The man who will be honoured with the 2014 Asia Pacific Life-Time Achievement In Golf is very special to the golf industry. Joe Thiel is one of only some 200 golf professionals in the U.S. who have earned the prestigious PGA Master Professional designation.
Thiel has earned the PGA Teacher of the Year award three times – in 1993, 1995, and again in 1997. He has also been honoured as one of the Top 100 Teachers in America and named as being amongst the Top 50 golf instructors in America.
Some of Thiel’s greatest successes in teaching are visible in Asia. While teaching in Japan and Korea, Thiel shaped the careers of some of Asia’s finest golfers and many of his students are internationally known professionals, enjoying successes on tours in Korea, Japan and in the United States.
US Open Champion and World Golf Hall Of Famer Se Ri Pak, US Amateur Champion and 19-time Tour winner Michiko Hattori, and 38-time professional winner and 6-time JLPGA leading money winner Yuri Fudoh are among the more than 30 LPGA players he has tutored.
Thiel is also the Master Coach of the Mizuno Golf School of Japan.
There is perhaps no one more passionate about golf and the teaching of the game and its life values to youngsters than Joe. The 37 year veteran has the spunk and get-up of a kid and all that he really cares about is having an opportunity to make a difference in people’s lives using golf as his platform.
Kudos and plaudits for Joe from fellow professionals and students are profuse and impressive. “Joe is one of the most dedicated and qualified golf professionals I have ever known. He has taught some of golf’s finest players around the world and is continually searching for new ideas that will help golfers of any level,” said Mike McGetrick,1999 PGA Teacher of the Year.
“Listening to Joe speak is like being transfixed to an impassioned preacher addressing a large multitude of people – he is absolutely engaging, sincere and totally different from anyone I have heard discussing golf and its growth,” said Mike Sebastian, CEO of the Asia Pacific Golf Group and owner/producer of 2014 Asia Pacific Golf Summit, the host for the Asia Pacific Life-Time Achievement Award.
Asia Pacific Golf Summit www.golfconference.org