Golf: Father and son make history

Bailey Smith, 17, became Mount Maunganui Golf Club's youngest senior champion last weekend. Photo / John Borren

The Smith family had plenty to celebrate after finals day at Mount Maunganui Golf Club on Sunday.

Keith Smith won the intermediate title after a Herculean effort over 37 holes while his son Bailey needed only 13 of the designated 18 holes to claim the senior title.

It was the first time in the club's history that a father and son had won both divisions on the same day and at 17 years old, Bailey is the youngest ever senior champion.

Keith made just his second final in the 12 years he has played at the club and admits to being more nervous than ever before on a golf course as his early 6-up lead dwindled away. Ironically Bailey's comprehensive win meant the large gallery following his match then switched to watch Keith's game, compounding the tension.

"It was a little difficult aspect playing knowing that he was in the group behind me,' said Keith. "I had one eye on how he was going and I kept getting reports that Bailey was comfortable which was a good thing for me. It was me that was stressing!"

Keith says Bailey gets his talent from his great grandfather Harry Dale, who was a famous golf course architect in New Zealand and was the senior champion at the Mount many times. He and his wife Gladys Dale were life members at the club.

Bailey's win continues a stellar season for him after he decided to commit to chasing his golf goals in 2013. He left school and studied through Correspondence School, with the support of his parents and New Zealand Golf.

His regimented routine of study every morning and practising golf in the afternoons at the course on the family home's doorstep has paid off.

Last year he lost the club champs final to Brad Kendall so to go one better was a major goal for him. In a nice touch, Kendall caddied for him in this year's final.

"Winning the club champs was certainly something I wanted to do because I don't know how many more I will get to play. I had to miss out on playing a Bay quad event to do so but it was worth it as I hope to go overseas to Aussie at the start of next year and then try to go to America in July or August to play college golf.

"I should be finished school in a couple of weeks and then [it's] full-time golf."

Bailey is in action at the Tauranga Golf Club today in the pro-am of the Carrus Open professional tournament that starts tomorrow and finishes Sunday.

Keith will be on his bag as his caddy.

"I am feeling confident as I am not playing too bad, better than I have been," Bailey said. "I will try to do as well as I can and stick to my processes.

"Keeping the ball in the fairway is pretty key here as the rough is getting pretty thick and wet. But you can get pretty aggressive, with lots of wedges in.

"I would say the scoring will be pretty low with soft greens."

US-based golfer Josh Geary, who grew up playing at the Otumoetai and Mount Maunganui clubs, is the hot favourite to take out the Carrus Open.