Location: Meldrum House
Neil turned professional in 1989, the same year he was Rookie of the Year on Scotland’s Tartan Tour. From 1991, he was Head Teaching Professional at Braid Hills, and in 2000 was appointed Head Teaching Professional at Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course. Alongside his work as a teaching professional, for some 15 years Neil was the Scottish National Under-16 Boys’ coach, and later the Under-18 National Boys’ coach.
Advice for practice:
Go between working on technique, if that is part of your programme, and then on your whole game, hitting towards targets while simulating game conditions. For example, try to 'play' the first few holes of your golf course; for 'fairways' pick two targets to hit between, and on your next shot assess whether it hits the green or not. Score yourself to try and add some pressure.
Most common problem:
Students can be unaware what part of the clubface they are hitting with and how that can influence their shots. You can’t overstate the value of foot spray to monitor this. For example, you may be hitting toe hooks but with a good swing, and you could have had perfectly good results if you had hit with the middle of the clubface.
Biggest challenge:
I am constantly looking for different ways to tell my pupils what I want them to do, in a way that 'clicks' with them. It could be a words thing, or a visual thing, or a drill, or using an accessory. I approach it from every angle, looking for the thing that will 'click'.
