A four-year-old boy is already warranting comparisons with the best golfers in the world after he became of the youngest ever to have hit a hole in one.
Caleb Parry marveled local bystanders when he achieved the remarkable feat on the 70-yard par-3 during a junior tournament in August.
The youngster, now five, has already had his swing compared to the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood, but said he wants to emulate 15-time major champion and golfing great Tiger Woods when is older.
Speaking about his remarkable feat, Caleb said: ‘I hit [it with] my driver, and it went in and everyone cheered for me.’
Having only been bought a pair of plastic clubs 18 months ago, the youngster was soon out on the course with his dad, James, and earning plaudits from adult members.
‘I think he’s very good, and the swing he’s got is ridiculous for a five-year-old,’ James said of his son’s ability.
‘It’s one in however many to be able to do that. I am hoping that he, more for him, sticks with it. If he can take it as far as he can, it would be very good and interesting for him.’
Recounting Caleb’s remarkable shot at the Junior Sixes tournament at Caldy Golf club, he added: ‘It was their fifth hole on that course. And his team were playing quite well, and he just stepped up.
‘A a few people shouted, “That’s going in”. It rolled up and went in. ‘It’s a 70-yard hole. So it was a driver for him. It bounced short of the green and then carried on rolling all the way in. I was shocked and in a bit of disbelief.’
Having only taken a dozen lessons before achieving the hole-in-one, Caleb is now visiting his dad’s club in Wirral three times a week and fully infected with the golfing bug
‘Every night after school, he says, “Can I go and play golf.” So it’s now kind of ingrained in him,’ James added.
‘He usually wakes up of a morning and chips or does some putting in the living room.’
According to the Guinness Book of Records, the youngest male golfer recorded to have shot a hole in one is Christian Carpenter, aged four years 195 days, in December 18, 1999.
And while Caleb may not have realised the scale of his accomplishment at the time, he takes every opportunity to gloat about it now.
‘If he plays with his uncle or anything like that, then he’ll say he’s had a hole-in-one. Luckily I’ve had one, otherwise, I probably wouldn’t hear the end of it,’ his dad joked.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
