Skye Neal: Dedicated Golf Coach Gets Emotional Recalling His Days as a Former Professional Player

The Head Professional at Sentosa Golf Club recounts life as a competitive golfer before settling down to mould the next generation.

“What ignites a fire in me when I play golf? That’s a good question. I’m not competitive anymore – in the sense that I’m not a professional who plays for money now – but when you’re playing against anybody, you play to win. And I’m a terrible loser. I hate to lose.

It’s that competitive spirit in me that keeps the juice flowing. It forces you to concentrate and make the most of every shot. Golf is a target sport, so you’ve got to aim. Visualisation is very important before you swing. That’s why I love the sport.

I’m currently a golf coach at Sentosa Golf Club. This place is amazing. We have two golf courses that are always in fantastic condition. We host many international golf events (most recently, LIV Golf 2024), allowing us to meet and greet some of the best players in the world.

What I find most rewarding is seeing my students develop. You know, a few of my students have done quite well for themselves. I’ve coached the likes of Amanda Tan, who’s playing professionally now, and Chris Rodgers, who has won on the Asian tour. Both Na Yeon Choi and Lydia Ko have also spent some time under my watchful eye.

You give yourself a little pat on the back when you see them accomplish great things. But for me, just a novice student getting his first birdie makes me equally proud. It’s humbling because you know you’re making a difference.

I’m originally from the UK and was part of the Leadbetter Golf Academy. In 2005, I was asked if I’d like to go to Singapore to run their academy in Sentosa. I took up the offer, but two years later, Sentosa decided that it wanted to run its own Academy.

That’s when they offered me the opportunity to work directly for them. I accepted, and Singapore has been my home ever since. I’ve lived here for the past 19 years, and I don’t see myself living anywhere else. I met my wife here, and we have three beautiful kids together.

I’ve been a golf professional for the best part of 26 years. My passion for golf started when I watched the 1989 Masters with my father. Nick Faldo, England’s number-one golfer at the time, had won the tournament. I wanted to be just like him.

Weekends with my father also grew my interest. When I was 11, he brought me to the golf course to caddie for him, which became our Saturday morning routine. I wouldn’t see him during the week as he was busy running his business, so weekends with him were precious.

I started taking regular golf lessons to learn the basics. I also played club competitions regularly with my dad. When I was about 15, it was a done deal. I was getting good at this sport and wanted to pursue it seriously.

After finishing school, I joined the Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA). The PGA basically gave me options—I could turn pro and compete, coach, or even run a retail outlet if I wanted to. I could diversify and do a number of different things, so that was cool.

I trained under PGA Professional Sean Byrne, who finished third in the UK for the PGA’s Trainee of the Year award. I worked hard and set a goal to be like him. In 2000, I sat for my final exams and passed as the UK’s number one training professional, as recognised by the PGA of Great Britain.

Back then, I was a starry-eyed youngster who was very naive. I had won a lot of junior competitions and club tournaments. But when I turned pro, it became clear that being good wasn’t good enough. You had to be exceptional.

I was competing against the likes of Robert Rock, who beat Tiger Woods head-to-head in Abu Dhabi. He would regularly beat me in tournaments by three to four shots. It wasn’t even close. I didn’t know how to get to that next level, which was the hardest part.

The money didn’t take me far either. Unless you finished in the top 20 at these tournaments, you were earning peanuts. I was paid 55 pounds a week as a pro trainee and worked 60 to 70 hours a week. This was before the days of minimum wage.

Given the circumstances, I had to make a choice. Should I continue playing or specialise in teaching? I chose the latter, which led me to join the Leadbetter Golf Academy. That path eventually brought me to Singapore, and here we are today.

Do I have any regrets? Could I have tried harder at specific points in my career? Would I have been better off staying in the UK a little longer and trying to pursue a playing career? Unfortunately, we wouldn’t know.

If I could tell my 11-year-old self anything, it’s to keep your dreams alive. Write them down and put them on the wall so you will be reminded when you wake up every morning. Because it’s easy to lose sight of what you want. Life gets in the way.

But people take chances in life, and I’m happy with how things turned out for me. I have no regrets because golf is a fantastic sport. It’s something you can do your entire life. Yes, it isn’t easy. Yes, it’s time-consuming. But it’s one of the most rewarding things you can do.” – Skye Neal, Head Professional at Sentosa Golf Club

Interview by Arman Shah

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