Chris Holden – GM & Head PGA Instructor at Wedge

Chris Holden

Chris Holden, General Manager and Head PGA Instructor at Wedge, gives insight into his role and thoughts on making golf more inclusive.

What do you do? 

I am General Manager and Head PGA Instructor at Wedge.

How did you get into the industry? 

I’veI’ve been playing golf since I was a kid, and I have loved golf for the longest time. An opportunity to study Sports Science Golf at the University of Pretoria set me in motion to continue and never leave the industry. While studying golf, I was training at the High Performace Centre. I trained and played golf nearly every day, competing in amateur tournaments and perfecting my skills to become professional. 

After studying Sports Science Golf at the University of Pretoria, I worked for the university, where I helped open a new driving range on campus and gave golf lessons to students and people living in the area. We started a junior program that is still running to this day. In 2013 I moved to Malaysia and have been coaching golf ever since. 

Share with us a story from behind the scenes.

For me, behind the scenes, is coming up with different programs for my students to follow from juniors to adults( which is a very different approach) and then keeping up to date with new training techniques and how they can apply to my students, every person is different, and so we have to adapt your own style of coaching to the student, depending on mobility, flexibility and goals in mind. After each lesson, we will send follow-up videos to my student to help them practice and also see before and after changes so we can track their progress. 

What golf memory from your childhood stands out? 

One of my earliest memories of golf was when I was around seven or eight years old, being on the driving range with my dad teaching me how to play. I can remember this quite well cause something happened that day. While I was hitting, one of my balls faded off to the left-hand side of the driving range and hit an adult on the back of the head. He dropped to the ground, and then my dad and myself ran to see if the man was okay. By the time we got to him, he was back up and standing. He said he was okay and that it was his fault cause he was walking down the driving range looking for his errant shot. He seemed okay and continued to play. I will always remember to be cautious when on the golf course and when I see people in front of me.

What’s the best/ worst part of your job?

The best part is I play golf most days and meet many great people. Many of my clients have become friends, and I love playing on the course with them.

There isn’t the worst part, although I do need to work most weekends which can be a little tiring sometimes.

What’s one of Chris Holden’s favourite food and beverage pairings? 

During a halfway break on the golf course back in South Africa, I loved to have a toasted cheese sandwich and Steelworks (ginger beer, bitters, and soda water). But for dinner, it would be steak and red wine.

The perfect day off would…

… start with a morning round of golf, followed by a nice lunch and then hitting the slopes for some snowboarding.

A day in the life of Chris Holden is…

I’m usually up in the morning to start my day with some exercise, either in the gym or pool. Then off to work – that typically begins with a couple hours of coaching or team meetings before lunch. Between engagements with the team, I usually have some coaching sessions in the afternoon. Then we have several events / private groups at Wedge, so we might be getting set up for those. During the day, when I have some spare time, I will hit some balls. 

What does Chris Holden do for fun? 

Surprisingly I play golf with friends, go hiking, and then I’ll be watching when there is sport on.

What’s something you’d like guests to know about Wedge? 

Wedge is for everyone. Whether you’ve never hit a golf ball before or you’re a seasoned player, it’s a space to come and feel a part of something, kick back and have some fun. We’re about the counter-culture of golf – challenging tradition and creating the coolest, most inclusive and most accessible golf spaces for the next generation of golfers.

How have you grown in your profession? What are your key learnings from your start in the industry until now?

I’ve coached hundreds of people, from juniors to adults, and I am constantly learning – from my clients and various courses that I continue to join to carry on my learning. Over time, I’ve become more experienced and understand individuals better, so my coaching can be tailored to each person, addressing their different physical makeup and goals. 

Any misconceptions? 

That golf is only for a certain type of person. Golf can be for everyone, and there are many different ways to get into the game – you just have to find the right kind of people and the right place to introduce you into the game and give you the basics to get you started. 

What do you want people to know about being a PGA Professional Coach as a profession? 

We are problem solvers, and sometimes it takes a while to solve the complex puzzle of an individual’sindividual’s golf swing, so give us time typically. More than one lesson is needed to make any serious change. 

What is one of your favourite experiences from your time coaching in Malaysia? 

Some kids who started golf with me have been playing and competing for many years. The youngest was four years old when I moved to Malaysia, and now he is 14 years old and one of the best juniors in the country.

What’s your view on the golf industry in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia? 

The pandemic positively impacted golf worldwide, and that shift is being seen in KL with more and more people getting into the game. This is great, but there is so much room for growth and inclusion, which can be really driven by getting more younger people into golf and challenging the typical stereotypes about golf. The exciting thing is the opportunity for Wedge to be at the forefront of that change.

What practices do you currently implement or hope to implement to work towards social responsibility and sustainability in the future?

Being kind to the planet is a core value at Wedge. We work with our impact partner, Handprint, ensuring that every booking contributes to the region’s reforestation and community project. We also work with local partners such as Kualesa, who are eco-conscious, as well as looking at our products and suppliers to make the best decision for people and the planet. 

What can guests look forward to in the upcoming months? 

We have many exciting things coming up in the next few months, and we always want to bring exciting and different things to our community.  

We have kicked off our Social League with Kualesa, which will take place on the first Monday of every month, where participants can compete to play in the Race to Hartamas Grand Final. We have also launched our monthly Ladies’Ladies’ Club Night with l1vin and Little Tigers Junior Program for kids aged 7-11, as well as a series of take-overs with pop-up restaurants, wine tasting and a Quiz Night.  

Find more interviews similar to this one with Chris Holden here, and stay updated on the latest food and beverage happenings in KL here.