Golf Academy
The St Leonards Golf Academy
St Andrews is known as the Home of Golf, and the Golf Academy at St Leonards is recognised as one of the finest golfing schools. Its eight-tier specialist programme is delivered in partnership with the St Andrews Links, giving students access to some of the best Links courses, including the Old Course.
Our Golf Academy caters to all abilities, from complete beginners to the elite golfer aspiring to play on a professional level. St Leonards pupils also have a strong track record of securing prestigious Golf Scholarships at US universities including Lehigh University, University of Oregon, Iowa State, Houston Christian University, Furman University, and Wingate University. Our expert instructors are fully equipped to support future scholarship applications.
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World-Class FacilitiesOur golfers train at the St Andrews Links Academy, benefitting from the finest facilities and technology, including indoor and outdoor bays, practice areas for putting, and access to Top Tracer, Digital V1 Pro, Trackman, SAMPuttLab, and BodiTrak BalanceLab. -
History of the Home of GolfSt Andrews is known worldwide as the Home of Golf, the sport having first been played here in the early 15th century. Since then, it’s hosted many famous championships, from the British Open to the Alfred Dunhill Links, the Walker Cup and the Amateur Championship. -
World ChampionsFollowing their victory at the 2025 Independent International Invitational at Crumpin-Fox Club in Massachusetts, USA, the St Leonards High Performance Golf team has been crowned independent school champions on the international stage!
Fintan Bonner
Fintan Bonner is Director of Golf at St Leonards, and is a Senior Instructor at the St Andrews Links Golf Academy. He is a PGA Level 3 certified practitioner, a UKCC Level 3 qualified professional, a Class AA PGA Professional, and is K-Vest 3D and BodiTrak certified.
As a Neuro-Linguistic Programming Practitioner, Fintan delivers world-class instruction through a combination of strategic analysis, cutting-edge technology and effective communication.
His coaching career has seen him accompany players to tournaments all over the world, including European Tour events, Challenge Tour events, the US Kids World Championships and the Jack Bunny Tour Finals in Japan.
As well as being a highly-regarded instructor, Fintan is a Custom Fit specialist. He has led the Golf Academy at St Leonards since 2014.
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St Leonards CadetsThe Cadets programme is designed for our youngest pupils, aged 5-8, to introduce them to the sport, and begin to teach them the basic skills, techniques, and etiquette of the game.
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St Leonards MinisThe Minis programme has been designed for pupils aged 8-12 who are looking to gain, or continue to build on, an understanding of golf, including basic skills and techniques.
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Introduction to GolfThe second tier is Introduction to Golf, which is tailored for pupils in Years 7-13 who are new to the game and looking to develop skills in the driving range and on the golf course.
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Q SchoolOpen to golfers with handicaps of 28 and above, this tier provides weekend group coaching as well as individual tuition and a bespoke development plan.
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Junior Development SquadFor young golfers progressing from Q School, this tier focuses on developing core skills, building confidence in competitions, and preparing for the step up to the Development Squad.
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Development SquadThis tier is designed for pupils who have some golfing experience and are enthusiastic about developing their game, improving their handicap and increasing their confidence.
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Performance SquadThe Performance Squad is for experienced, skilled golfers with a handicap of between 4 and 9 who want to perfect their game alongside their academic studies at St Leonards.
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High Performance SquadOur top tier, this squad requires players to have a handicap of between +4 and 3. It is an elite group of 12 players who are striving for golf scholarships and want to play golf professionally.
