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MEET THE CHU BROTHERS – The most powerful people in Golf?
Ken and Tenniel Chu are the faces of golf in China and the driving forces behind the world’s largest golf resort, Mission Hills. Take a look at the family who have shaped golf over the last 30 years.
The Chu brothers electrify the golf industry with their entrepreneurial nature by encouraging equality in the sport, collaborating with the greatest names in golf, and creating a ‘Golf and more’ philosophy at Mission Hills. Fueled by the Chu brothers, Mission Hills is the vehicle that presents China to the world and the world to China. Take a glimpse into the lives of Ken and Tenniel as they conquer golf in China, through ambitious plans and magnificent designs.
First of all we would like to start by congratulating you both on managing the World’s Largest Golf Resort. Did you ever imagine Mission Hills becoming this big?
Ken: Frankly, when my father, the late Dr. David Chu, decided to invest in golf in China when it was non-existent, it came as a surprise for me. But as a true visionary, he saw the opportunity of China’s reform and open-door policy in the 80’s. My father saw his mission as promoting international goodwill through golf, making the sport a medium. It is a tool, to link the East and the West, and to build trust and friendship. Golf remains a business language, a social networking tool.
Tenniel: When Ken and I took over the business, we knew that we had to go big or go home. We had to think big, think first or be the pioneer. The group’s mission now is to inspire “3H – Happy, Healthy and Harmonious” lifestyles and experiences for all. Our evolved vision of “Golf & More” meant that we have set our sight to be a leading world-class brand and a pioneer in the global leisure and tourism industry.
Your Father had a huge ambition to be the greatest in the industry and his vision became a reality. What inspires you both the most? What vision do you have for Mission Hills?
Ken: When I first joined the company, I was fortunate to have my father acting as a mentor, instilling in me the core values of “No pain, no gain; and you sow what you seed”. Therefore, when I had to take over the lead in the company, I worked hard to be recognized as a “hardworking second generation” and not a “rich second generation”. There is a Chinese saying that goes “Sustaining a business is harder than starting anew” and I strongly believed that if you don’t advance, you’d fall. With this realization, I moved on from being a “hardworking second generation” to become an “entrepreneurial second generation”. That is when, as a whole family, we decided to transform the business based on the leisure philosophy of “Golf and More”. With this, we took Mission Hills beyond golf.
Tenniel: On the golf front, our mission is to grow the game so it’s available for everyone, beyond how it is seen traditionally as a prestigious and elite game. Each year over 25,000 juniors go through our doors – we have the world’s largest youth golfing program. We also have three golf courses that are free to juniors globally to access and experience golf.
Tenniel, you studied golf management at University, did you always know that you would work in the golf industry?
Tenniel: Golf is an international language; it is a sport like no other that has the means to connect with everyone in the same way. I’ve been playing for more than 40 years now, so yes, I have always wanted to work in the industry. Therefore, I took up a postgraduate program in golf course management at Humber College. This was followed by working at the PGA Tour headquarters in Florida. Beyond that, I also wanted true on-theground experience to complement my studies.
That’s why my first job was picking up golf balls at the driving range for Vijay Singh. I really learned from the bottom up.
Do you both have a favorite course to play in the resort? If yes, what course is it and why do you enjoy playing it so much?
Ken: This is like asking me to choose my favorite child! What I can tell you is which courses are the most played at Mission Hills. These are Jack Nicklaus’ World Cup Course, Jose Maria Olazabal’s Olazabal Course and Greg Norman’s Norman Course.
Tenniel: The best course would undoubtedly be the Blackstone course at Mission Hills Haikou. The 7,808-yard signature course, built on a bed of ancient lava rock, was voted best championship course in Asia and hosted the 56th edition of the World Cup in 2011. The course begins with a wide variety of hole lengths and natural amphitheater green settings, while the final holes allow spectacular views of the closing holes with little need to move.
So how do you manage the world’s largest golf resort? We imagine that you barely have a chance to rest with so much going on!
Ken: It is really about delegation, discipline, and time management. I subscribe to another philosophy of 3Ps – profits, people and planet – I work for my company, for the people, and the betterment of society. In managing the company, I believe in getting the best person for the job, and while this is a family business, it is not run like one. All of our senior management are recruited professionally and have been working with us for more than a decade. We respect the professionals and let them take charge.
Tenniel: Indeed, we believe in empowering our team to deliver the best for the company. No effort is too small when it comes to shaping the guest experience. We have hired many professionals and we have great loyalty among our staffs and will develop them through time. We are thankful for our dedicated colleagues, who continue to power through challenges and to bring the business to new heights.
We understand that you work with Annika Sörenstam on the Annika Foundation to boost female participation in the sport. Is encouraging equality in golf an important part of what you do at Missions Hills?
Tenniel: Most definitely, youth development is at the core of Mission Hills. We are actively involved in growing the sport through our Junior Golf Program and several other initiatives. Since 2005, we have invested more than $6 million into our junior program.We work with some of the world’s greatest names in golf, including Sir Nick Faldo, Jack Nicklaus, and Annika Sörenstam. Together, we bring their junior programs to Asia for the first time. Rory McIlroy and Tseng Yani are two notable graduates. In late 2018, we also embarked on a new long-term partnership; Mission Hills is now home to China’s first PGA of America Academies.
