Before he knew it, the 12-year-old was owning an iron a week through mowing lawns and doing odd jobs after school and on weekends.
"It was a very basic junior set, a PGF set of irons so it was bloody good," he says of the then youngster who often found himself caddying for his father and having a hit at a few holes now and again.
"You know, the old man noticed a bit of talent in me and the owner [Judd] did too," says Henare who was picked up by Vic Pirihi, from a Maori trust that had spotted the talent of US Open champion Michael Campbell and PGA professional Phil Tautaurangi.
From there it was to the New Zealand Titleist Academy and the rest is history.
"If it hadn't been for the game of golf my future could well have been very different.
"As a Maori youth growing up in Levin, I will always be grateful for the values and amazing life opportunities that golf has given me," he says.
That is why Henare is passionate about hosting the inaugural Duke of Gloucester-sponsored Napier Pro-am, on Monday, January 23, which will be the first leg of a Wellington one-day circuit series.
Andrew Henare Golf has organised the pro-am as a fundraiser for the club's junior programme, which runs every Sunday from 7.30am to 10am at four different levels, catering for 5- to 17-year-olds.
"It's going to be exclusive to 30 teams," he says, considering it a coup to have enticed Sir Bob Charles, of Christchurch, to be part of the event and help boost the profile of junior golf here.
The Napier club has about 50 junior members, mushrooming from eight this time last year when he got involved, although the programme has been there since its inception.
"We're doing quite well and it's only rebuilding at this stage."
Henare said the pro-am idea was spawned to help the elite level one, handicap-toting juniors from 10 to 18 years old travel to regional and national events.
"Basically it's to try to raise funds to expose them to bigger events, such as the New Zealand Under-19s."
He cannot recall having a fundraiser for a junior focus.
"I've come from representing New Zealand myself so it's an avenue I wanted to push the kids to turn them into Lydia Kos or Danny Lees."
Money raised also will go towards taking Snag (Starting New At Golf) to Hawke's Bay schools.
Henare says golf will expose juniors to life skills and core values that will benefit them both on and off the course.
Snag is fun, colourful and teaches children the basics.
The pro-am will comprise teams of three amateurs grouped with a professional in a best three of four stableford scramble. An amateur prize table of more than $5000 will be up for grabs.
"It'll be based on the New Zealand Order of Merit and how the categories go on who enters," he says, revealing New Zealand Golf will sort out who the professionals will be.
It is an opportune time because a lot of professionals are home without the distractions of extended tours abroad.
"They will all be trying to, after a festive Christmas season in New Zealand, find some form," he says, mindful there's a couple of pro-ams in Auckland just before that as well.
"Once they finish there they'll be travelling down here on a Monday and once they are finished they'll be travelling to the one-day Paraparaumu Pro-am and then the next one to the Martinborough Pro-am, Masterton Eketahuna and the last Wellington Pro-am."
Henare says a lot of big names will be in the group.
It's difficult for NZ Golf to try to lock in pro-ams because of the demands on players.
"New Zealand is probably a gateway tour for these guys to try to gain exposure so when they play one-day pro-ams, especially this time of the year with the New Zealand Open and the New Zealand PGA coming up in February and March, they use the one-days to gain exposure leading into them."
Henare, who will be playing, encourages fans to come enjoy it as part of the gallery even if they are non-golfers.
He says the course will be in the best condition possible and, no doubt, it'll be a good time to promote the club as well.
