YOUNG Toronto golfer Jacob Dundas doesn’t have to look far for advice.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
His dad, Mick was a long-term A-Grade pennants player for Toronto. Mother, Alicia, was also a talented player.
Her brothers, Darren and Nathan Green, are the head professionals at Toronto. Nathan is a US PGA-Tour winner and is Jacob’s coach.
“It’s awesome to have them close by,” Dundas said. “Especially Nathan and Darren, I try and listen to whatever they tell me.”
I try and listen to whatever they tell me.
- - Jacob Dundas
It was Nathan who suggested that Dundas, who plays off one, and fellow rising star Jake Riley play in the NSW Amateur Championships at Terrey Hills and Mona Vale golf clubs last week.
Dundas, 15, fired rounds of 71,74 to be at one-over and tied for 22nd before going down to NSW captain James Grierson in the round-of-32 match play.
Riley, who is only 13, carded rounds of 80,82 to finish 168th out of 240 players.
“I wasn’t going to play but Nathan told us we should go for it,” Dundas said. “It was a really good experience. I was pretty nervous going into the stroke play and was really nervous entering the match play. The more of those type of events I play, the easier it will get. I will definitely be better for the experience.”
Green is happy to “keep an eye on” his nephew but believes young players can “get lost” if given too much information.
“Alicia was a good player and Jake grabbed a club when he was really young,” Green said.
“He has worked a lot of it out himself. Especially with all the technology around, sometimes they can get too much advice and get lost a bit in it. As long as they are out there playing, that is where they are going to learn the most. He loves playing.”
Dundas, who is in year 10 at West Wallsend high and is also a talented footballer, will tee up in the NSW Cup at NSW Golf Course on Saturday.
“It’s a 36-hole vardon event and will test him,” Green said. “It gets windy around NSW. Hopefully, he will play a few more vardon events in Sydney this year as well pennants again for Toronto.
“Physically, he is still developing and doesn’t quite have the length yet. He is giving up a lot there. Mentally, for a junior, he is as good as I have ever seen. He doesn’t get flustered and keeps thinking when things aren’t going his way. That definitely doesn’t come from the Green side of the family.
“He is progressing really well. The only time I worry is when they stop progressing. He is doing better every year. He hasn't really developed yet and is not hitting the ball a long way yet. He has a lot of potential.”
At the NSW Amateur, Dundas carded one under at Terrey Hills and was two under through nine holes at Mona Vale before fading late.
“Terrey Hills is a pretty long course and pretty tough,” Green said. “At Mona Vale he was two under and said he got a bit nervous on the back nine and couldn’t control the ball, but he still got through to the match play.
“Of the guys he was a chance of coming up against James Grierson was probably the worst. He is the state captain and one of the more experienced guys.”
ALSO IN SPORT:
