Follow the podcast: @linkedbygolfpodcast

This week I’m joined by Scottish professional golfer Chris Maclean (@chrismaclean95) for a brilliant conversation about his journey through elite amateur golf, life as a touring professional and the realities of trying to make a living from the game.

We start with the important stuff – Chris’s ongoing £20-a-game battle with John Henry – before heading right back to where his golf began. Chris talks about growing up in an incredibly competitive junior environment, progressing through county golf and then arriving at Stirling University surrounded by some of the best young players in the country.

Chris explains how that environment helped take him from a good amateur to a +5 handicap, representing Scotland and producing some excellent results, including leading qualifying at the Spanish Amateur, finishing third in the Scottish Amateur and winning the Tennant Cup.

We then get into professional golf – and Chris gives a fascinating insight into what life on the lower-level tours is actually like. Entry fees, flights, hotels, hire cars, food and taxes quickly add up, and Chris explains how you can finish well inside the top 10 and still lose money. At one event, he reckons he needed to finish third just to break even.

There are plenty of stories from along the way too, including winning at Royal Dornoch, shooting nine under with 11 birdies to set a course record in Dumfries & Galloway, finishing runner-up in his first Scottish PGA Championship, winning the Scottish Young Professionals Championship and taking the Deer Park Masters in a playoff.

Chris also talks candidly about one of the tougher moments of his career – three three-putts over the closing nine holes of the final ever EuroPro Tour event, ultimately missing out on a Challenge Tour card by a single shot.

Today Chris combines tournament golf with his role as Head Professional at Hayston Golf Club, where coaching has become a major part of his career. We also get into the performance days he runs alongside John and Scott Henry, bringing together short game, putting, long game, equipment and on-course coaching to help golfers understand how to actually score better.

A really enjoyable, honest chat about talent, competition, setbacks, the financial reality of tour golf, coaching and finding your own route through the game.

Follow Chris:
Instagram: @chrismaclean95

Follow Linked by Golf:
Instagram: @linkedbygolfpodcast