As the long-time mentor of Rhein Gibson – who recently fulfilled his dream by securing a PGA TOUR card for 2016 – Lismore Golf Club Head Professional Peter Jaeger could hardly be more excited. "To get a club junior from a country town onto the PGA TOUR is something very special.

Rhein started here when he was eight years old, and I joked to him the other day that if he gets anywhere near the lead in the final round of an event next year we might find Lismore is empty. He’ll have 20,000 people from the town in his gallery over there," says Jaeger, who has been a Full Vocational Member of the PGA of Australia for 32 years.

 "I’ve been lucky enough to have some very good players come along in my time. Three of my juniors – Kane Webber (Asian Tour), Michelle Ellis (LPGA Tour) and Rhein – have made it to the world stage.

You’re so fortunate when you get to start with them from scratch and they’ve basically never held a golf club before," he says. Jaeger calls himself lucky, but as they say, you make your own luck. For every success story we see, Jaeger has helped a thousand other juniors who simply wanted to improve their skills and enjoy the game.

"I don’t care if they’re good players or hackers as long as I’m teaching them the game and hopefully getting them thrilled about it. I always ask new players what they want to achieve with their golf, and my job is to help them reach that goal as best I can," he says.

"A lot of times it can actually be harder to teach top players than beginners. They’re obviously looking for perfection, so that brings a different challenge that makes things interesting. It goes both ways, because you also want to ensure the players with potential maintain the fun aspect of golf. I don’t want them to become so consumed that their keenness and passion for the game goes stale."

After 20 years at Lismore, Jaeger’s own passion for the job has never wavered. "Any time I can get out there to teach and get people more involved in the game means a lot to me. As Club Pros we’re an important cog in the wheel. We’re really lucky to have people coming to see us because golf is their favourite hobby or sport or they just want a bit of fun.

They would all love to be doing our job. Whether I’m in the pro shop or outside teaching I don’t mind. You meet so many great people either way, especially in the country." Jaeger believes individual achievements like those of Webber, Ellis and now Gibson can provide a significant boost to both golf clubs and regional communities. "It’s given the whole club and even the local area a fantastic buzz to have those three come along at different stages. The great thing is that whenever they came home they always engaged with their club. Kane used to take young Rhein out for a game, and now Rhein does likewise with the juniors here when he can. They’re fantastic role models."

While Jaeger won’t be joining Gibson on tour, the coach has unshakable confidence in the 29-year-old’s preparation and discipline. "Rhein’s very much his own man on tour, he knows his swing and he can rely on the basics, I’m proud to say that. I jump on the bag for him at Australian tournaments. I’ve watched his temperament and mannerisms from an early age. I know when to be quiet, when to say something and when to get him fired up," Jaeger says. "I was on the bag when he tied fourth at the Australian Open two years ago and when he made the cut by holing a 15-footer on his final hole at the British Open last year.

The next day he drew Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth in the third round, so it doesn’t get much bigger than that. Not too many of us get to see a junior basically pick up their first club and then caddy for them when they play a Major." Despite holding the Guinness World Record for the lowest round in golf history – a 16-under-par 55 at the River Oaks Golf Club in Oklahoma in 2012 – Rhein Gibson is still not quite a household name.

"This time last year Rhein didn’t have a card on the Web.com Tour so he’s come a long way to be on the PGA Tour within 12 months. He started out in the bush with plenty of local support, he’s done the hard work and it has been a big step up. Now he’s got the opportunity, that’s all you can ask for. In some ways Rhein is probably still something of an enigma to the Australian public as they’ve only seen little bits and pieces of him so far. Fingers crossed they see a lot more of him." Australians will have the opportunity to watch Rhein Gibson up close at the Australian PGA Championship at RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast from December 3-6.