Will Shaw
PhD, MSc, BSc · PGA Professional
Co-Founder, Break X Golf
Sport scientist and PGA professional with 20 years of experience working in elite golf, 10 years lecturing at university and a PhD in motor control.
Will Shaw worked as Head of Golf for two university programmes, winning 8 out of 10 possible leagues and 6 cups. He’s also worked with elite amateurs, collegiate players in the USA, and tour professionals as a performance coach, focusing on using playing stats to optimise practice.
He holds a PhD in motor control from the University of Leeds and spent over a decade lecturing in biomechanics, motor control and sport psychology at Leeds Beckett University.
That combination of applied coaching and academic research is what led him to co-found Break X Golf — an app that builds personalised practice plans based on strokes gained data.
Talking points for hosts
Episode topics and data-studies ready to discuss
- The three-step process using strokes gained to tell you what and how to practice.
- What most coaches and players get wrong when applying skill acquisition science.
- Golf as a perceptual-motor skill: wagging the dog by the tail.
- Practice variability: When it should be used and where it doesn’t make sense.
- Course vs range: Choosing where you should practice.
- Why you should probably just beat balls in between events.
- Working with elite players: The #1 datapoint and how to think about stats and practice
- Playing stats for Breaking 90 & 80 – what it means for practice and course strategy [Beta data study]
- Happy to discuss any wider topics relating to golf performance where I can add value
Coaching & performance track record
Team coaching
- Head of Golf, University of Exeter (2021–2023): won all 6 available BUCS league titles and two cup competitions across two seasons; grew golf society membership from 86 to 195 and women’s participation from 7% to 15%.
- Head of Golf, Leeds Beckett University (2011–2014): took the programme from 50th to 7th nationally in two years — their highest-ever finish — winning two cups and two league promotions.
Individual coaching
- Two decades of one-to-one performance coaching for elite amateurs, US collegiate players, and tour professionals, built around data-driven practice plans that identify exactly what’s costing a player shots.
- Worked with a DP World Tour player who moved from 175th in the world rankings to inside the top 100 in the following six months.
- Provided biomechanical analysis to some of the world’s leading players, including two male world number ones (2011-2013).
Applied sport science
- Part of the team delivering athletics biomechanics consultancy at the IAAF World Championships.
- Contributed to a UEFA coaching framework consultancy project spanning 50 countries.
- Six years as coach and evaluator at the Battle Back Centre, using adaptive sport to support the recovery of wounded, injured and sick service personnel.
Academic background & publications
Education
- PhD, Biological Sciences (Motor Control) — University of Leeds, 2014–2020
- MSc, Sports Psychology & Biomechanics (Merit) — Leeds Beckett University, 2011–2012
- BSc, Sports Performance (First Class Honours) — Leeds Beckett University, 2010–2011
- PGA Professional Foundation Degree — University of Birmingham, 2006–2009
Lecturing & research roles
- Part-Time Lecturer, Leeds Beckett University (2012–2022) — biomechanics, motor control and sport psychology; educated and mentored 200+ students across a decade.
- Lab Demonstrator, University of Leeds (2015-2022) – delivering lab sessions and lectures in Motor Control to undergraduate and postgraduate students.
- Sport Project Officer & Research Assistant, Leeds Beckett University (2014–2017) — biomechanics analysis for elite golfers, first within a team, later running full independent analyses for tour professionals.
Peer-reviewed publications
- O’Reilly D; Shaw W; Hilt P; de Castro Aguiar R; Astill SL; Delis I (2025) Quantifying the diverse contributions of hierarchical muscle interactions to motor function. iScience
- Ye C; Saboksayr SS; Shaw W; Coats RO; Astill SL; Mateos G; Delis I (2024) A tensor decomposition reveals ageing-induced differences in muscle and grip-load force couplings during object lifting. Scientific Reports
- Shaw W (2021) Golf swing technician Jim Christine: Bridging the gap between the science of the golf swing and the art of golf coaching: A Commentary, Editorial for Special Section on Golf Coaching
- Roe, G., Shaw, W., Darrall-Jones, J., et al. (2018). Reliability and Validity of a Medicine Ball-Contained Accelerometer for Measuring Upper-Body Neuromuscular Performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research.
- Roe, G., Darrall-Jones, J., Shaw, W., et al. (2016). Validity of 10 Hz GPS and Timing Gates for Assessing Maximum Velocity in Professional Rugby Union Players. International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance.
Writing, media & podcast appearances
- Founder, Golf Insider UK — a UK golf performance media platform covering strokes gained, practice science and equipment testing
- Author, The Golf Insider Performance Diary (2017)
- Founder & host, Golf Insider Podcast
- The Future of Sports: Dr Will Shaw On The New Emerging Technologies That Are Disrupting The World Of Sports