TOM GILLESPIE
GOLF COACH
IT ALL STARTED WHEN…
Tom began playing golf at the age of 13 years old.
A PGA pro since 1997, Tom learnt the game in the unheralded golfing mecca of Scunthorpe where a plethora of quality course's and north sea winds developed a game based around shotmaking.
Despite success on the Lincolnshire amateur circuit a fruitless search for perfection got Tom more and more intrigued by coaching, equipment technology and the various facets of sport science.
Starting his career amongst a fantastic groups of assistants at Normanby Hall Golf Club (including 2013 Glenmuir PGA champion and PGA cup player Dan Greenwood) it was part of the daily routine to be promoting golf in the community, customising and custom fitting clubs, coaching golf of all abilities ages and disabilities as well as tearing each other’s games and kit apart!!!
After moving to the South West and Cirencester Golf Club, Tom was one of the first graduates of the radically overhauled PGA training programme in 2001 where each year students are examined extensively in Coaching, Sport Science, Equipment Technology, Business and Rules/Tournaments. His knowledge and experience led him to introduce c swing analysis , schools and adult education coaching, Mizuno Fitting System and coaching to a huge variety of players.
In 2005 he joined PGA swing tutor and Head Professional, Tony Mealing, and PGA Fellow and Senior Teaching Professional, Sarah Claridge, at The Kendleshire Golf Club, Bristol to continue to widen his experience and improve that of his clients.
Within 3 years Tom became a PGA Advanced Professional in recognition of many achievements· Developed Club Junior and Golf Foundation feeder programmes central to the club’s award of GolfMark
· Coached many juniors into the county setup and took his first player to Open final qualifying
· Introduced advanced custom fitting experience utilising Titleist Fitting Works and Callaway Optifit
· Developed analysis using Vector Pro and SAM puttlab utilised by both club and elite level players
· Authored articles for Whole in One and The Zone looking at the connection between swing and equipment
Joined PGA National Training Academy, in 2008, as a Foundation Degree tutor, examiner and assessor, lecturing in equipment technology to both trainee professionals and students at Birmingham University.
Never one to rest on his laurels Tom continued to learn spending time with leading experts such as David Leadbetter, Dr Katrina Douglas, Denis Pugh, Dave Hicks, David Llewelyn, Pat O'Brien, Gary Smith, Matthew Syed, Paul Hurrion, Geoff Mangum, Ramsey McMaster, Keith Williams, Jamie Donaldson and Tom Wishon as well as picking the brains of tour winners Andrew Sherborne and Gordon Brand Jnr.
This extra experience and knowledge meant Tom has continued to build on his coaching:Gloucestershire County U14 Squad Performance Coach since 2012
Gloucestershire County Golf Partnership Academy Coach since 2009 and became Head Coach since joining.
ASQ Level 3 coach; one of only 37 in the UK. The Kendleshire is the only facility to have 2 ASQ Level 3 coaches, Tom and Emma Brown
Consultant to Latvian National Squad
Authorised Frankly Golf Instructor
Flightscope Level 1 Instructor
Find out more about Tom at: www.pgagolfwrx.com