Sunshine West teenager Lance Smith is proving a winning model of consistency.
The golfing prodigy was crowned senior champion at the western metropolitan zone schools championship last month.
Representing Caroline Chisholm Catholic College, the year 12 student easily accounted for his western suburbs-based rivals, winning by two shots at the Werribee Golf Club.
It was the third time in a row Smith has won the event. More concerning for his opposition, the 17-year-old says he didn’t play at his best throughout the event.
“To be honest, I played pretty ordinary but got over the line, so that was all right,” he said.
Smith hopes to earn a PGA traineeship with his home club Sunshine at the end of this year with the goal of eventually becoming a professional.
If his level of improvement in the past four years is anything to go by, he is well on his way.
“My dad took me to a golf course one day and I had a swing,” he said of his introduction to the game.
“I started hitting the ball and then the golf professional came down and said they’d take me on board.
“It was probably about four years ago – that is when I started taking it a bit more seriously.
“My handicap dropped down pretty quick. I started off 36 and then I went down to 20 in about a month or so. Then I went from 20 to four in about a year.”
Smith’s handicap dropped to one earlier this year and is presently at three.
