Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, United States: The PGA of America has announced a multi-year partnership with China’s Mission Hills Group and Pacific Pine Sports Group that will see the launch of three PGA Golf Academies in China.
The partnership between the PGA of America – one of the world’s largest sporting organisations, with a membership of nearly 29,000 golf professionals, and Mission Hills, the world’s largest golf facility, with 22 golf courses across two locations – will see two PGA of America Academies established at the Mission Hills Shenzhen resort in southern China and a third academy at the Mission Hills Haikou resort on Hainan Island.
“China represents a tremendous growth opportunity for the game of golf,” said Arjun Chowdri, Senior Director for Global and Corporate Strategy for the PGA of America, an Executive Member of the Asian Golf Industry Federation.
He added: “We will continue to position PGA of America Members at the forefront in driving this growth. Mission Hills has shown an enduring commitment to the game, and it is our shared values that will allow us to make a true impact on the future of the game in China.”
Tenniel Chu, Group Vice Chairman of Mission Hills, said: “Since the reintroduction of golf to the Olympics and China’s bronze-medal success through Feng Shanshan, Mission Hills is committed to building on our legacy of providing world-class instruction, and now, bringing the ultimate in global teaching standards to golfers in China.
“With the PGA of America choosing Mission Hills for the PGA’s first academy in China, we can strive for more medals for the national team, but also continue to support the local golf industry, through coach education and management training, for a new generation of Chinese teaching professionals.”
Pacific Pine Sports Group has been appointed to manage the three academies at Mission Hills in China, with PGA of America Member Patrick Quernemoen overseeing operations.
Previously, both the PGA of America and Pacific Pine’s parent, i3 Sports, partnered to create a digital media strategy that localises the PGA’s vast library of content and distributes it via wide-reaching platforms, including a dedicated microsite on Sina Sports’ leading website.
“We are proud to partner again with the PGA of America,” said Quernemoen, PGA, COO of Pacific Pine Sports Group. “As a PGA Professional for 20 years, I know first-hand that the expertise and knowledge of the game by PGA Members is unparalleled. The PGA of America Academies at Mission Hills will be designed to introduce a new generation to the game within China, one of the fastest growing emerging markets in golf.”
When available, employment opportunities at the PGA of America Academies at Mission Hills China will be posted on PGA.org/jobs.