Annika Sorenstam conducting a junior clinic during a visit to Mission Hills this year.
Bangkok, Thailand: China’s Mission Hills Group has won Best Youth Development Programme at the 2018 Sport Industry Awards (SPIA) Asia.
The Mission Hills Junior Golf Programme, which has been helping to grow golf in China for more than 20 years, was judged by 37 international sport industry experts to be the best-of-the-best from more than 400 submissions.
Tenniel Chu, Vice-Chairman of Mission Hills Group, said: “Since my late father founded Mission Hills in 1992, my family has been fully committed to golf development in China, with more than 100,000 competitive rounds played by juniors at Mission Hills and more than US$6 million invested into our Junior Golf Programme.
“This award is recognition not only for Mission Hills, but also for our partners like The R&A and for our junior golf ambassadors, including
Annika Sorenstam,
Jack Nicklaus and Sir
Nick Faldo.”
Dominic Wall, Director of Asia-Pacific for The R&A, said: “The R&A enjoys a good relationship with Mission Hills and the Chu family, who have been at the forefront of golf development in China since 1992. We appreciate their contribution to the game, both in China and globally, and congratulate them on this well-deserved award.”
Mission Hills Group is the owner and operator of two luxury resorts in China, one in Shenzhen in southern China and the other in Haikou on the tropical tourism island of Hainan. Together, the fully-integrated facilities span a total of 40 square kilometres and 22 golf courses, making Mission Hills the largest golf complex in the world.
The Mission Hills Junior Golf Programme features more than 50 junior tournaments per year across its two locations, as well as coaching, camps and clinics, a new schools’ initiative, free access for juniors to three of its courses and free entry into the newly-opened Dr
David Chu Golf Museum, the first in China.