Twelve-year-old Jimmy Siegfried has played in nearly a
dozen golf tournaments this summer as he tries to improve
his game. In mid-July, he went to Palm Springs, Fla., for
one meet.
He got in the Junior Optimist International tourney by
finishing first in qualifying at the Ballwin Municipal Course.
He's playing in the 12-13 age grouping.
Jimmy started swinging golf clubs when he was just three
years old. And he was entered in his first tournament at
age six.
This summer, he's been playing or practicing nearly every
day. He said he usually is at the Old Warson Country Club.
But, he said, if the weather is bad, he'll at least practice
putting on the upstairs hallway rug at home. He also has
a net in the backyard where he can hit shots with woods
and long irons without endangering the neighbors.
So far, his best Junior PGA score was a par-72 in a one-day
tournament at the Wentzville municipal course.
But, his most memorable golfing experience was his double-eagle
2 on a par-5 hole during a Pepsi Little People tournament
in Quincy, IL. The hole was 452 yards.
"I hit a good drive and was 186 yards from the hole. I
hit a 3-wood for my second shot. It was all uphill and I
was just trying to get the ball on the green.
"But, as we were walking to the green, a woman yelled to
say the ball went in the hole. I couldn't see it from where
I hit it," Jimmy said.
The double-eagle helped Jimmy shoot 79-77 during the meet
which had 80 contestants, including some foreign players.
"On the second day, I played with a kid from South Africa,"
he said.
Besides the competition, the chance to make new friends
is one of the things Jimmy likes the most about golf.
Jimmy plays golf often with his father, Gary, and his grandfather,
Norbert. He's been able to beat his grandfather but hasn't
beaten his dad yet. But, father Gary said, "He's getting
close."
Asked about any advice he gave his son when he was little,
Mr. Siegfried said he gave the same advice that Jack Nicholas's
dad gave him when he was little. That is, when you swing,
swing hard.
Mr. Siegfried said Jimmy was able to hit a driver 80 yards
at three years of age.
Jimmy said he recently got a new Callaway large-headed
driver. He said he's averaging about 240 yards on a drive.
But, he said his best shots are usually with a wedge. He
said he carries four different wedges to give him choices
around the green, either from a grass lie or from a sand
trap.
He said, "I can usually get up and down anywhere from 70
yards in."
But, there are some days when that doesn't happen.
Jimmy said his worst golfing experience happened three
years ago at a Gateway PGA championship meet.
"It was a two-day tournament and I was leading my one stroke
on the final hole. But, I hit into a deep bunker and I couldn't
get out. I took a 7 and lost the tournament," he said.
Ironically, that tournament was on the same Ballwin course
where he qualified this summer for a berth in the Junior
Optimist International tournament.
This summer, he also didn't have much luck in a 2-day tournament
at the Sunset Country Club course. He was entered with players
up to 15 years of age.
"I was playing against all older players and we were playing
from the back tees. The course was pretty tough and I didn't
do too well," he said.
But, he said he enjoys the opportunity to play against
older players.
Jimmy said there are lots of golf opportunities for kids
in the metro area.
He said anyone interested should log on to the Gateway
PGA website (www.GatewayPGA.com)
and check out the Junior section.
He said he usually takes golf lessons 10 or 15 times a
year from Mike Holcomb at the Old Warson Country Club.
Golf isn't Jimmy's only sport. He said he plays ice hockey,
basketball, soccer and baseball.
His basketball and soccer are through his school. Jimmy
will be a 7th grader at Chaminade School this fall.
His baseball is through on the St. Louis Spartans at the
Affton Athletic Club. He plays ice hockey at the Kirkwood
skating rink, which has a wide variety of ice sports opportunities.
At school, Jimmy's favorite subject is science.
He said one of the science experiments he did last year
was a dissection. But, rather than dissecting an animal,
he said the teacher had them dissect a chocolate chip cookie.
Jimmy admits that there wasn't much left of the cookie
after he got the chocolate chips out. "It was pretty much
all crumbs," he said.
About the future, Jimmy said, "I'd like to be a pro golfer.
But, if that doesn't work out, I'd like to be a doctor."
