The Holly Clyburn Story
Since 2025 Clyburn has been involved with the Junior Golf Program as an assistant coach in the David Leadbetter Academy.
Born February 7, 1991 in Grimsby, England, Clyburn showed exemplary golfing skills early on and advanced quickly up the ranks.
The 35-year-old had an exemplary amateur record representing the English national team from 2007-2012 and was a two-time member of the Great Britain & Ireland Curtis Cup team. In the 2012 matches, she won three of her five matches and guided the team to its first win since 1996. At her peak she was ranked 23rd in the world among all female amateurs.
Turned professional in October 2012 and advanced as a member of the 2013 Ladies European Tour. In her rookie year of 2013, won her first tournament, the Deloitte Ladies Open in Amsterdam and finished 7th on the LET Order of Merit. Clyburn nearly won LET Rookie-of-the-Year but was edged out by Charlie Hull, when Hull placed higher in the final tournament of the season.
A member of the LET from 2013 to present — with a total of 95 events played, including 18 top ten finishes. Her lowest round a 64. In 2020 added two more victories for a total of four professional wins.
From 2016-2018, she was a member of the LPGA Tour.
Her highest professional world ranking reached 67th.
In late 2020 started caddying on the LPGA Tour for various players and ultimately handling bag duties for former US Women’s Open champion Paula Creamer from 2022-2024.
Injuries curtailed her playing career and she opted to remain active in the golf lane through high-level coaching.
Her coaching career accelerated when hired by the Leadbetter Academy. Her relationship with its founder David Leadbetter commenced during her playing days on tour.
The Clyburn Journey
I always knew I would be a professional golfer from an early age as I fell in love with the game pretty quickly and remember being in school having a careers meeting at the start of high school and I told counselor my plans to be a professional golfer traveling the world and becoming a tour champion.
She shook her head in bewilderment and laughed — and asked me in all seriousness what my ambitions would be. I then repeated what I said initially. When I walked out of the meeting I remember saying to myself — watch me.
Who’s laughing now? My parents always had my back and believed I could do it. We made the dream a reality together and, in the process, added some amazing members.
Once I had my first call up to play for the English national team, I knew that’s it. Without team England and my parents none of this would have been possible. So, yes, a big thanks goes to them.
I suppose working through the ranks of amateur golf and reaching the top and competing in the highest levels the next stage was professional life. In 2010, I had a call up to represent Great Britain and Ireland in the Curtis Cup.
Unfortunately, we didn’t win but I promised my captain I would not turn pro until the next two years later in 2012 when we won the trophy on home soil. That fall I went to qualifying school and made the dream come true gaining full status on the Ladies European Tour and in 2016 became a player on the biggest stage — the LPGA Tour.
Today, I’m very proud of my career thanks to my whole family and amazing coaches along the way including David (Leadbetter) coaching and mentoring me and giving myself this amazing opportunity to work in his amazing stable.
I can’t thank Graham Walker enough either. Without these two main coaches in my life and having absolute belief I would not be the player or person I am today.
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You wake up in the morning – what is the driving passion?
I suppose this came from my parents. Having a great work ethic came from my parents and that’s where my drive comes from and since an early age wanting to be the best version I can be.
I always woke up early and tried to get an edge over everything. I still to this day. I always have that drive and that’s what makes me want to be the best version I can be in the coaching role I have today.
How were you introduced to golf and what fascinated you about it?
My family.
They have massive passion for the game — from my grandparents through to my parents plus my younger sister ( India). I jumped on the wagon and really excelled. The dream was always to be a professional golfer. The fascination and pathway with golf was how good one can get from the time you put into it.
Who were your golf idols when growing up?
Tiger woods, Laura Davis, Lee Westwood and Paula creamer.
You’ve played pro golf at an elite level — what was the most lasting lesson you learned from your time in the competitive lane?
You can’t have enough knowledge. We are always learning from each competitive round. Even when I last played in a tournament last summer I kept reminding myself you’ve come this far and that I’ve done harder things so keep believing and stay present.
What prompted you to leave the competitive arena and head into coaching?
Injuries mainly.
I always had a passion to keep learning. When I saw myself really taking in the knowledge, I thought there is definitely a career in coaching.
Plus, I’ve always loved giving people help in any shape or form . It’s the feel good factor from it.
I definitely have the drive to try and be one of the few female coaches out on the big stage but also I’m learning from amazing coaches around me.
How much better of a player do you think you would have been if what you know now could have been applied then?
I always say to younger players I wish I had what is available today. I believe I would be on another level and now. I think that’s what drives me even more to keep learning different angles of the game and areas in golf.
I also believe you can create so many amazing things from yourself and having better facilities make you more of a better player.
What’s the biggest misunderstanding students have with coaching and what do you do in order to clarify your role in that lane space?
Rest and recovery.
It’s the biggest misunderstood part students don’t get.
Rest and recovery are as important as standing on the range with myself or whoever. Being one percent better comes from this area.
Your mind and soul reconnect and have greater clarity.
What’s the main difference between coaching and simply providing instruction?
Coaching doesn’t just come from teaching them to swing a club, coaching touches all the aspects within the game and having the tools to be able to transfer that across.
With instructions it’s more straight to the golf swing that day with whoever that client might be.
What are the clear signs the relationship between coach and student is working and when it’s not working?
Connection and having great communication. That drive to keep pushing both player and coach.
We see it every day when the bond is normally instant. Having a great understanding on what students want to learn and them having the trust in you makes such a relationship even stronger. Making the chemistry deeper and motivating the desire to be even better
When it’s not working normally, it generally means we’re just on different pages of the book and sometimes that’s ok.
You also spent time caddying for Paula Creamer. How did that relationship start and what lessons did you learn from that intersection, especially in the coaching arena?
Paula and I met from playing on the LPGA tour. Funny thing is she was always someone I looked up to and was an idol of mine. Working for her has been truly incredible.
The day she asked me to come work for her was one of the best days. Once I got inside the ropes with her is was something you can’t really describe.
Paula taught me so many lessons how major champions’ brains work — how they prepare and how they care for their team members. Her trust in my experience was special.
I remember being at an event and we had this shot ahead of us which wasn’t so simple. I explained what we could do and how it was possible. I told her to trust me and she pulled it off. Afterwards, she said that’s why I hired you. To this day I still laugh. The trust we had in both of us was remarkable.
Our friendship is still so strong and I think that’s what made us work so well together. Nothing was misunderstood.
If you could change one thing in golf unilaterally – what would it be and why?
The judgement of performance. Changing the mindset of scoring. We are wired to judge too quickly instead of thinking if I prepare the best and do what I need to do in every corner then I can relax and have fun.
We can ask ourselves did we do our best in all areas and even if we still didn’t shoot what we wanted to then it’s ok to come back and restart the next day.
I always try and remind students we are not a performance seal we are humans and not everything is perfect.
Best advice you ever received — what was it and who was it from?
My mum Allison — “There is a big wide world out there — keep dreaming because anything is possible.”
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