent housing.

Currently, Karl's dream is to live in the USA and play golf. Golf has given Karl the one thing that he alone can have control over.