Brooke Castle recalls looking at her son Jack through a baby monitor and seeing him swinging a plastic golf club in the cot.
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"He was only about two and used to lie on his back and swing this little club around. By four he was on a proper golf course," she said. "He's always loved it."
While most kids his age are playing Minecraft or kicking a soccer ball, young Jack Castle has been tearing golf courses apart around the world.
The eight-year-old St Luke's Grammar (Bayview) primary school student spends most of his spare time playing, practising or training with his own personal trainer.
He even gets time off school to play in Bayview Golf Club's Wednesday morning men's competition, playing off a handicap of 20 and competing - and sometimes defeating - players ranging in age from 40 to 80.
Able to drive up to 170m off the tee and with an accomplished short game to match, Jack has qualified for the World Junior Championship in the US three years running (COVID prevented the last two trips) and been invited to tournaments in America, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Coach Dave Saunders doesn't temper the hype around his young protégé, predicting Jack could one day emulate boyhood genius Tiger Woods.
Jack, who uses custom-sized clubs and golf attire, is also thinking big. "My dreams are to move to America and win the Masters as a pro golfer," he said.
"The thing with golf is you can have a great game one week and a bad game the next, so I love trying to improve my score and seeing how far I can hit the ball down the fairway. When I hit a good shot I always feel satisfied and want that feeling again. And I love going to see my coach to keep learning more shots and different skills."
Jack chats easily with adults as he walks the fairways at Bayview, with age no barrier when it comes to a mutual love.
"Some are older than me but when you play golf it doesn't matter. I love spending time with my golfing friends," he said.
