Chris Jenkins PGA

Biography

I qualified as a PGA Golf Professional in 1994 after spending 3 years as a student at Kingston University studying an HND in Golf Studies, alongside my PGA Qualifications.  This meant I felt more qualified than the average Golf Professional to embark on my career in Golf, as I had the business knowledge that has been invaluable to me throughout my career.

I started my journey as an Assistant Professional at Ellesborough Golf Club in Buckinghamshire where I stayed for a year and a half.  Ellesborough is a Private Members’ Golf Club in the heart of the Chiltern Hills and it is here where I got my first taste for coaching.  From here, I joined Top Meadow Golf Club in Essex where I was attached as a PGA Assistant for another year and a half.  During this time I mainly played and competed on various Golf Tours, although I still felt I needed to feed my passion for coaching and learning about the science of coaching golf.

It is because of this that I felt I needed to follow my dream, and it was Spring 1996 when I joined the team at the Alan Walker owned Warren Park Golf Centre in Chadwell Heath, Essex.  I was employed as a Full Time PGA Golf Coach and stayed for 4 years coaching all levels of Golfer.  I was part of a 6 strong coaching team and surrounded with some of the best in the profession.  I was very lucky during my time at Warren Park to have met and worked alongside such influential people within the world of golf.  Alan Walker (PGA Captain 1997-1999), David Colclough (Head of Coaching and Sports Science at The PGA) and Dennis Pugh (Sky Sports presenter and coach to Colin Montgomerie) to name just three.  In fact a lot of what I use within my coaching today has evolved from mixing with these people during those 4 years! 

It was at Warren Park where I met the then 9 year old Oliver Fisher.  I just thought he was an amazing talent from the very first time I saw him.  I’d just bought myself my first video camera and I was giving free analysis of people’s swings.  Along came Oliver, with his dad Rupert, and we had a look at Oli’s golf swing.  I could never have foreseen what was to come a few years down the line, although I could see he was something special.  Everything about him, his swing, his tempo, his personality, it was all different from your average 9 year old who walks through the door for his first golf lesson, and I just knew I had to do all I could to help nurture what I had in front of me.  I coached Oliver right up until he won on the European Tour, and included many coaching highlights during this time.  Oliver won at every age group possible up until becoming the youngest ever Walker Cup player at 16 years of age.  At 17, he became the youngest Englishman to gain a European Tour card and won his first Professional Tournament at the Czech Open in 2013.

In 2000 I decided to move to a Crowlands Golf Centre in Dagenham.  I moved to Crowlands because the facilities were more complete for me as a coach.  Included was a quality 9 hole golf course, 30 bay Aqua Driving Range and a Short Game Area, and that meant I could teach all areas of the game to a much better quality.

Professional Accolades

I’m now an owner and Director of Crowlands Golf Centre and I’ve grown my academy into one of the best in the country.  I’ve produced many of the country’s best players with many reaching National and International standards.

In November 2009 I was appointed by England Golf as Under 18 Boys East Region Coach.  This means I’m responsible for coaching all performance areas of the very best players from Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Bedfordshire.  This includes creating and implementing Personal Development Plans and improving all areas of the game such as long game, pitching, short game, putting, stats collection, tournament preparation and support, psychology, diet and nutrition and strength and conditioning.  I’m very blessed to work alongside the very best coaches in the country at England golf.  This includes golf coaches such as Graham Walker, Steve Robinson and Rob Watts  to name but a few.  It doesn’t stop there though.  There is a Psychology department headed up by Grey Matters and a Strength & Conditioning department lead by European Tour consultant and Lecturer in Sport Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences, Daniel Coughlan.  We are at the forefront of talent development and to be part of that is truly amazing.

I also write in various golf magazine publications such as Golf World Magazine, and in 2019 I was very proud to be awarded the title of ‘Fellow of the Professional Golfers’ Association’.  My knowledge and expertise has resulted in being asked to speak at many professional body conferences including the England Golf Coaching Conferences and the PGA of Great Britain Coaching Conference.

 I am also Boys Coach for the Essex Golf Union for which I am very proud to be associated. Having spent most of my life in Essex, it’s great that I am now in a position to help develop the golfing talent within the county.

But yes, I can still find time to coach all levels of player and would be delighted to help you achieve your goals as a golfer.  I look forward to seeing you soon.