
Tom Ashworth
PGA Professional
- PGA Professional
- 14 years teaching
- Surrey, UK
Tom Ashworth is a PGA Professional who has taught golf since 2012, working mainly with beginners and mid-handicappers at club level in Surrey. He reviews the instruction guides on Learn Golf for technical accuracy before they publish.
Most of his teaching is with players in their first three years of the game, and most arrive having been told too much: six swing thoughts collected from videos, half of them contradicting each other. His approach is to check the grip and the alignment before touching the swing, on the basis that most bad ball flight is decided at address.
Areas of focus
- Beginner instruction and first-year fundamentals
- Grip, setup and alignment diagnosis
- Ball flight and fault correction for mid-handicappers
- Club fitting basics for new golfers
Credentials
- PGA Professional, qualified 2012
- 14 years teaching at club level
- Based in Surrey, United Kingdom
How these guides are checked
Every instruction guide on the site is reviewed against the same standard before it publishes: statistics carry a linked primary source, technique diagrams are drawn deliberately rather than generated, and any advice that good coaches genuinely disagree about is labelled as contested rather than presented as settled. The full standard is set out in our editorial policy.
Guides
- Your First Round of Golf: How the Day Actually GoesBeginner · 10 min read
- Losing Distance in Golf: Why It Happens and What to DoIntermediate · 11 min read
- What's in a Golf Bag: The Contents That Earn Their PlaceBeginner · 11 min read
- What to Wear Golfing: Dress Codes Without the GuessworkBeginner · 10 min read
- What Clubs Does a Beginner Actually Need to Start?Beginner · 11 min read
- Weight Shift in the Golf Swing: Pressure, Timing, DrillsIntermediate · 12 min read
- Wedge Distance Control: Build a Chart You Can TrustIntermediate · 12 min read
- Unplayable Lie Rule: Your Three Options Under Rule 19Beginner · 10 min read
- Uneven Lies in Golf: Uphill, Downhill and SidehillIntermediate · 11 min read
- Stableford Scoring: The Points Table and How It WorksBeginner · 9 min read
- Does the Golf Swing Change by Club? What Actually DiffersBeginner · 10 min read
- Rangefinder vs GPS: Which Golf Distance Device to BuyBeginner · 10 min read
- Putting Stroke: The Pendulum, Path and Face ExplainedBeginner · 12 min read
- Putting Stance and Setup: Eyes, Ball Position, PostureBeginner · 11 min read
- Putting Grip Styles: Conventional, Claw and Left Hand LowBeginner · 11 min read
- Putting Drills: Six Sessions, With Reps and FrequencyBeginner · 12 min read
- Putting Distance Control: How to Stop Three-PuttingIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Pre Shot Routine: Build One That Holds UpIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Practise Golf at Home: What Actually TransfersBeginner · 10 min read
- Plugged Lie Bunker Shot: How to Escape a Fried EggAdvanced · 10 min read
- Penalty Area Rules: Red vs Yellow StakesBeginner · 10 min read
- Out of Bounds Rule: Stroke and Distance ExplainedBeginner · 9 min read
- Match Play vs Stroke Play: How the Two Formats DifferBeginner · 10 min read
- Lost Ball Rule: Three Minutes, and the ProvisionalBeginner · 10 min read
- Left Handed Golf Tips: Reading Right-Handed AdviceBeginner · 10 min read
- Launch Monitor Numbers Explained: Every ParameterIntermediate · 11 min read
- Lag in the Golf Swing: What It Is and How to Keep ItIntermediate · 11 min read
- Is Golf Good Exercise? What the Research ShowsBeginner · 11 min read
- Intermediate Golf: The Complete GuideIntermediate · 19 min read
- Inconsistent Golf Ball Striking: Why and How to Fix ItIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Warm Up: A 10 Minute Plan and a 40 Minute OneBeginner · 10 min read
- How to Take a Drop in Golf: Rule 14 Step by StepBeginner · 10 min read
- Whiffing the Golf Ball: Why You Miss It CompletelyBeginner · 9 min read
- How to Stop Topping the Golf Ball and Hitting It ThinBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Stop Skying the Driver: Pop-Ups FixedIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Stop Hitting Fat Shots and Chunking the BallBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Stop Coming Over the Top: Fix the TransitionIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Stop Chunking Chip Shots: The Chili Dip FixBeginner · 10 min read
- How to Regrip Golf Clubs: The Whole Job, Step by StepBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Read Greens: Slope, Speed, Grain and BreakIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Putt: Grip, Setup, Stroke and Distance ControlBeginner · 13 min read
- How to Practice Golf Effectively: A Real PlanIntermediate · 11 min read
- Your First Golf Tournament: What Changes in CompetitionBeginner · 12 min read
- How to Play Golf in the Wind: Into, Down and AcrossIntermediate · 10 min read
- How to Play Golf in the Rain and Actually ScoreBeginner · 10 min read
- How to Play a Par 5: The Strategy the Data SupportsIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Pitch a Golf Ball: The 20 to 60 Yard ShotIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Measure Swing Speed: Five Ways, and What It CostsIntermediate · 10 min read
- How to Make Short Putts: The Three to Six Foot FixIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Increase Swing Speed: The Four Things That WorkIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Hit Your Driver Further: Strike, Launch and SpinIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Hit Out of the Rough: Read the Lie, Then ChooseIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Hit Out of a Bunker: The Greenside Sand ShotIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Hit Off a Tight Lie: Hardpan and Bare GroundAdvanced · 10 min read
- How to Hit Irons Pure: Ball First, Then TurfBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Punch Shot: Low, Under Trees and Into WindIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Hybrid: Play It Like an Iron, Not a WoodBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Flop Shot: Technique, Risk and When to Use ItAdvanced · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Fairway Wood Off the Deck and Off a TeeIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Fade: The Controlled Left-to-Right ShotIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Hit a Driver: Setup, Strike and Staying in PlayBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Hit a Draw: Start It Right, Turn It BackIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Get a Golf Handicap and Post Your First ScoresBeginner · 10 min read
- Putting Yips: What They Are and How to Get Rid of ThemAdvanced · 11 min read
- How to Fix a Slice: What Causes It and How to StopBeginner · 12 min read
- How to Fix a Shank: Why the Ball Squirts SidewaysIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Fix a Push and a Pull in GolfIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Fix a Hook: Why the Ball Dives Left and How to StopIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Chip a Golf Ball: Setup, Stroke and Club ChoiceBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Check a Used Golf Club Before You Buy ItBeginner · 10 min read
- How to Calculate a Golf Handicap: The Actual ArithmeticIntermediate · 9 min read
- How to Break 90 in Golf: Kill the Double BogeysIntermediate · 16 min read
- How to Break 80: Scrambling and Wedge PrecisionAdvanced · 16 min read
- How to Break 100 in Golf: What Actually Has to ChangeBeginner · 11 min read
- How to Book a Tee Time: What to Say and When to BookBeginner · 10 min read
- How to Avoid Big Numbers in Golf: Damage ControlIntermediate · 11 min read
- How Much Does Golf Cost? A Realistic UK BreakdownBeginner · 12 min read
- Average Putts Per Round: What Good Putting Looks LikeIntermediate · 10 min read
- How Many Clubs in a Golf Bag? The 14 Club RuleBeginner · 10 min read
- How Long Does It Take to Get Good at Golf? An Honest LookBeginner · 11 min read
- How Long Does a Round of Golf Take? The Real MathsBeginner · 11 min read
- Hip Rotation in the Golf Swing: Turn, Clear, Stay DownIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golfer's Elbow: What It Is and When to See a DoctorBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf Wedge Lofts: How to Gap the Bottom of Your BagIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Tournament Formats: What Each One Actually MeansIntermediate · 9 min read
- Golf Swing Thoughts: What to Think About, and WhenIntermediate · 10 min read
- Golf Swing Tempo: The 3 to 1 Ratio and How to Train ItIntermediate · 11 min read
- How to Stop Swaying in the Golf SwingIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Swing Plane: On Plane, Flat vs Upright, and DrillsIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Swing Drills: Takeaway to Impact, With RepsIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Swing Basics: How to Swing a Golf ClubBeginner · 14 min read
- Golf Stretches: Move Before, Hold AfterBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf Strength Training: What the Evidence SupportsIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Stance: Width, Foot Flare and Weight by ClubIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Spin Rate Explained: Backspin, Axis Tilt and ControlIntermediate · 10 min read
- Golf Simulator Guide: Space, Parts and What to Plan FirstIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Shaft Flex: How to Work Out Which One You NeedIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Scramble Format: How It Works and How to Win OneBeginner · 9 min read
- Golf Scoring Explained: Par, Birdie, Bogey and the CardBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Rules for Beginners: What You Actually NeedBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf Rules Explained: How the Rulebook WorksBeginner · 9 min read
- Practising With a Golf Net: Space, Safety and FeedbackBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Posture: Spine Angle, Hip Hinge and Knee FlexBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Penalty Strokes: What Every Breach CostsBeginner · 9 min read
- First Tee Nerves: How to Play Golf Under PressureBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Mental Game: How to Actually Stay FocusedIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Iron Lofts: The Chart, and Why It Keeps MovingBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Impact Position: What Happens at the BallIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Handicap Explained: What the Number Actually MeansBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Grip Size: How to Measure It and What It ChangesBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf for Women: Equipment, Tees and Club CultureBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Clubs for Tall and Short Players: Length and LieIntermediate · 13 min read
- Golf Tips for Seniors: What Actually ChangesIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf for Kids: Clubs, Sessions and Starting AgeBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf for Beginners: The Complete GuideBeginner · 18 min read
- Golf Follow Through: Finish Position, Extension, ReleaseIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Fitness: Mobility First, Then StrengthIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Exercises for Seniors: Rotation and StabilityIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Etiquette: What Is a Rule and What Is Just MannersBeginner · 12 min read
- Golf Drills: How to Pick Ones That Actually Change SomethingBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Downswing: The Transition and the SequenceIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Course Types Explained: Links, Parkland and MoreBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Course Management: How to Play the PercentagesIntermediate · 13 min read
- Types of Golf Clubs: What Each One Is Actually ForBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Club Selection: How to Choose the Right ClubIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Club Lie Angle: The Spec Nobody Ever ChecksIntermediate · 10 min read
- Golf Club Fitting: What Happens, and Is It Worth It?Intermediate · 12 min read
- Golf Club Distance Chart: The Numbers That Are RealBeginner · 12 min read
- Golf Ball Position: The Chart for Every ClubBeginner · 11 min read
- Golf Ball Layers: What 2, 3, 4 and 5 Piece MeanIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Ball Compression: What It Is and Who Publishes ItIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Backswing: Takeaway, Halfway Back and the TopIntermediate · 12 min read
- Golf and Back Pain: When to Get It Looked AtIntermediate · 11 min read
- Golf Apps Guide: The Five Categories Worth Your PhoneBeginner · 10 min read
- Golf Alignment: How to Aim the Club and Your BodyBeginner · 11 min read
- Fairway Bunker Shots: How to Pick the Ball CleanIntermediate · 12 min read
- Driving Range Practice Routine: How to Structure a BucketIntermediate · 12 min read
- How to Use a Driving Range: A First-Timer's GuideBeginner · 11 min read
- Driver Loft: Why Most Golfers Play Too Little of ItIntermediate · 10 min read
- How Far to Stand From the Golf Ball at AddressBeginner · 11 min read
- Chipping vs Pitching: The Difference and When to Use EachBeginner · 11 min read
- Chipping From Rough and Tight Lies: Reading the LieIntermediate · 11 min read
- Chipping Drills That Actually Lower Your ScoreBeginner · 10 min read
- Buying Used Golf Clubs: What Is Worth It, What Is NotBeginner · 11 min read
- Bump and Run: How to Play Golf's Lowest Risk ShotBeginner · 11 min read
- Blades vs Cavity Back Irons: An Honest AnswerIntermediate · 11 min read
- Ball Flight Laws: Club Path vs Face Angle ExplainedIntermediate · 12 min read
- Average Golf Score: What Golfers Actually ShootBeginner · 12 min read
- Average Driver Distance: What Golfers Actually HitBeginner · 12 min read
- Are Golf Lessons Worth It? An Honest AnswerBeginner · 10 min read
- Advanced Golf: The Complete GuideAdvanced · 20 min read
- How to Grip a Golf Club: The Only Guide You NeedBeginner · 9 min read
Gear guides
- Best Putting Mats: Four Picks and What Roll Speed BuysTraining aids · 14 min read
- Best Golf Towels: Three Things That Matter, Four PicksApparel · 11 min read
- Best Golf Stocking Stuffers: Small, Cheap, Actually UsedGifts · 11 min read
- Best Golf Shoes: Four Picks, Spiked and SpikelessApparel · 13 min read
- Best Golf Nets: What Speed Yours Is Actually Rated ForTraining aids · 14 min read
- Best Golf Hitting Mats: Base, Turf and the Fat ShotTraining aids · 14 min read
- Best Golf Gifts for Dad: What He Will Not Buy HimselfGifts · 12 min read
- Best Golf Books: Four Worth Reading, and One to SkipTraining aids · 12 min read
- Best Golf Alignment Sticks: What Actually DiffersTraining aids · 12 min read
- Where to Sell Used Golf Clubs, ComparedWhere to buy · 12 min read
- Best Wedges for Beginners: Bounce First, Loft SecondClubs · 13 min read
- Best Putters: Four Picks and the Fitting LogicClubs · 14 min read
- Best Putters for Beginners: Fit First, Spend LaterClubs · 13 min read
- Best Players Irons: Control, Feel and the Strike TestClubs · 14 min read
- Best Places to Buy Used Golf Clubs, ComparedWhere to buy · 13 min read
- Best Online Golf Stores: Range, Shipping and ReturnsWhere to buy · 12 min read
- Best Launch Monitors: Four Picks and What They MeasureTech · 14 min read
- Best Irons for Mid Handicappers: The Middle GroundClubs · 14 min read
- Best Irons for Beginners: Four Sets, and a CaveatClubs · 14 min read
- Best Golf Hybrids: Four Picks and the Loft to BuyClubs · 13 min read
- Best Hybrids for Seniors: Below 85 mph, Long Irons StopClubs · 13 min read
- Best Golf Wedges: Bounce, Grind and Four PicksClubs · 14 min read
- Best Golf Umbrellas: Four Picks and the Wind QuestionApparel · 12 min read
- Best Golf Travel Bags: Hard Case or Soft Cover ComparedBags & carts · 13 min read
- Best Golf Training Aids: Four That Actually Get UsedTraining aids · 13 min read
- Best Golf Tees: Height Matters, Brand Mostly Does NotApparel · 11 min read
- Best Golf Swing Trainers: The Four That Report BackTraining aids · 14 min read
- Best Golf Swing Analyzers: What They Measure and WhyTech · 13 min read
- Best Golf Sunglasses: Tint, Polarisation and FitApparel · 13 min read
- Best Golf Stand Bags: Weight, Legs and Straps ComparedBags & carts · 13 min read
- Best Golf Simulators: Four Setups and How to ChooseTech · 14 min read
- Best Golf Simulator Enclosures: Four Kits ComparedTech · 13 min read
- Best Golf Shoes for Walking: Four Picks for 18 on FootApparel · 13 min read
- Best Golf Rangefinders: Four Picks and How to ChooseTech · 13 min read
- Best Golf Rangefinder Cases: Replacements and MountsApparel · 10 min read
- Best Golf Rain Gear: Four Jackets and the Small PrintApparel · 14 min read
- Best Golf Push Carts: Folded Size Against a Real BootBags & carts · 14 min read
- Best Golf Instruction Online: Four Platforms ComparedTraining aids · 12 min read
- Best Golf Impact Screens: Four Screens ComparedTech · 13 min read
- Best Golf Hats: Sun, Sweatband, Fit, Then StylingApparel · 11 min read
- Best Golf Grips: Cord, Rubber and What Rain DoesApparel · 13 min read
- Best Golf GPS Watches: Four Picks and How to ChooseTech · 13 min read
- Best Golf Gloves: Four Picks, and When to Bin YoursApparel · 13 min read
- Best Golf Gifts: What Golfers Use, Not Just OwnGifts · 13 min read
- Best Golf Gifts Under £50: Four That Get UsedGifts · 12 min read
- Best Golf Gadgets: The Ones That Survive Past FebruaryGifts · 13 min read
- Best Golf Drivers: Four Picks and the Fitting LogicClubs · 14 min read
- Best Women's Golf Clubs: Ranked on How Well They FitClubs · 14 min read
- Best Golf Clubs for Seniors: Build the Whole Bag LighterClubs · 14 min read
- Best Golf Clubs for Beginners: A First Set That LastsClubs · 13 min read
- Where to Trade In Golf Clubs: Four Programmes ComparedWhere to buy · 12 min read
- Best Golf Cart Bags: Pocket Access and Strap ChannelsBags & carts · 13 min read
- Best Golf Balls: Four Picks and the Specs That MatterBalls · 13 min read
- Best Golf Balls for Slow Swing Speeds and CompressionBalls · 14 min read
- Best Golf Balls for Seniors: Visibility, Feel and CostBalls · 13 min read
- Best Golf Balls for High Handicappers: Cost Per RoundBalls · 13 min read
- Best Golf Balls for Distance: Low Spin Off the DriverBalls · 13 min read
- Best Golf Balls for Beginners: Soft, Cheap and DurableBalls · 12 min read
- Best Golf Bags: What You Actually Carry for 18 HolesBags & carts · 14 min read
- Best Game Improvement Irons: Forgiveness by the NumbersClubs · 14 min read
- Best Fairway Woods: Four Picks and Which Loft to BuyClubs · 13 min read
- Best Drivers for Slow Swing Speeds: The Physics and Four PicksClubs · 13 min read
- Best Drivers for Seniors: Weight and Flex Before the HeadClubs · 13 min read
- Best Drivers for High Handicappers: Four Forgiving PicksClubs · 13 min read
- Best Drivers for Beginners: Four Picks You Cannot Set Up WrongClubs · 13 min read
- Best Complete Golf Sets: What the Piece Count HidesClubs · 13 min read
- Best Cheap Golf Balls: Price Per Dozen and the TradeBalls · 13 min read
- Best Budget Golf Rangefinders: Four Under £200Tech · 13 min read
- Best Budget Launch Monitors: Four Under £1,000Tech · 14 min read
Spotted something wrong in one of these? Send a correction. They get a real read.