Born into a family of athletes in China, Qianyao Han has used the PGA of Australia Trainee Program to launch a sporting career on her own two feet.

Qianyao “Yoyo” Han always wanted to be an elite hurdler. Her parents were respected athletes. In fact, when asked if she’d ever had any other aspirations, her reply was concrete: “I always wanted to be at the Olympic Games, to be the champion, that was always the dream.”

In fact, so committed was she to her cause that she left her parents home aged 13 to go and train at a camp in the South of China full-time. No parents, no visits home, no distractions. Such is the way of doing things in China when you’re aiming to be the best.

At the age of 16 though, she suffered a back injury, forcing her out of athletics for good. In one of those ever-interesting twists of fate, it was then that she fell into playing golf full-time.

“My coach at the time had the chance to send his daughter to a Chinese state-sponsored squad to start a golf career, but she didn’t want to go,” Han said.

“They looked at me and thought, she’s a tall girl, we’ll give her a chance and see what she can do, because I couldn’t do any other training at the time.”

This chance proved to be all Qianyao needed. After an initial training period of two weeks, she was selected in a group of 10 girls and 10 boys to become part of a full-time development squad. The squad was based out of the huge Mission Hills Golf Club.

“After a couple of years, they picked five boys and five girls to go to Australia and develop our golf career. Obviously I wanted to turn Pro, but at the time I got out here I wasn’t ready.

“My visa was running out though, so I had to go for the risk. I trained from 7am until 9pm for four years to get selected for the PGA Trainee Program, and if I didn’t get in, I would be kicked out of Australia."

Out of the 10 students selected to move to Australia, two are sent home every year. Generally the oldest are the first to go, after they reach an age when Chinese Golf’s governing body determines that they may not have what it takes to go Pro.

This often leaves talented Chinese golfers like Qianyao working and playing not only for their chance to make it big in golf, but also to remain in Australia. It doesn’t matter how good you are, and while Yoyo was one of the lucky ones in being kept Down Under, she knows exactly how lucky she is to still be in the country.

“I was one of the three oldest remaining in the team, so I was basically told that I better start working really hard,” she said.

“It was very stressful at the time, but I know that it was something I needed to do. I didn’t want to get sent back to China, but I was lucky enough and worked hard enough to stay in Australia to complete the PGA Trainee Program. Without my coach, Tim Wendell working with me at the time, I’d never have gotten it.”

It was through the Australian PGA’s Trainee Program though when she picked up not only the skills to further her game and the way she teaches it to others, but also some incredibly valuable life lessons.

PGA of Australia Coaching Programs Manager Nick Bielawski was very impressed with Han’s determination and dedication to the program; she fully immersed herself in all aspects of the learning process.

“When Yoyo arrived in Australia her English, life skills and ability to think independently was quite poor, she wasn’t the most talented player in the program.” Bielawski said.

“Throughout her journey to and through the PGA Trainee Program she has been determined to improve in all areas. She persisted and now she is a highly valued member of the PGA of Australia.”

“In China, basically if you tell us “go this way”, we cannot go the other way. We don’t argue, we just follow,” Han said of the learning curve

“Coming to Australia, we started to learn to have a personality. I’m allowed to say whatever I want to say. I can learn to be an individual as well.”

Now a qualified PGA Professional, Qianyao is just a sponsorship away from going on tour. She’s also the only Chinese female with PGA Vocational Membership in Australia, and one of few Mandarin-speaking qualified Pro in the country. Aiming to set up her own golf academy in Australia, Yoyo is confident there’s a market who requires her particular set of skills.

“I learned golf in a very hard way. My coaching style is now basically, how do I benefit from this?I’ve stopped thinking everyone should do the same things. We all have different bodies and we all make different movements.

“You pick up bad habits by copying what everyone else is doing and that can take years to change. You have to think, how do I create power? Where should I go from here? How do I benefit from this? That’s the way I’m training other people.”

Asking her whether this is something that ought to be adopted by teachers in China, Qianyao was passionate in her response. Speaking to her, you can feel the drive in her voice and you know that she’s destined for big things.

“I think clients have the right to know exactly why they’re doing what you’re asking them to do. No “do this, do that”, which is pretty important in Chinese culture. I always try to explain everything to both my western and my Chinese clients, and I’m even talking back to my parents more, which shocks them every time. Everyone should be on the same level.”

The PGA Trainee Program provides a platform to gain varied and valuable training and education within golf. Since its inception, the PGA Trainee Program has been producing PGA Professionals who have gone on to forge successful careers in both Vocational and Tournament areas.

A PGA Trainee works alongside fully qualified PGA Professionals at approved golf facilities around Australia and receives practical work experience and on the job training. In addition, Trainees gain access and play in a number of professional events for the duration of the program. Upon successful completion of the program graduates receive exclusive Membership to one of the oldest and most respected sporting associations in the world, the PGA.

For more information, visit www.pga.org.au.