New Northern Golfer columnist aiming to unlock better golf

Northern Golfer has welcomed a new columnist to its team – unlockingBETTER founder and mental performance coach Chris Kirkland.

A member of Tyneside Golf Club with a 30-year career in teaching – first as a PE teacher before moving into senior leadership roles – as well as a wealth of experience playing elite level rugby league and golf, Chris has built a stable of players with professional and elite amateur credentials since launching his coaching business in 2023.

Working with golfers from young professionals and elite amateurs including James Wilson, Seb Sandin, Arron Edwards-Hill, Jake Hapgood, Sean Lawrie, Jonny Cossar and Corey Lamb to tour winners including Marc Warren, Chris utilises his decades of experience in the classroom and education environments to coach players in a way that works for them while drawing on hundreds of hours of research and development of mental toughness and performance coaching techniques to support golfers as they look to unlock their best golf.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to join an amazing group of columnists in Northern Golfer and share my expertise with readers,” said 53-year-old, plus-one handicapper Chris. “Having been an avid reader, it’s great to be on the other side of the fence and work with the team to share what I’ve learned through my research and qualifications, years spent on practice fairways and golf courses, and time in classrooms – working with young people, teachers and golfers from the ages of seven to 70.

“That experience – particularly my time in education – gives me a unique set of tools to work with people. It’s all well and good knowing the techniques, but I place a lot of emphasis on coaching individuals in my work, supporting people and teaching them in a way that suits them. I’ve worked in some varied and highly challenging environments in the past and delivered for people and communities, and now I want to help more golfers unlock their skills and perform on the course.”