Swanston Golf Academy Coaches: Meet the Team
The Swanston Golf Academy coaches are one team. Each runs their own diary, each has their own strengths, and every one of them works to the same standard: you leave a session knowing what to work on next.
How we work
You're joining a team, not taking a lesson
Coaches here work together. They share what works, refer to each other, and hold one standard for every golfer who walks in. Choose the coach whose strengths and times suit you. You're in good hands either way.
Availability
Who's taking new clients
The coaches
Meet the team
Mike McNally · Head PGA Professional Coach
Mike founded Swanston Golf Academy and has coached golfers at Swanston since 2020. He works with adults of every level who feel stuck, inconsistent or short on confidence, and gives them a clear picture of what to work on. Three-time Scottish Golf Coach of the Year nominee and 2025 finalist.
Scott Gillies · Head of Junior Development & PGA Professional Coach
Scott is a fully qualified PGA Professional who joins Swanston from North Berwick West Links, where he coached for the best part of a decade after joining under Head Professional Martyn Huish in 2017. He progressed to Senior PGA Professional and Lead Coach, working with golfers of every age and ability, and spent the 2024/25 season at Victoria Golf Club in Melbourne’s Sandbelt, learning from Paul Wright and Andrew Cooper. Scott believes coaching should help golfers play better rather than build a perfect swing. He looks for the simplest, least invasive change, works with each player’s natural movement, and gives as much attention to scoring, course management and confidence as to technique.
Junior development is his greatest passion, from a first lesson and first handicap through to representing the club and beyond.
Thomas Bell · PGA Professional Coach
Calm, patient and easy to learn from. Thomas specialises in adults building solid fundamentals, and helps golfers feel relaxed, focused and clear on what to practise next.
Aran Sinclair · PGA Professional Coach
Aran specialises in helping adults improve their putting and short game.
Peter Arnott · High Performance & Practice Coach
Peter's coaching is built on motor learning and skill development: how golfers actually acquire and keep a skill, not just what the swing should look like.
Booking
How booking works
Each coach is self-employed and runs their own diary. You book, pay and communicate directly with your coach.