Haintz has high golfing hopes

YOUNG golfer Mo Haintz is getting into the swing of national-level contests.

The 16-year-old Ballarat High School student competed at last month’s Victorian Junior Amateur tournament at Cobram, and teed off at the New South Wales Junior Championships in Byron Bay this week.

The 2023 Ballarat District Boys Golf Champion is a member at Mount Xavier Golf Club and said there’s rarely a moment when he’s not out on a course.

“I love the constant challenge that it brings, and how every day is completely different,” he said. “You still have to adapt.

“It drives you insane every day, there is always more you can get out. I’ve loved that challenge my whole life, and the striving to be better all the time.

“I just play golf, and it’s all I’ve ever known.”

Haintz tried mini golf as a three-year-old, before he was introduced to his coach Andrew Cartledge at age four.

Ever since, he’s had a goal to reach the peak of the sport.

“I’d love to be at PGA tour level for a long period of time and to win a major championship would be a huge thing for me,” he said.

“It’s been on my bucket list since I turned eight. I said, I’m going to win a major championship one day and nothing’s going to stop me.”

Having trained for 12 years, Haintz’s passion for the sport is stronger than ever, and he said he hopes he can go pro by consistently winning events and receiving invitations to others.

“If you move through the Australian tour, and win some Australian events, then you can go international, and expand into big league essentially,” he said.

Haintz is also a coach and mentor to other budding players at Ballarat Golf Club three days a week.