In 1964 he won the individual championship at the Eisenhower Cup, one of the largest international amateur golf tournaments. As a member of Taiwan's amateur team, he helped to win four team championships in the Asia Pacific Cup and other competitions. To become a professional, Taiwan's amateur golfers must play in a competition sponsored monthly by the Chinese Professional Golfer's Association (PGA) to determine their qualifications.
「民國五十三年，謝敏男未轉入職業前，曾獲世界規模最大的艾森豪杯業餘賽個人冠軍」，中華高爾夫協會總幹事張志雷細數戰績：「我國在亞太杯業餘賽得過四次團體冠軍，在奧地利杯國際賽，共得過十三次團體冠軍，幾乎只要我隊出馬，都能奪魁。」