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POPULAR professional golfer and columnist Matt Chalmers is leaving Bahrain to take up the challenge of helping the Chinese to master the game … and GulfWeekly played a hand in securing him the plum position!
After two ‘very happy’ years as head PGA professional at Awali Golf Club (AGC) where he learned to play as a schoolboy, he will be moving to Beijing to assume the role of Senior Instructor at Bayhood Number 9 Golf Club’s PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) Academy.
“Golf in China is growing rapidly and I am extremely excited about the opportunity to contribute. I will be heading back to the UK shortly to organise my visa and intend to assume the position in Beijing in early June,” he said.
This week China continued to cement its position in the world of golf by announcing plans to host its first Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) event in the capital city.
The $1.8 million Reignwood LPGA Classic, scheduled from October 3-6, will feature some of the world’s best professional female golfers at neighbouring Reignwood Pine Valley. The event will be the first stop on the LPGA’s much-anticipated Asian swing.
Dr Chanchai Ruayrungruang, Reignwood Group chairman said: “The game of golf has received a major boost with its inclusion in the 2016 Olympics and we strongly believe that this will further establish China as a golfing destination and give golf fans in China the opportunity to enjoy world-class action right on their doorstep.”
Zhang Xiaoning, Vice-President and Secretary General of the China Golf Association (CGA), is excited. He said: “These events present a fantastic platform for our talented up-and-coming Chinese players to pit their skills against world-class golfers as they look ahead to the Olympics.
“It is also an opportunity for the world to see what a wonderful place China is to watch and play golf in.”
Adam Zhu, vice chairman – Asia Pacific – of event organisers CCTV-IMG, said: “Golf in Asia is going from strength-to-strength. With over 400 golf courses in the country, I believe China is in a very strong position to spearhead this.”
There is also a growing middle class in China with more money and time to invest in sport following the nation’s economic growth.
The Bayhood position was advertised on the British PGA website. “I spent a good week or so putting together the best CV and covering letter package I could and sent it in,” Chalmers said.
“I had my interview about 10 days later and was offered the position a week after that! On my CV, I noted that I was a columnist for GulfWeekly and have been writing weekly instructional articles throughout my time at AGC.
“One of the interviewers asked about this and was particularly impressed that I was getting my articles ‘published’. Naturally, I am very grateful to GulfWeekly for the opportunity!”
Chalmers, 26, moved to Bahrain in 1992 at the age of five with his family, namely his dad Bill, a former AGC secretary, his mum Carole and his sisters Rebecca and Sarah and brother, Blair. Although the entire family plays golf, Matt was the only Chalmers who wanted to make it as a professional.
“I am going to miss Awali Golf Club and Bahrain very much. My family has lived in the kingdom since 1992, I had my first ever golf lesson on the range where I have been teaching, which is something that is very special to me. Bahrain will always be home to me and I look forward to coming back to visit in the future.
“I will always be very grateful to the AGC committee and members for their continued support throughout my time here as head professional. Also I’d like to thank my friends at the neighbouring Royal Golf Club for their kindness and support,” he added.
Chalmers says there have been many highlights during his time at AGC but the one that stands out was watching Yvonne Newall win the Ladies Open in March in the fashion that she did. “The feeling that I had when she holed the final putt will stay with me for a long time,” he said.
Members will most likely remember the time and effort Chalmers has put into the club’s junior section.
He said: “When I returned to AGC, there were very few juniors coming for lessons I currently work with around 25 juniors a week and have enjoyed getting them out onto the newly-built par 3 course.
“The majority of the work I’ve done with the kids has been one-on-one, so it is great to see them correctly demonstrate the fundamentals of my coaching philosophy, which I believe will stand them in good stead throughout their entire golfing lives.
“Moving forward, I hope that AGC can attract another professional to continue coaching when the season begins at the end of September. A club like AGC deserves to have a professional to cater to the needs of the vibrant membership and junior section.
“One of my main goals was to get a strong enough junior section to resurrect the Awali Golf Club junior foresomes competition and I have no doubt it will not be long before that happens.”
Ace McAlpine, Captain of Awali Golf Club, said: “Matthew has been our teaching professional for only a relatively short time, but in that time he has earned the respect and confidence of so many. He is a willing, self-starting, and enthusiastic golf-instructor who possesses an innate ability to determine the root cause of a golfer’s swing and deliver the necessary practice drills and regime to rectify it!
“He has built a repeat business client base, and I suspect that they are really going to miss his guidance and coaching.
“It would be remiss of me to overlook the sterling work Matt has done for the AGC junior coaching scheme and I commend him for his diligence and teaching qualities.
“The club wish him every success in his new position as Senior Instructor at the first PGA academy in the Far East. Good luck Matthew, not that you need it!”
