Lachlan McDonald is in year four at Charlestown South Public School, only recently turned 10 and not that long ago used to skip down the fairway following a shot.
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On Saturday, McDonald became one of the youngest players in history to take out a Saturday senior competition at Charlestown, compiling an incredible 46 stableford points to win in a canter.
Wearing his "lucky" orange Jordan Spieth Under Armour shirt, McDonald reeled off four pars and a birdie on the way to shooting 90 off the stick.
Before Saturday, the biggest competition he had won was a chipping contest against his parents in the backyard on who could get closest to the clothesline.
"I have won that quite a few times," the 10-year-old said.
The birdie at the 365-metre 13th hole was the pint-sized right-hander's first in a competition and first on a par-four.
"I hit driver, three wood and the ball rolled past the hole by about three feet," he said. "I wasn't sure about the putt but thankfully it went in."
The win, in a field including pennants players and single-figure handicappers, sliced nearly five strokes off McDonald's handicap, from 27.5 to 22.8.
"Within two years, I'd like to have it down to 12 so I can play A-Grade," he said. "I like hearing the ping when the club hits the ball and watching it fly through the air."
McDonald could barely stand up when his grand parents and keen golfers, Gavin and Wendy Price, first put a club in his hands.
"My in-laws used to live opposite the Wauchope Country club," Lachlan's father and Cricket NSW Hunter general manager Neil McDonald said.
"We would go up there for holidays and Lachie would practice on and around the sixth green. Since he was three or four he has had a set of cut down clubs."
A member of the Jack Newton Junior Golf program, McDonald has only recently started playing against adults.
"His win blew us away a bit," his proud father said. "When he first started the Jack Newton stuff, he would hit a shot and then skip down the fairway.
"It's only been the last 12 months that we have got him out of the 'juniors on the move' program, which was fantastic, into playing competition golf against adults.
"He drives the ball about 160 metres. He hits it pretty sweetly and if he misses a chip it's a rarity. I'm proud of him because I know what it is like to duff a shot."
McDonald's favourite player is Spieth, whom he watched play and had a photo taken with at the 2016 Australian Open.
"I was wearing my lucky [Jordan Spieth] shirt on Saturday," he said.
As well as practicing his chipping in the backyard and regular visits to Charlestown, McDonald has been getting lessons from Laurie Chew at the Jason Laws Golf Academy at Newcastle Golf Club, where he is also a member.
"We never had a coach for him up until the last year," Neil said. "Every time we would go to a Jack Newton event, people would ask the name of his coach. Laurie has done a great job with him over there. He enjoys it. We don't put any pressure on him. Whatever he loves doing, we support that.
"He has decided not to play cricket this summer. In the past he has played junior cricket in the morning and then I'd take him out for 18 holes of golf in the afternoon. That got a bit taxing. Two weeks ago, he said dad I have been having a think about this summer and I might concentrate on my golf. That was before last Saturday."
As for the father and son battles on the course.
"We are line ball at the moment," Neil said. "He might have me covered in the next six months."
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