By JOLENE OGLE
MOST 16-year-old girls are busy thinking about the end of year formal, but for Shania Herzog-Smith golf is the only thing on her mind.
“It’s my world,” she said.
“I’ve just finished playing 16 days in a row.”
Shania first picked up a golf club at seven-years-old, when her grandfather took her to a local golf club and she hasn’t put them down since.
From her early days as a junior at the Noosa Par 3 course, Shania has moved her way up to now play at the Peregian Springs golf course.
So far, she’s taken out the Ladies’ A-grade club championship at Peregian Springs Golf Club for 2014, qualified for the Greg Norman Junior Masters competition for 2014 and won 10 out of 11 games in the club pennants at Peregian Springs earlier this year, among a list of other achievements.
Coach Wayne Rostron, who works with a swag of talented junior golfers, said he’s enjoyed watching Shania progress from an entrance level junior golfer to an elite athlete.
“Shania’s future is in her hands,” he said.
“She has a lot of potential.
“If she wants the life of a golf pro, she certainly has the ability and potential to get there.”
“She is extremely talented and it’s rewarding to see her achieve such great results.”
To say Shania is on the way to a stellar career in golf is an understatement, but this 16-year-old is humble in her success and said her goal is to simply play golf.
“I just want to play golf, I enjoy it so much,” she said.
“I’ve tried other sports… but I didn’t enjoy it as much as golf. Golf is great exercise and enjoyable. I just love it.”
Shania is now busy getting ready for the Greg Norman Junior Masters later this year with three hour training sessions with her coach… but you will never hear her complain.
“I just enjoy getting out there and doing something.
“If I don’t play golf for a day or two, it does my head in… I have to go play golf,” she said.
