As my coaching journey continues, I’m excited to have joined a new team and begun the next chapter of my career, writes Chris Paisley
I’ve had a really exciting summer so far and I’m delighted to be able to share that I’m joining Pathos Golf Performance at Lake Nona Golf & Country Club in Florida.
Lake Nona has been my home club since 2018 and it’s a place that already means a great deal to me. It’s one of the finest golf facilities anywhere, and to have the opportunity to build the next stage of my career there is something I’m incredibly proud of.
The opportunity came through Daniel Gray, who heads up the coaching programme. Over the past few months I’ve spent time observing his lessons, talking through coaching ideas and getting to know him better. He’s become something of a mentor already, and I’ve been hugely impressed by his knowledge and the environment he’s creating. We share a lot of the same coaching philosophies, particularly around technique, performance and helping players develop in a way that suits them as individuals.
Daniel has assembled a fantastic multidisciplinary team, with experts in strength and conditioning, club fitting, sports psychology and coaching. He asked me to come on board as the putting, short game and on-course performance specialist, and I’m incredibly grateful for the confidence he’s shown in me. Hopefully my experience from 15 years playing professionally can add another dimension to what is already a very strong team.
It feels like a brilliant fit. I already know many of the members, I’ll have the chance to work with golfers of every level, and I’m excited to continue helping elite juniors, college players and professionals develop their games. Looking back to last October when I stepped away from full-time tournament golf, I knew I was excited about coaching but, naturally, there was a lot of uncertainty. I’ve been fortunate to gain valuable experience at Rio Pinar, but when the opportunity at Lake Nona came along it was simply too good to turn down.
On the playing side, I’m still practising and playing when I can, and I’ve genuinely rediscovered my enjoyment of golf. Without the pressure, expectations and constant need to perform, practice has become more about curiosity and learning than chasing results. Ironically, my golf has probably improved relative to the amount I’m playing. I can leave the clubs alone for a week, come back and still feel like I have plenty of control over the ball.
Perhaps the biggest surprise is that I still don’t miss tournament golf. I enjoy playing, but I don’t miss the travelling or the pressure of competing. Instead, I find myself far more excited about helping the next generation of players achieve their goals. Having been through that journey myself not so long ago, I hope I can offer something genuinely valuable – and I can’t wait to get started.
