Our Professional Golfers

Ian Marshall — PGA Professional

Ian is our Head Professional and we are extremely fortunate to have secured the services of such a well-known and respected professional to lead our team.

His first post in golf was Assistant Pro. at Thurlestone G. C. for 6 years from 1980 during which time he became PGA qualified. While there he also taught at Dartmouth Naval College and Kingsbridge Sports Centre.

In 1986 he was appointed Golf Professional at Elfordleigh Golf & Country Club and ran clinics at many local schools. One junior who Ian taught from the beginning, and still advises, is his good friend Miles Tunnicliff who went on to gain his full European Tour Card winning his first European Tour event in 2002, the Great North Open at Slaley Hall followed by the Deusch Bank at Gleneagles in 2003 and the Mauritius Open in 2004. Miles had an excellent season in 2005 and made a superb start to the 2006 season in The China Open, finishing 8th.

Ian moved to the prestigious Walton Heath G. C. as Head Assistant in 1990 and secured the Head Pro’s post at Ballards Gore in 1992 where he remained for 3 years. Ian returned to the westcountry in 1995 as Professional at Staddon Heights G.C. and he will combine this post with his position as our head coach.

Ian is, of course, the face of Professional Golf in Plymouth, with his weekly golf tip on a Wednesday in the Western Evening Herald, which he has been writing for 8 years. He has had many playing successes and still competes regularly on the local pro circuit where he is often “in the money”!

Teaching is, and always has been, his first love and it shows in his loyal following amongst local golfers of all abilities. He has recently completed a teaching DVD (on sale in the shop) and is currently working on a book of his teaching methods.

If you would like to contact me please click here: ianmarshall63@btinternet.com

SCOTT MACASKILL — PGA PROFESSIONAL

Scott, although only 30 years old, has amassed a wealth of experience as a PGA Professional, and we are delighted that he has joined us from his post as Head Assistant at Thurlestone Golf Club. Starting his professional career as Assistant at Downes Crediton G. C. in 1995, Scott moved on to become Head Assistant at Churston G. C. in 1996 where he remained for 2 years during which time he completed his training and successfully qualified. In fact he earned the Titleist National Assistants Award for excellence in his final PGA examinations. His next move was to take on the Head Teaching Professional’s post at Elfordleigh Golf and Country Club in 1998 where he remained for 3 years. During this time he established the new golf shop and played an important advisory role in the establishment of the additional 9 holes which made Elfordleigh a true 18 hole course.

The experience he gained enabled him to move “up the ladder” to take on the Head Professional’s post at Downes Crediton in 2001, where it had all begun for Scott 6 years earlier. His reputation as a coach had grown during this time and he became coach to a Europro Tour Professional and a Devon County junior. Coaching juniors has become an important element of Scott’s career and he has successfully established junior coaching schemes at each of his clubs. This will be good news for the young aspiring golfers of Plymouth as Plymouth Golf Centre has been appointed a Golf Foundation Starter Centre and Scott will be playing an important part in our development programme both with the City schools and our own junior coaching programme. Alongside his role as a professional coach, Scott has enjoyed success in competition both as an amateur and on the local professional circuit where he still competes regularly. Scott has other strings to his bow as well. He has always been interested in the mental side of the game and anyone who has watched the big events on television would appreciate the importance of a strong mental approach. How many times have we witnessed someone leading a tournament only to collapse on the back nine on Sunday? Scott is a qualified Psychotherapist and Hypnotherapist so is well able to help in the development of a strong, positive approach to the game.

If you would like to contact me please click here: slmacaskill@yahoo.co.uk.

JEZ WILMOTT — PGA PROFESSIONAL

Jez is well known to many of the area’s golfers having been working at the China Fleet Club for the last 8 years both as the Assistant Manager of the driving range and golf shop and a teaching Professional. December 2005 was an important milestone in Jez’s career as he passed his final PGA qualifying exams and is now a fully-qualified Teaching Professional. However, Jez is not new to teaching as all his working life (he is 33) has been spent teaching sport. He is a qualified RYA instructor in both dingy sailing and windsurfing and a BCU qualified instructor in canoeing. His qualifications enabled him to teach in Greece, Turkey, the Canaries and Barbados working for sailing holiday operators. During his 8 years at China Fleet Club Jez gained considerable experience in the organisation of a retail shop selling a wide range of golf equipment and clothing. He has expert knowledge of the latest advances in golf club technology for example, and is looking forward to advising customers on club selection utilising our computerised swing-speed monitors. His enthusiasm and love of golf is infectious and he finds improving client’s ability very rewarding. Although his clientele come from all age groups, he has enjoyed particular success with the juniors and ran the China Fleet junior coaching programme teaching between 50 and 80 youngsters each week. He is involved with the PGA’s Junior Golf Foundation and the Plymouth Golf Partnership, both of which are committed to the introduction of golf to primary schools using Try Golf and real golf equipment. He is looking forward to playing a major part in the extensive junior programme planned at Plymouth Golf Centre.

If you would like to contact me please click here: info@plymouthgolfcentre.co.uk.

NICHOLAS (NICK) HORROCKS - PGA PROFESSIONAL

Nick (25), started his golfing career as Assistant Professional at Thurlestone Golf Club and later moved to the China Fleet Club in 2003 where he was one of the team of Teaching Professionals.

In May 2004 Nick decided to try his luck on the professional circuit and competed as a playing Professional on two of Europe’s most competitive tours, the PGA Europro Tour and the European Challenge Tour, run from May to October. He competed throughout Britain, Europe and Egypt and proved to himself that he could compete successfully with some of Europe’s elite golfers.

After the season finished he joined Teign Valley Golf Club as

Assistant Pro. on a part time basis from October 2004 to May 2005 and, during this period, also worked with our Head Coach, Ian Marshall, at Staddon Heights Golf Club so Ian is well aware of Nick’s teaching skills as well as his playing ability.

Summer 2005 saw Nick back on the competition circuit again but this time attached to Orsett Golf Club in Essex. Between tournaments he organised the Junior Golf Academy and provided coaching for the club members.

Nick is joining the coaching team at the driving range on February 1st and will compete on events in 2006 as a Professional attached to Plymouth Golf Centre and we wish him the very best of luck in his travels.

If you would like to contact me please click here: nick.horrocks@hotmail.com.