A hole-in-one at 6 years old

Zhu He, a 7-year-old boy from Beijing, has been taking part in junior golf games held in the United States since 2013, and hit his first hole-in-one in a pre-game last year. [Photo/China Daily]

At the age of 7, Beijing boy Zhu He has already risen to fame among golf lovers in China.

The boy has spent more days on the fairways than most of his peers, travelling at home and abroad to play the sport he loves.

He is often the youngest golfer reported to attend a local, national or international children's golf game, and wins trophies that are larger than his two fists clenched together.

Zhu He played his first golf game when he was 4, in a youth golf tournament organized by China CITIC Bank, and Zhu Zhizhen, his father, remembers vividly how the little toddler teed up for the game.

There were about 100 people attending the event, and they were all astonished when the little boy appeared on the tee, and struck his club steadily to kick off the first play, Zhu Zhizhen recalls.

When the boy hit his first hole-in-one during the World Championship of US Kids Golf in 2014, he remained calm, although his father was overwhelmed with joy.

"He just enjoys playing golf, and doesn't quite care about winning or losing," Zhu Zhizhen says.

"I myself am not anxious if he will grow into a golfing pro. I just want to provide him with the necessary conditions so that he can enjoy golf anytime he likes."

Zhu Zhizhen is a surgeon with a reputed hospital in Beijing. Despite his busy schedule, he always manages to accompany his son to the course to play and train.

He himself loved ball sports when he was a child, especially football, but had to drop his dream of becoming a professional to study hard to get into a university.

Now as a father, Zhu Zhizhen knows well that there is nothing better as a gift from a parent to his child than to let him develop his truly loved hobbies and enjoy life.

It may have been an omen that Zhu and his wife Li Ming found out they were going to have a child just after they had enjoyed a round of golf.