Gaurav Mittal ’13 is a golf prodigy.

Golf is a lot more complicated than just whacking a ball with a stick. Even with the many complex and varied golf swings, Gaurav Mittal ’13 has nearly perfected this tricky sport.

Mittal started playing golf at age seven when his dad bought him his first club.

“I dug a hole in my backyard and mowed the grass and practiced there every day,” said Mittal.  Finally, his dad took him to a real course at the Elks Country Club, where he got lessons for a few years. He is now on the high school golf team in which he plays in the number one spot.

Fellow golf team member Chris Park ’13 said, “Gaurav is a very consistent player and whenever he gets himself into a mess, which is basically never, he can always get out of it on the next shot.”

Teammate Scott Chapman ’15  said,  “Gaurav is a really good golfer and always helps me out.”

Golf is a mind game and takes a lot of concentration, but Mittal has a way of preparing himself.

Mittal said, “Before matches I usually tell myself to stay calm and that every hole is a new hole. Bad shots happen and I can’t let them bother me.”

Mittal’s average score is a 40 in nine holes. Last year at the Men’s Junior City Championship he won 35th as an individual at state and overall won 14th as a team.

Mittal considered trying to go for the Purdue golf team in college, however but decided he would just play for fun in the future.

Outside of golf, Mittal plays basketball and likes keeping up with TV shows. He was also on the soccer team for three years and played goalie on the varsity team.

Mittal said, “I just love playing golf and being with my team for a whole season.”

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Favorites

Golfer: Tiger Woods

TV Show: How I Met Your Mother

Book: Harry Potter series

Movie: The Lord of the Rings

Food: Curry Flavored Pizza