Chinese trio embrace PGA skills

Three aspiring Chinese golfers aim to make their mark in the sport by qualifying as PGA Professionals.

Zaixing Zhang (left) Zi Li (centre) and Se Xiao (right) recently attended their first residential school at the PGA Training Academy at its PING House headquarters at the Belfry.

The trio are among a number of foreign golfers enrolled on the PGA’s world-renowned training programme, highlighting its global appeal.

All are linked to Beijing Shichahai Sports School in Beijing and spoke in glowing terms of their experience in England.

Zhang, aged 32, hails from Beijing and only started playing golf when he was 20 but hopes to carve out a career in coaching having previously studied golf facility management at Beijing Sports University.

“The PGA programme provides all the best knowledge we need to work as a professional in the golf industry,” said Zhang.

“I’ve been impressed how all the programme material is up to date along with the newest techniques and I especially enjoyed the equipment technology module. It has helped me recognise what are the most important factors in building a golf club, and how to improve a golfer’s performance through custom fitting.”

Li and Xiao, aged 24 and 26 respectively, both still harbour playing ambitions and compete regularly on the male and female professional tours in China and feel the programme will have benefits on their games.

“I’ve enjoyed all aspects of the programme – especially custom fitting and equipment technology – that was my favourite!” said Li.

Matthew Davies, development representative for the PGA, based at Mission Hills in China, commented: “We have developed a very strong relationship with the Beijing Shichahai Sports School ever since their principal visited the PGA National Training Academy back in 2011.

“As an Olympic training school, Shichahai is one of the national key sports institutions under the direct leadership of Beijing Municipal Bureau of Sports. With golf now part of the Olympic family, the school is looking to develop highly qualified coaches to develop elite Chinese golfers of the future.

“We are delighted to have the three of them enrolled on the PGA training programme and look forward to working with Shichahai to enrol more students in the future.”

Dr Kyle Phillpots, the PGA’s director of education and career development for the PGA added: “This year we have attracted students from a number of different countries around the world highlighting the international appeal of the PGA foundation degree programme.

“In the coming years we look forward to welcoming more students from China, and other countries in Asia, as the game of golf grows in the region and the demand for highly qualified golf professionals increases.”