A golf-mad Kapiti primary school student has done what his father, and even some professionals, have failed to do – hit a hole-in-one.

Alec Prentice, 11, a left-hander who plays off an 18 handicap, achieved the milestone off the men’s tee on the 16th hole at the Tauhara Golf Course in Taupo on Sunday.

The 119-metre holewas situated over a gully, and lined with trees on either side.

With the wind getting up, Alec changed from a seven-iron to a hybrid club, with spectacular results.

“It started off a bit right but the wind brought it round,” he said. “I was saying ‘go ball’ and the wind was bringing it round … then it disappeared, and dad said ‘it’s a hole-in-one’.

“I couldn’t wait to get to the hole … it had taken a huge chunk of ground before it had dug its way into the hole.”

Alec’s idol is fellow southpaw Phil Mickelson, a five-time major winner.

“One of my major goals is to try and win a major tournament on the PGA Tour, and at about 20-years-old to be up there,” he said.

Alec’s mother Jenni Prentice said the family was just as excited about his achievement.

“We got a phone call saying that he’d got a hole-in-one and we celebrated. It was just really exciting and we couldn’t sleep Sunday night.”

The Paraparaumu Beach School year 7 student loves golf. His room is covered with gloves and golf balls, and his desk features drawings of golf courses and holes.

But Prentice said early signs suggested golf would not be her son’s game.

“We just thought he was un-coordinated … one day he turned the club around and played left-handed, and he started whacking it.”

From age four, Prentice has walked the region’s parks, hitting balls. A few years later he began to play full rounds, and earlier this year, he played 36 holes in a day.

Alec and his father Steve play against each other most weekends, and this year Alec has started to beat him regularly.

“What other sport would they [Alec and Steve] be able to play against each other?” Prentice said.

New Zealand Golf golf manager Phil Aickin said Alec’s achievement was good, but not close to a record.

Any hole-in-one was rare, but no statistics were kept on the youngest to hit one, he said.

 – Stuff