Local golfer in U.S. Kids world meet

Thirteen-year-old Mitchell Rutledge earned a fabulous golfing experience this summer. Last month, he played in the U.S. Kids World Championship at the same golfing complex where the 2005 U.S. Open meet was played.

Mitchell Rutledge

Rutledge will be a 7th grader this fall at Whitfield School. In June, he won his age group at the local U.S. Kids qualifying tournament at Eagle Springs Golf Course in north St. Louis County.

The win put Mitchell in the U.S. Kids world meet July 26-30 at the Pinehurst Golf Course in North Carolina. Pinehurst bills itself as the nation's No. 1 golf destination.

Famed golfer Arnold Palmer was the honorary chairman of the 2006 U.S. Kids world meet. Over 800 kid golfers from around the world entered after winning local qualifying meets as Mitchell did.

Mitchell had a good time in the world championship meet but was disappointed with his play. There were about 120 golfers in this 12-and-under bracket. He ended up about in the middle, mainly because he couldn't get his putting under control.

He said the meet was the "most competitive" one in which he had participated.

Mitchell is considered one of the top Junior PGA golfers in the St. Louis area.

For instance, he won two local tournaments played on consecutive days last month. He shot 74 on the par-72 course at Innsbruck. The next day, he shot an even-par 72 at The Woodlands course.

Mitchell has been playing golf since he was 6, when his dad, Robert, gave him a set of children's clubs. He went to his first Junior PGA clinic when he was 8.

He gets individual golf lessons from Shawn Henry, a former pro at the St. Albans golf course. Mitchell's family has a membership at St. Albans.

In an interview with Young Saint Louis.com before going to Pinehurst, he said the North Carolina visit would be his biggest tournament appearance. He said he entered the U.S. Kids competition for a different experience from his PGA meets.

Before the U.S. Kids tournament, Mitchell had rated playing golf in Fort Wayne, Ind., as his best golf experience. His family goes to Fort Wayne to visit relatives and play golf.

"There are lots of good public courses in Fort Wayne," he said.

Mitchell said playing golf is always entertaining, even when he doesn't play well.

For instance, he played a Little People tournament in Quincy, Ill. "It was a fun tournament even though I played terrible," he said.

As he gets older, he continues to use bigger and longer clubs. His irons are from a ladies set of clubs.

"I got a new driver the other day. It's got less loft, only 9.5 degrees. My older driver had 12-degree loft. I was hitting it too high and couldn't get enough distance," he said.

Mitchell estimates he's been getting up to 60 yards more on his drives. He said his average drives are 230-to-240 yards. "I get up to 260 yards if I hit it just right," he said.

Mitchell said driving the ball is the second best strength of his game. "My iron play-both short and long-is the best," he said.

As for things that still need work, he said, "My putting is the poorest part." But, he added, "My coach is helping me." Mitchell said he needs to work on a more consistent stroke.

And, he said preparation before he hits the putts needs work. "I need to read the greens better and I need to line up my putts better," he said.

He said two of his favorite golfers are South African golfers Ernie Els and Retief Goosen.

"People tell me I have a smooth swing like Els," Mitchell said. Els' effortless swing has earned him the nickname on tour, "The Big Easy."

Although Mitchell likes to pattern his swing after Els, he said his overall favorite is Goosen. Goosen also has a calm demeanor on the golf course.

Mitchell said most of his golf lessons focus on strokes from 50 yards to the green. Many of those shots can be "trouble" shots, either from the rough or from sand traps.

But, he said his teacher usually leaves a little time in each lesson for working on the tempo of his overall swing. That's to make sure he continues to have good success with his drives and long irons.

Although his summers are filled mostly with golf, Mitchell has other interests. He plays baseball, soccer and basketball. He also takes music lessons on the drums.

As for a career, he'd like to be a pro golfer. But, if that doesn't work, he said he'd probably like to own restaurants. He said his uncle in Fort Wayne owns about a half dozen restaurants.