There’s set to be a new look at the CH3 Academy for the 2024/25 golf season with Senior Instructor Joe Marshall departing the venue to open up a new facility in Thailand. It’s an exciting opportunity for the Englishman, with Mike Bolt steps up to take on the role as the Director of Instruction at the Academy in Dubai.
Marshall leaves the United Arab Emirates having spent over a decade in the country, with the last seven of years those working at the prestigious Els Club. While he’ll be leaving the region, he’s remaining within the Harmon brand as he undertakes this new adventure opening a innovative new academy in Bangkok.
“It’s an unbelievable facility,” said Marshall. “It’s really, really cool with a fantastic vision to develop young Asian golfers to take them on to the next level.
“They approached Claude because they like the model that we have in Dubai. I was asked if I could lead that project to start with. It was a very hard decision, but it’s not often you get the opportunity to build a brand new academy from zero.
“Back in 2017 when I joined the Els Club, Dubai I walked into a fantastic coaching team. What a place to really nurture what you’ve learnt so far and learn from the best in the business. For me, being around great coaches day in and day out, you improve as a coach. The team will still be really strong in Dubai.”
One of the long-time students that’s been on Joe’s journey to date is promising 18-year-old talent Jamie Camero with the pair working with each other since 2013. While she’s now set to lose her coach, it came at the best time possible as she too embarks on a new adventure.
“I’m going to the States to Florida for some college golf,” said Camero. “I’m really excited. It’s been a long time coming and a long process, but I think it will improve my game in the long run.
“Joe was my first coach when I was around seven years old. I’ve followed him around the UAE and it’s been a long time together. He’s the same person I remember from our first lesson. He’s a happy teacher and it’s been really enjoyable to have him with me every week. Everything he’s taught me has stuck with me until now.”
Marshall, too, reflects positively on the time he’s spent with Camero as an important part of his career as a coach.
“It’s quite rare as a golf coach you get to see someone you’ve worked with so long develop,” he added. “It’s your product, in terms of golf swing, so you don’t really know what it’s going to look like to begin with. But we’ve had the facilities and working with Jamie has been a great opportunity for me to see what I can do as a golf coach. She is the only person I can see what my product looks like from zero.”
While both are turning the page and starting new chapters, the Golf Academy at the Els Club is set to go from strength to strength with the new appointment of Bolt. He’s been at the facility since 2018, and will be looking to continue its’ status as the standout place to hone your game in the region.
“As a team we’re really excited to be part of the next chapter for the Golf Academy,” said Bolt. “We have a really strong group of instructors here and with the planned renovations of the Academy building and facilities this summer we’ll be in a really good place to hit the ground running for the 24/25 season in September.
“The reset gives us a great opportunity to really sit down as a team and get some measures in place to keep delivering the high standard of lessons and service this academy, and the Harmon family, have been associated with for such a long period.
“With Joe staying within the Harmon family banner with his exciting move to Thailand we’ll have the advantage of two likeminded facilities sharing ideas and philosophies and it is an exciting time to be at the CH3 Performance Golf Academy and The Els Club, Dubai.”
It’s safe to say the Els Club, Dubai is on the brink of an exciting transformation, incorporating fresh ideas from new recruits while still upholding the values and exceptional standards that define CHIII. With planned renovations and a strong team of instructors, the academy is well-equipped to sustain its premier status. This new era to be thrilling, and we eagerly anticipate these future developments.
