Napier Golf Club member Zack Swanwick has had a memorable year on courses around the North Island. Photo/Duncan Brown
It was a tough decision for Zack Swanwick to sacrifice selection in the Napier West Wakely Shield rugby team so he could focus on his golfing commitments.
"But I'm glad I did ... I've had a pretty good year with my clubs," Swanwick, 11, said as he sat among his trophy haul at the Napier Golf Club last night.
The Taradale Intermediate School pupil, who has just finished year seven, won the trophy for the most outstanding male across all ages at the club.
The trophy was first presented in 1983 and Swanwick is the youngest recipient.
Last weekend six handicapper Swanwick won the junior club championship (under-19) final at the club with a one up victory against Hawke's Bay senior men's rep Dylan Bagley who is five years his senior.
Earlier in the year he won the intermediate men's (7-12 handicap) championship with an 8 and 7 victory against Gerry Gray in the 36-hole final.
In September Swanwick, who first swung a golf club at the age of four and started playing club golf at the age of nine, finished third at the AIMS Games for intermediate school age players in Tauranga.
"Both of the players who beat me were year eight so I did the best of the year seven players. I'll be going back next year to try to improve on that third placing."
A son of former Black Sox softball pitcher Vincent Swanwick, Swanwick, was a reserve for the Hawke's Bay team which finished ninth at the junior inter-provincials (under-16 years) in Cambridge and played five of the six matches recording two halves, a win and two losses.
As the No 10 man for the Napier club team Swanwick won all seven of his matches as they captured the Greenwood Cup, the most prestigious trophy for Hawke's Bay men's interclub golf.
Despite these successes Swanwick will switch his priorities next year back to rugby.
"I want to give the Napier Ross Shield team a serious crack," Swanwick, who will play hooker for the Napier Old Boys Marist 12th grade team next year, said.
"I know by the time I get to year 11 or 12 I know I will have to make a decision between rugby or golf. Until then I intend to play both as much as I can. At this stage I'm only thinking about professional rugby or golf as my career after school.
"But I've got to be realistic it's probably easier to make a living out of golf," Swanwick said.
"If I don't make it in either code it won't be a bad thing because I've already learnt so much and the most important thing is if you work hard enough you will get want you want. The golfing etiquette I've learnt certainly helps me out in everyday life," the articulate youngster explained.
Swanwick, who has already tackled the Napier and Hawke's Bay Pro Ams, can't be accused of shirking the hard work. In addition to a half hour lesson once a week with club professional Andrew Henare he trains on his own for four to five hours each week.
"With the Hawke's Bay senior men's team finishing third at the Toro inter-provincials that was tremendous news for golf here in the Bay. It shows there is a good pathway for us youngsters to aim for ... I want to try to make that team by the time I'm 14."
Combine his work ethic with the successes he experienced this year and everything points to him ticking that goal off. It must also be noted Swanwick, a big fan of United States professional Jordan Spieth, boasts a career-best one over par round of 72 shot on the Tauranga course during the AIMS games.
His best round on his home Waiohiki course is a 74 off the blue tees which he shot during the semifinals of the junior club championships.
The days of his father, a former five handicapper, beating him have long gone.
"I'm just happy being his caddy and taxi these days," Swanwick snr said.
His son's next major event will be the North Island under-13 tournament in Hamilton next month.
It's fair to suggest there won't be too many of his rivals who will boast a golfing CV as impressive as Swanwick jnr.