Section 1: The First Contact – A Coaching Relationship Begins

Q: Chris, what actually happens before a golfer even sets foot in your studio?

Chris Brook: The journey begins before the first swing is ever analysed. I send every new golfer a short questionnaire to complete and return before our first lesson. It may seem simple, but it’s one of the most important parts of my coaching process.

The purpose isn’t to gather technical statistics — I don’t need their average seven-iron distance or their putts per round. What I’m looking for is perception. How does the golfer see their own game? What do they believe their strengths are? What do they think is holding them back? More importantly, how do they define progress?

This questionnaire is a window into the golfer’s state of mind. It tells me whether they measure improvement purely in terms of score, or whether they value other markers of progress: the strike of the ball, the feel of flight, the sense of calm in pressure situations. These details matter because they shape how I coach.

Once I receive their answers, I don’t just skim them before the session. I sit with them for a few days. That reflection time allows me to absorb not just what the golfer has written, but how they’ve expressed it. Some responses are analytical and detailed, others are brief and instinctive. Both reveal how a player approaches their game and their learning journey.

When I eventually meet the golfer, I already have a sense of who they are — not just their swing, but their relationship with golf. This means my approach isn’t generic. It’s not dictated by their handicap or playing history. Instead, it’s tailored to the way they see themselves as a golfer and the way they guard their mindset.

For me, coaching starts with understanding the person before addressing the swing. That first contact through the questionnaire sets the tone for everything that follows.

Section 2: Reading Between the Lines – Perception and Consistency

Q: What kind of themes or patterns do you notice when golfers fill out the questionnaire?

Chris Brook: One of the most common responses is the phrase: “I just want to be more consistent.” At first glance, that sounds straightforward, but it can mean very different things depending on the golfer. Consistency might mean scoring lower, hitting more fairways, or simply not hitting that one destructive miss. For others, it’s about something much more personal — the satisfaction of feeling the strike off the middle of the clubface, or the joy of watching a ball flight they can trust.

If I took “consistency” at face value, I’d be coaching blind. My job is to dig deeper. When a golfer says they want consistency, I’ll ask: “What does consistency actually mean to you? Is it purely about the numbers on the scorecard? Or are there other measures of progress that matter to you more?”

Very often, this questioning triggers a moment of self-realisation. A golfer might arrive convinced that their main aspiration is lowering scores, but as they reflect, they suddenly recognise that what they value most is something different. It could be the feel of a pure strike, the satisfaction of shaping a ball flight, or even the pride in recovering after a difficult hole. These realisations matter — because they reveal the deeper layers of progress that often sit beneath the surface of score-based goals.

This is where the coaching relationship begins to change. By uncovering these truths, golfers start to understand that their sense of achievement isn’t tied only to numbers on a card. That shift in perception reduces pressure, builds perspective, and creates a healthier foundation for improvement.

It also shows me how they view the learning journey itself. Some players see progress as a straight, upward line where every lesson should produce immediate results. Others understand it as a longer, layered process where gains compound over time. Both perspectives are valid, but knowing where a golfer stands allows me to shape their journey in a way that reassures and guides them.

Ultimately, “consistency” isn’t a technical target — it’s a perception. By helping golfers articulate and then sometimes redefine what consistency really means to them, I can align their expectations with the reality of how change and improvement unfold. That alignment is what removes confusion and delivers the clarity that lies at the heart of my coaching.

Section 3: Meeting on the Lesson Tee – Rapport and Discovery

Q: So once the questionnaire is complete and you’ve reflected on it, what happens when you meet the golfer in person for the first time?

Chris Brook: The very first minutes of the session are about building rapport and confirming what I’ve already sensed from their questionnaire. I’ll often take one or two of their answers and expand on them, not to challenge, but to see how they respond in conversation. For example, if someone has written “I want to be more consistent,” I’ll ask them to explain what consistency means to them in practice. Do they define it by score? By strike quality? By the ability to stay composed after a mistake?

This back-and-forth gives me a deeper understanding of how they see progress and how they process learning. Some golfers light up when they talk about ball flight or strike. Others focus immediately on numbers. Some even pause and, in that moment, realise they haven’t really thought about consistency beyond the frustration of not having it. That pause itself is powerful — it tells me I’m working with someone who is beginning to reflect differently.

The introduction also allows me to sense how the golfer regards the learning journey. Are they expecting instant fixes, or are they open to the idea of gradual layering? Do they arrive tense, guarded, and worried about what I might find? Or are they curious and ready to explore? These observations shape how I coach, because my style is not fixed. It adapts to the person in front of me.

I often explain at this stage that my role isn’t to dismantle their swing. It’s to preserve what already works and to refine what matters. This reassurance immediately changes the atmosphere. Golfers realise they’re not here to be “taken apart” — they’re here to be understood.

That shift in tone — from fear of being judged to clarity in being understood — is crucial. It lays the foundation for the analysis that follows. By the time we start looking at the swing itself, we’ve already moved beyond surface fears and into a place where progress feels possible, personal, and safe.

Section 4: The Analysis Process – Precision Without Destruction

Q: Let’s move into the analysis stage. For many golfers, this is the point where they worry that their swing will be “pulled apart.” What really happens when you begin analysing their swing?

Chris Brook: The analysis stage is not about hunting faults or cataloguing imperfections. It’s about seeing the golfer clearly — understanding what’s functional, what’s protective, and what might actually be holding them back.

When I begin analysis, I do it impartially. I’m not looking for reasons to criticise. I’m looking for the truth of how their swing works. Take a simple example: a golfer who consistently pushes the ball out to the right. At a surface level, you might call this a “fault.” But in reality, that push is often not the problem at all — it’s a solution. It’s the golfer’s way of protecting themselves from the shot they fear most: missing left.

That tells me that the push is a countermeasure, not the enemy. The real question is: why is the left shot so threatening? What’s happening in the movement, the perception, or even the memory of past shots that makes the golfer guard against it so fiercely? If we only attacked the push, we’d be dismantling a protective mechanism without addressing the real issue. That’s why I look beyond the surface.

Every swing characteristic exists in a context. Sometimes what looks like a flaw is actually a balance to another movement. My job is not to strip these away blindly, but to understand the pairings and the compensations. By doing so, I can identify the true root cause — and then we can refine it without losing what’s already working.

This is where technology plays an important role, but not in the way most golfers think. Tools like 3D biomechanics and ball flight tracking aren’t there just to measure data points. They are there to clarify patterns and confirm suspicions. They show us whether what looks like a fault is truly disrupting performance or whether it’s just part of the golfer’s unique pattern that actually functions well under pressure.

For the golfer, this stage often feels like a relief. They see their swing displayed objectively, not judged subjectively. Instead of hearing “you’re doing this wrong,” they begin to understand why certain things happen and how their body is organising movement. That clarity is reassuring — it shows them they’re not broken, they’re just adapting.

In short, analysis isn’t about destruction. It’s about precision. It’s about peeling away the noise, seeing the real heart of the issue, and then protecting the strengths that already exist. That’s what separates a fault-hunter from a coach who builds progression.

Section 5: The Three Pillars – A Coaching System, Not Opinions

Q: You often talk about your “three pillars” of coaching. What do you mean by that, and how does it change the way you approach improvement?

Chris Brook: Every golfer who comes to me is unique, but the framework I use to coach them is always the same. It rests on three pillars: biomechanics, psychology, and performance identity. Together, they provide clarity, remove opinion, and create a coaching system that’s precise and sustainable.

1. Biomechanics
This is the structural pillar. It’s where 3D motion analysis, high-speed cameras, and tracking systems give us an exact picture of how a swing functions. Biomechanics doesn’t guess — it shows how the body is moving, how forces are applied, and how these patterns influence strike, flight, and control. But biomechanics is never about dismantling. It’s about separating what’s functional from what’s disruptive. Many movements that look unusual actually work perfectly well. The technology shows us which is which.

2. Psychology
Change is never just mechanical. Golfers often underestimate how much resistance comes from the mind. The brain wants familiarity, even if that familiarity produces poor shots. When a coach ignores psychology, golfers find themselves able to make changes on the range but incapable of holding them under pressure on the course. My work addresses that resistance head-on, so the mind becomes part of the change rather than the barrier to it.

3. Performance Identity
This is the pillar most golfers have never been exposed to, but it’s often the most transformative. Performance identity is about who the golfer believes themselves to be when they play. It’s about alignment between self-perception and action. A golfer whose identity is rooted in fear of failure will never allow their swing to flow freely. A golfer whose identity is built on trust and ownership, on the other hand, can adapt, evolve, and perform under pressure. Coaching this pillar ensures the changes we make are not just physical, but deeply ingrained into who the player is on the course.

When these three pillars come together, golfers experience something different: clarity. It’s not my opinion versus another coach’s opinion. It’s a structured process that shows what truly matters and what doesn’t. That’s why golfers leave knowing exactly what to keep, what to refine, and why.

For me, these pillars are the foundation of everything. They’re the reason my coaching doesn’t pull swings apart, but instead builds something sustainable, personal, and strong enough to hold under pressure.

Section 6: Between Lessons – Support That Never Switches Off

Q: Many golfers feel their progress slips away between lessons. How do you keep their learning alive once they leave your studio?

Chris Brook: For me, the time between lessons is just as important as the lesson itself. Too often, golfers walk away from a session inspired but then spend the next week or two second-guessing, doubting, or practising in a way that drifts from what we agreed. By the time they return, we’re spending half the session reviewing and correcting missteps rather than moving forward. That’s wasted time — and wasted opportunity.

That’s why I insist on ongoing support. I tell every golfer: bombard me with questions. Send me videos, text me for clarification, call me if something doesn’t feel right. I would much rather answer three small questions midweek than have someone lose confidence in what they’re practising. This constant back-and-forth keeps progress on track and stops doubt from creeping in.

I also video-record every lesson in full. Golfers get access to the entire recording — whether it’s half an hour, an hour, or longer. Why? Because during a lesson, the mind is busy absorbing, reacting, and trying to apply. It’s easy to miss details or forget how something was explained. Watching the recording at home, in a calmer state, allows the information to sink in again. It reinforces the learning and makes the practice that follows far more effective.

In a sense, this ongoing contact means the lesson never really ends. Golfers don’t leave with a handful of notes and a few memories — they leave with clarity, reinforcement, and a line of communication that keeps them supported every step of the way.

That support between sessions builds trust. Golfers begin to realise they’re not navigating the learning journey alone. They know I’m with them, guiding, clarifying, and making sure that every practice session contributes directly to their progression. And that reassurance makes a huge difference to how quickly and confidently they develop.

Section 7: Technology as an Audit, Not a Crutch

Q: You use some of the most advanced technology in golf coaching. How does it actually fit into the way you work with players?

Chris Brook: Technology is valuable, but only if it’s used with the right purpose. For me, it isn’t about impressing golfers with numbers or overwhelming them with data. It’s about auditing progress. The systems I use — whether it’s 3D biomechanics, high-speed video, SAM PuttLab, or ball-tracking — are there to confirm that the work we’re doing is genuinely delivering the results we want.

Think of it this way: the technology keeps both the golfer and me honest. If we’re working on clubface control, I don’t want to rely purely on feel or assumption. I want to know whether the face-to-path relationship has improved by the degree we intended. If we’re improving strike quality, the numbers should show a shift in contact pattern, not just a perceived difference. Technology provides that evidence.

This isn’t about stripping the soul out of the game or reducing everything to metrics. In fact, it’s the opposite. By using technology to audit change, we remove the uncertainty that so often undermines golfers. They no longer wonder, “Am I really improving, or does it just feel better?” They can see, clearly and objectively, that their efforts are producing measurable progress.

It also prevents wasted time. Golfers can practise with confidence knowing the adjustments they’re making are the right ones, and that the feedback loop between lesson, practice, and reassessment is tight. Without this audit, players can spend weeks or months heading in the wrong direction. With it, they know they’re always moving forward.

In short, technology in my coaching is not a crutch — it’s a safeguard. It verifies that what we’re doing together works in reality, not just in theory. And for the golfer, that clarity is hugely reassuring.

Section 8: Beyond the Swing – Why the Golfer’s Journey Matters

Q: You’ve spoken a lot about mechanics, psychology, and identity. But it sounds like for you, golf goes beyond just the swing. Why is the player’s wider journey so important in your coaching?

Chris Brook: Because for most golfers, the game is never just a game. It carries meaning that extends far beyond scorecards and handicaps. For some, golf is their escape — a space away from the pressures of work or family life. For others, it’s their outlet for achievement, the thing that gives them a sense of progress and control in a world that can often feel overwhelming. For many, golf is tied directly to their mental health, their confidence, even their identity.

I don’t take that lightly. When a golfer walks into my studio, I know that what we work on matters to them at a deeply personal level. That’s why their journey of progression becomes my journey too. I don’t see coaching as transactional — I see it as a shared responsibility. Their success is something I carry with them.

This is also why I value clarity so highly. Confusion, conflicting advice, and the cycle of constant rebuilding do more than damage swings — they damage confidence. They chip away at the joy golfers feel in the game. My job is to restore that joy by giving players the reassurance that their swing is not broken, that progress is possible, and that we’re working on a path that makes sense.

And when that clarity arrives, it doesn’t just change scores. It changes how golfers walk onto the course. They stand taller, they swing freer, and they carry a renewed sense of belief. That’s not just mechanics — that’s identity.

For me, that’s the real reward in coaching. Helping someone strike the ball better is satisfying. But helping them rebuild their trust in themselves, helping them enjoy the game again, and seeing that ripple into other areas of their life — that’s where coaching becomes meaningful.

Section 9: Reassurance and What Golfers Can Expect

Q: If a golfer is reading this and considering working with you, what can they expect when they walk through your door for the first time?

Chris Brook: They can expect clarity. They can expect reassurance. And they can expect a process that protects what already works in their swing while refining only what truly matters.

They won’t be pulled apart, rebuilt from scratch, or loaded with technical jargon that only adds confusion. Instead, they’ll be understood. From the first questionnaire to the final video review, the entire journey is about precision, not opinion — about evidence, not guesswork.

They’ll discover that not every movement that looks like a fault is really a fault. They’ll learn to see their game differently, to value the strengths they already have, and to direct their efforts toward the areas that will make the biggest difference under pressure.

Most importantly, they’ll feel supported. My coaching doesn’t end when the lesson finishes. With lesson recordings, ongoing contact, and technology that audits progress, golfers always know where they stand and where they’re heading. That certainty makes improvement not just possible, but sustainable.

At the heart of it all, I want golfers to enjoy the game again. To free themselves from the endless cycle of fault-hunting and rediscover the satisfaction of striking the ball well, seeing a flight they trust, and carrying a calm mind into every round. That’s what this process is built for.

So what can golfers expect? Not confusion. Not dismantling. But clarity, confidence, and a game that feels like their own again.