PGA of America announces partnership with Mission Hills China
The PGA of America has announced a multiyear partnership with China’s Mission Hills Group and PacificPine 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 organizations, 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, PGA of America Senior Director for Global and Corporate Strategy. “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.”
“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,” said Tenniel Chu, Group Vice Chairman of Mission Hills. “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.”
PacificPine 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 PacificPine’s parent, i3 Sports, partnered to create a digital media strategy that localizes 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 PacificPine 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.”
Mission Hills recently received 12 top honors at the 2018 Asian Golf Awards. Among those, its Jack Nicklaus designed World Cup Course—one of 12 signature-designed courses in Shenzhen—was awarded Best Course in China, while Mission Hills Haikou, located on the tropical tourism island of Hainan and featuring an additional 10 championship courses, was voted Best Golf Resort in the Asia-Pacific for the seventh consecutive year.
