Paul Foston
- Saturday, 5 April 2008
- 3 Comments
Golf Monthly Top 25 Coach Paul Foston
Paul Foston has his own coaching facility, the Paul Foston Golf Academy, situated in Smarden, Kent.
Age: 50
Turned pro: 1977
Years coaching: 31 years
Most notable coaching achievements:
- Taking five players to European Tour victories - Paul Way, Peter Mitchell, Jamie Spence, Mark Roe and Craig Parry.
- Achieving Advanced Fellow of the PGA.
- Creating the exclusive Paul Foston Golf Academy in Smarden, Kent.
- Having produced a number of books and coaching videos.
Coaching philosophy: There is nothing more fulfilling than taking the average player to winning competitions. My philosophy is to identify a student's strengths and weaknesses, recognise their learning style - whether it be visual, auditory or kinesthetic - and communicate instruction with a passion and energy that ignites the enthusiasm to learn.
Best tip: The difference between a good player and a poor player is that the good player uses his body to swing the hands and arms.
How to stop fat/thin strikes: This occurs when the hands and arms catch up with the rotation of your body - because your body is in the way, your hands and arms are forced to pull in through contact. To cure this, focus on your trunk always rotating towards the target. You will then have the space for your hands and arms to correctly extend through impact.
New equipment advice: Buying the right clubs is much more technical than most people consider and should never be bought off the web. Age, strength, size, ability and swing speed all need to be considered and it is important that you get expert advice for this expensive investment. If you are a member of a club, visit your golf professional who will have the knowledge to guide you through the latest up to date ranges and establish the right clubs for you. If you are not affiliated to a club, then look at the list of Top 25 Professionals featured in the magazine and choose one nearest to you.
Best course management advice: The best piece of advice I can give you is never follow a bad shot with a bad decision. When in trouble, ask yourself the question “What is the best possible shot I can play from this situation”, remembering you, as a handicap golfer, will probably have a stroke to spare so don’t be afraid to use it.
Which Tour professional and why? One of my favourite golfers to watch is Ernie Els, the gentle giant who makes golf look so easy. It is not only his capacity to hit long and straight with effortless power but it is his ability to stay calm under the most intense circumstance. The South African mentality of being extremely confident blends perfectly with him being able to stay calm in pressure situations which generally means he will deliver the desired winning stroke.
Reader comments
Add your commentsMay 31 07:48
Holly Standing
Paul has coached me on my short game for about 2 years. I am 13 and he has helped get my handicap get down from 36 to 18. Paul is excellent and the practice facilities superb.
Holly Standing
February 26 18:05
Lee Henderson
From the moment you arrive at Paul Fostons`s academy you know that your lesson with Paul is going to be just what you need. Paul has an excellent teaching manor and you soon become friends with him which aids the learning procces. My game has gone from strength to strength and this all down to the facilities at the academy and the teacher. I have even won the first comp i entered using the ability aquired from my lessons. Top Teacher and Top Facility
Lee Henderson
March 27 07:22
Matthew Williams (Kent)
Paul is easily the best coach I have ever been to in my 15 years of golf. I had hit plateau in my game, and was struggling to drop those few more shots. After several sessions with Paul my game improved remarkably, in all areas. One key aspect was that he changed my putting style and grip completely, and after I saw the improvements and confidence it gave me, I never looked back. Will definitely be returning.