St. Cletus 1st grader is gaga for golf

Kevin and Jessica McDermott always knew their 4-year-old son Hunter had the sweet swing of a pro whenever he took out his plastic “toddler” golf clubs.

What the couple wasn’t prepared for was their child’s response when they asked him if he wanted to take swimming lessons with his friends over the summer.

“He said, ‘No, but I think I’d like to take golf lessons,’” said Jessica McDermott, recalling that she initially doubted there was a teacher willing to take a student so young.

Luckily, the family met Jimmy Headrick, the head pro and director of instruction at Lakewood Golf Club in Algiers. It didn’t take long for Coach Jimmy to invite Hunter into his program a full year earlier than his customary minimum age.

“Coach Jimmy couldn’t get over how interested (Hunter) was. He just has a love for the game of golf,” McDermott said. “He was impressed with the discipline and the attention span (Hunter) had at such a young age.”

The two-hour, Saturday morning golf lessons are paying off. Over the summer, Hunter, now a 6-year-old first grader at St. Cletus School in Gretna, was named “Player of the Year” in the Boys’ 6-and-under, Southeast Louisiana division of U.S. Kids Golf. To get there, Hunter placed first in each of the six tournaments he entered. Tournament play took the youngster to courses in Baton Rouge, St. Francisville, Mandeville, Lafayette and his native West Bank, and consisted of nine holes of golf with tee-to-flag distances ranging from 150 to 250 yards.

“I like golf because it is so fun,” said Hunter, who got to know the game by joining his father and grandfather on the golf cart as soon as he could walk. “My favorite part is driving (the ball), because that’s when you can hit the ball the farthest.”

Recently, Hunter has been working on his alignments – how to hold his body and club in a way that will send the ball straight off the tee. Hunter also practices his swing daily, taking to heart Coach Jimmy’s advice to think of his grip on the club as the top of an imaginary triangle.

“Your arms don’t always stay in a triangle,” said Hunter, explaining that golfers cock their wrists at the top of their backswing, return to triangular formation when they make contact with the ball, and re-cock their wrists during the follow through.

One of the highlights of Hunter’s Lakewood lessons has been the opportunity to meet 14-year-old Chinese golf prodigy Guan Tianlang, who made history earlier this year by becoming the youngest person to make the cut for the Masters Golf Tournament. Hunter said Tianlang advises golfers to stay positive and to “shake it off” when they hit a bad shot.

Hunter’s other favorite pro golfer is Rickie Fowler, whom he met at last spring’s Zurich Classic and with whom he shares a love for the color orange. Hunter’s golf clothes, watch, balls and tees all sport the vibrant hue.

“I tell his teachers, ‘He loves the color orange and he loves golf,” Jessica McDermott said. “That’s all you need to know about Hunter!”