About our Golf Professionals

Our three golf professionals work with you to ensure personal and specific golf coaching delivering direct results to your game. 

Neil Darnell

Mannings Heath Head Professional

Like all golf professionals, Neil’s career began as a player.  During this time he achieved the titles of Sussex Assistant Professional Champion and Sussex Matchplay Champion, along with numerous Pro-Am titles and also competed in the European Tour Qualifying School. 

Neil has worked with some of golf’s most respected coaches, such as Clive Tucker (coach to tour stars Graham Mcdowell, David Howell) and Mac O’Gradey (Has worked with many tour players including Seve Ballesteros).  As a result he understands the importance of all aspects of the game, not just swing mechanics, in helping individuals to improve their scores and overall enjoyment of the game.  

Neil Darnell Golf Tuition offers the very best in golf coaching.  With over 14 years of experience, coaching all standards of player from the complete beginner to the professional, Neil is well equipped to bring out the best in your game. Using the latest technology, and with a truly personal approach, Neil will quickly identify specific areas for improvement and work with you to ensure your golfing goals become a reality.

Neil is a level 3 PGA qualified coach and is also a Head Sussex County Development Coach.  In order to comply with best practice Neil is also fully CRB checked and regularly attends golf/sport coaching training events and seminars. 

Carl Watts

Mannings Heath Resident Teaching Professional

Carl has 25 years of competitive and coaching experience to offer your game of golf; he competed on the European Tour between 1994-2001 with his best performance finishing runner up in the 1997 BMW Open in Germany after a 3 hole play-off with former European number one Robert Karlsson. He also won 2 European Challenge Tour events, represented England at all levels as an amateur and won The British Boys Championship in 1989.

Carl is a PGA professional and over the last 10 years he coached and travelled with tour professionals competing on the European, Challenge, Europro and various worldwide tours. In 2005 he was the Sussex County Coach. Carl has also been coached himself by some of golf’s most respected coaches including European Tour founder John Jacobs and Pete Cowen (Coach to world number one Lee Westwood).

Carl runs the Exclusive Golf Tuition School and is the Mannings Heath junior golf organiser where he has also set up the Junior Academy. Carl is fully CRB checked and continues to work with a several touring professionals and a number of golfing amateurs looking to turn professional are also under his guidance, he has a fun yet disciplined approach to improving your game and enjoys working with players of all ages and abilities.

Andy Hailes

Exclusive Golf’s Equipment and Custom Fitting specialist

Andy has many years experience of competing at a top level including winning the Sussex Under 21 championship in 2005, he represented Sussex for 3 years then turned professional in 2006, he then competed on the Europro Tour for 2 years finishing in the top 20 of the qualifying school.

Andy completed his 3 year PGA training course under the watchful eye of tour coach Clive Tucker (coach to tour stars such as Graham McDowell & David Howell). He qualified as a level 3 PGA qualified coach with a PGA Distinction in custom fitting and club repairs and has a real passion in making sure players use equipment that is customised to their personal needs allowing them to maximise their game.

As well as coaching members and visitors over the last 4 years Andy has specialised in coaching juniors of all ages and abilities. In order to comply with best practice Andy is also fully CRB checked. Andy has years of experience in running Corporate golf days and teaching players via group clinics.

During Golf School tuition breaks Andy assesses the suitability of each players equipment with the aid of a state of the art launch monitor.

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Call +44 (0) 845 894 5673 to speak to one of the pros