Oak Park's Levine makes a big impact in his first year

HE'S ONLY 15, BUT BOY CAN HE DRIVE-Austin Levine, the Freshman of the Year for the Oak Park Eagles golf team, hits the ball long off the tee during a recent practice round in Westlake. 15-year-old named Eagle golf

team's Freshman of the Year

It looks like Happy Gilmore isn't the only guy who can make the transition from hockey to golf.

Unlike Adam Sandler's character in the 1996 movie, however, 15-year-old Austin Levine has found a home on the course.

He had such a good season in fact, Oak Park High head coach Bruce Beck recently honored Levine as the program's Freshman of the Year.

"Austin was a steady player all year long and earned himself a spot in the top six (on Oak Park) about halfway through the year," Beck said. "He had the lowest stroke average of the freshmen."

Levine's feat is remarkable. He's only been playing golf for three years, one year seriously. Prior to golf, Levine was spending his time on the ice playing hockey. Golf soon became a hobby, and with high school coming up he knew he had to make a decision between the two sports.

DIPPING INTO HIS BAG OF TRICKS-Oak Park golfer Austin Levine stashes away his wood and searches for an iron. "The level I was at in hockey, I couldn't do that and play golf at the same time since I really wanted to try out for the golf team," Levine said. "Golf just kind of grew on me and I was having more fun playing it. I'm really glad I chose golf."

Austin's father, Wayne Levine, doesn't play much golf, so when his son decided to choose golf over hockey, he was a little surprised.

"Ice hockey just took up too much of his time, but I was surprised that he didn't just choose golf but decided to walk away from hockey completely," Wayne Levine said.

Though Levine is not about to get in a fight with a TV show host or throw his putter into the stands on the golf course like Gilmore, Levine says his biggest problem playing golf has been the mental game.

To help deal with the mental aspect, Beck gave Levine a book called Every Shot has a Purpose by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott.

"Golf can be frustrating," Levine said. "I used to be kind of a hothead in hockey, so that may have been brought over from that sport. My coach has really helped me with that part of my game though."

"Earlier in the year, Austin was playing in a match and was at or near par at the turn," Beck said. "He then fell apart on the back

side, confessing that he knew he was playing well and he continued to think about it. Essentially, I told him that he does not go to the first tee thinking about his score and he should not be thinking about his score at any other time on the course. I continue to stress to him and others on the team, the importance of the mental side of the game."

Levine says his favorite part of the year was medaling in a match, something he wants to do more in the upcoming year.

Although it is summer, Levine isn't taking a break. He has already signed up to play in 20 matches this summer. Levine also spends time helping the less for

tunate play golf through a team mentor program for the Ventura County Junior Golf Association.

"There are many levels of the team mentor program and par was the first level where you have to help the less fortunate at least once," Levine said. "I want to get to the next level so I will probably be doing that a lot more in the future."

Beck says that with practice, Levine's future is very bright at Oak Park.

"He is obviously very young and he will develop as he matures," Beck said. "He is straight and fairly long off the tee. But he can work on some of the scoring elements of his game, putting and chipping."