The talented golfer wants to be a professional and is already making an impression.
He hit a hole in one on the 162m first hole at Arrowtown Golf Club last month — when he was only 11 — but is not letting it go to his head.
After the hole in one, he had to stand on a table and explain how it all happened, and said it was just another day on the course.
He was introduced to the game when he was 3 and has never stopped since.
"I like it because it is not boring like, say, tennis where you play and practice on a confined court.
"With golf you don’t really know what is going to happen on each hole. You can’t be sure where the ball will go.
"I like the space and the outdoors," he said.
Neither Anne nor Grant, his parents, played golf although Anne is now playing. They are very supportive and keen for him to do as well as possible.
His list of achievements is already impressive.
At the New Zealand Open in 2019 when still a 10-year-old he shot 28 (1 over par) to tie for first with former Australian cricket captain Ricky Ponting in the nine-hole amateur par 3 event on the new Farm course at The Hills. It was in a field of 105 amateurs.
Out of 30-plus professionals who also played, only seven beat 28.
He captained the New Zealand team to victory against Australia in the Sean Foley World Stars of Junior Golf Transtasman Cup at Gulf Harbour in March this year.
He won the under-13 boys Lydia Ko age group championship at Gulf Harbour in February and also won the Age 11 US Kids Golf 2019 New Zealand Open at Millbrook in October last year.
Josh is coached by Arrowtown professional Micah Dickson, who spends a couple of sessions a week with the youngster.
He has gone from a 20 handicap to 8.6 in a short time.
The golfer said Jacks Point is his favourite course because of the views. He has also played The Hills a couple of times courtesy of working at the New Zealand Open.
His favourite player is American Jordan Speith.
Josh drives the ball just under 200m at the moment which he hopes to increase as he gets bigger. He stands 1.4m at the moment.
Short-term he would like to get his handicap under 5 within a year and play in some international events which he missed out on this year because of Covid-19.
Longer-term the ultimate goal would be to play professionally but there is plenty of water to flow under the bridge before then.
As for the hole in one, he hit a 5 wood, it bounced off the slope and tracked nice and slowly into the hole.
NEVILLE IDOUR
