Longstanding PGA of Germany Member Professional Ulrich Eckhardt has been awarded the Confederation of Professional Golf’s John Jacobs Award for Teaching & Coaching 2020.
Created in 2011 to honour one of the most pre-eminent coaches of all time, the John Jacobs award recognises individuals for their significant contributions and achievements as golf coaches, and boasts a glittering list of pioneering coaches to have previously received the award including Phil Kenyon, Neil Manchip and last year’s recipient, Sergio Bertaina.
Having enjoyed an established amateur career during his eight-year period with the German National team, to accompany previous appearances on both the European and Challenge Tours, Eckhardt has utilised a successful playing career to help coach and develop others on the national and international stage for Germany.
In 2018, Eckhardt became National Coach for the German Men’s Team and also individual coach to Matthias Schmid. This culminated in the latter claiming the European Championship in 2019 and then going onto successfully defended his title in 2020. But perhaps the greatest success for Eckhardt as a coach came when Germany won the European Championship for the first time in its history.
During his award acceptance speech, Eckhardt said: “I am so happy to be here and to win this award, it means a lot. For this award, I have to give credit to a number of coaches that I have been fortunate enough to have shadowed, observed and learned from during my career – without them I wouldn’t be in the position I am.”
CPG Chief Executive Ian Randell added: “It is an honour to be awarding this year’s accolade to a fantastic coach and well-deserving individual in Ulrich. PGA Members continue to be at the forefront of coaching and as such developing and nurturing the next generation of golfers across all skill levels and walks of life. Ulrich boasts an exemplary resumé in this regard and I am sure he will continue to add to recent successes in German and international golf in the years to come.”
