Ben Petreny drives it long

All you have to do is watch junior Osoyoos Golf Club member Ben Petreny hit to see why Desert Golf Academy professional Wayne Hatchey adds “long-hitting” to his given name. The 12th-grader shot up eight inches over the winter of 2012-13, and at 6’3” he now has a swing with what Hatchey says is “about Bubba Watson speed,” averaging anywhere from 330 to 350 yards off the tee.

While Petreny says that his swing is probably the strongest part of his game, it took some getting used to. He started in the sport at the age of six or seven, and said that coming back after his growth spurt was almost like starting from scratch.

“For a year it was about a write off, because I grew taller in the winter and we get winter months (in Osoyoos), so you can’t golf, and then you come back and it was tough… I didn’t play my best last year,” he said.

However, he said that this year the muscle memory has started to come back and he is feeling inspired after six weeks with Hatchey in Spain as part of the Evolve Pro Tour, an event meant to “prepare the next generation of top professional golfers.”

“A couple of the guys that were there have won millions on the European tour, and just seeing their work ethic and what they do to make money and be pros, it was inspirational,” said Petreny. “It’s unbelievable, the dedication they put in. When I came back I knew what I need to do to get there.”

Set to graduate from high school at the end of this year, he said he will be taking the summer off of work at the club to focus solely on practice, and has his sights set on the upcoming high school provincials. The championship is being hosted in his hometown this summer, and a win would mean automatic entry into the B.C. junior tour.

Speaking from experience, Petreny said that young people interested in golf should be resilient.

“Some days you can be down and out and not know left from right with your golf swing. Just stay committed and keep practicing and it will eventually come,” he said. “There’ll be times when you’re at rock bottom and you step up with your golf club and you don’t know what you’re doing, and then you just get it. You just have to stay at it and don’t give up.”