The PGA of Germany continues to grow: After successfully completing its exams, the professional association of golf professionals welcomes 33 new Fully Qualified PGA Professionals to its ranks. The best graduate of the final exams at Quellness Golf Resort Bad Griesbach and GC St. Leon-Rot, with an overall grade of 1.5, was Justin Milliner, who initially completed his training with David Entwistle at the Red Golf Moorfleet facility and later with Esther Poburski and the Hanseatic Eagles. In addition to the Fully Qualifieds, 52 PreCourse participants and 60 assistants passed the exams
.Three years they spent learning how to teach golf, now they teach golf to all levels and in a few weeks they will start their first season as full members of the PGA of Germany: 33 gentlemen successfully passed the 2022 final exams to become Fully Qualified PGA Golf Professionals, now teach the basics of golf, coach ambitious players, coach teams, top amateurs and even tour players.
The best graduate of the 2022 exam class was Justin Milliner from Lütjensee near Hamburg, who achieved an overall grade of 1.5, demonstrating outstanding individual and group teaching skills in particular; and he also got an A in the oral exam. The 26-year-old began his training as a PGA Professional in 2019 with David Entwistle at the Red Golf Moorfleet course and received the basic training of a golf instructor there and at the accompanying PGA seminars. “David taught me how to teach beginners, how to teach them the basics, and most importantly, how to teach them the excitement and passion for golf,” Milliner said. Having virtually grown up on the golf course himself, and being the son of golf instructor Gary Milliner, familiar with the sport from a young age and quickly becoming an excellent golfer himself, Justin Milliner had to put himself back in the shoes of beginners here and their problems, such as hitting the ball at all.
“It was very valuable for me to learn this!”
But since he himself also has a great penchant for competitive sports, he switched to the Hanseatic Golf Union for the last part of the three-year training program and placed himself in the care of state squad coach Esther Poburski. She drilled Milliner in working with top amateurs – and also awakened his ambition: “I told Esther that I wanted to take the best final exam of the year, and with her truly incredible help and support, I did it!”
Justin Milliner continues to take his first steps as a now Fully Qualified PGA Professional in Hamburg with the Hanseatic Eagles and the Hanseatic Golf Union, respectively, where he serves as co-coach of the girls. Milliner: “I’m very happy to be able to continue working here in competitive sports, but I’m also fully aware that after the Fully Qualified exam, you’re at the very beginning of your professional life as a golf instructor, you’re still green behind the ears yourself, and you still have a lot to learn.
That ‘s something I’m looking forward to!”
Incidentally, he also has that in common with the next generation of golf instructors: Five ladies and 47 men passed the PGA PreCourse 2022 and can enter Module I on February 1, 2023; eight ladies and 52 men successfully passed the Assistant Examination 2022; Module II begins for them on February 1, 2023.
