Meet Patricia Márquez Sanjuán. Patricia is the newest member of the teaching staff at the PG Golf and Sports Academy at Atalaya.
A native of Marbella, Patricia comes to the academy with both a solid education and a wealth of experience. She is an accredited kindergarten teacher and has a professional coaching degree through the Real Spanish Federation of Golf. (http://www.rfegolf.es/)
Patricia was introduced to golf at a very young age, but as the years went by, she became somewhat disenchanted and put down her golf clubs. Then, after attaining her university degree, the golf bug struck her again.
Practising and competing as an amateur, she achieved numerous honours. High on the list is her placement as second category runner-up in Spain. She also was crowned Andalusian Pitch & Putt champion in 2014.
Then in 2016, Patricia turned professional. She played on Spain’s Santander Golf Tour, the ladies professional circuit that evolved out of the Banesto Tour, and in the second division of the Ladies European Tour.
“I was okay as an amateur,” she comments, “second in my category. But I was not good enough as a professional to get a sponsor. Playing as a professional and being successful is a whole different story. You have to be at the right moment with the right people, and you know how tough the professional world is.”
Patricia goes on to reflect that the most challenging part for her was to admit that she wasn’t good enough to be successful as a pro. But after time she realised that the world is much bigger than being a professional golfer on tour.
She went on with her golf education and obtained a “Técnica Deportiva y Monitora”. The curriculum is intense and covers all aspects of working in the golf arena – mastering the game itself, organising and running competitions, changing grips, helping the injured – the list goes on and on.
Before coming to the PG Academy, Patricia worked for three years at Los Arqueros Golf & Country Club in the positions of caddy master, starter and marshal.
Her opportunity to join the PG Academy team came quite naturally. In January she was playing at Sotogrande with European Ladies Tour professional Noemi Jiménez. She ran into her old friend golf professional Daniel del Rio, a member of the PG Academy staff. From him Patricia learned of an opportunity at the academy and voila!
Patricia is already very busy in her new role. She is teaching children on the weekends, working with beginning lady golfers on Saturdays, helping Atalaya members on Thursdays and training members of the Atalaya Ladies Scratch Liga team on Fridays. She is also available for private lessons. BTW – Patricia’s English is excellent for all who struggle with Spanish.
