Nortee Panpinyo On Life In Bensonhurst & National Level Golf

Photo by Sylvester Zawadzki via the City Parks Foundation

Bensonhurst resident Nortee Panpinyo is a lot like any other 14-year-old — he plays sports, looks forward to events within his social circle, enjoys meeting peers who share his interests, and even likes getting a little fashionable when the occasion calls for it. The difference with Nortee, however, is that his sport is highly competitive golf, his most recent big event was the Doral-Publix Junior Golf Classic in Miami, Florida, his peers at the tournament included roughly 700 of the world’s top golfers up to the age of 18, and his occasion for dressing up was actually his pre-game ritual for getting in the zone.

We spoke to Nortee, who traveled to the December competition on a new scholarship funded by the City Parks Foundation, LPGA champion and CityParks Golf spokesperson Cristie Kerr, and The Trump Organization, about his life in Brooklyn, his time in Florida, and his goals for the future.

How and when did you first take an interest in golf, and how and when did you start playing?

I started playing golf around nine years ago at an all-around summer camp where we practiced gymnastics, soccer, golf, and other activities. Out of all of them, I felt like golf was what I really wanted to play. When my family and I moved to Brooklyn, we found the CityParks Junior Golf Center and started going there.

Who are a few of your favorite golfers and why? What lessons have you taken from them?

Some of my favorite golfers are Tiger [Woods], because my parents always loved to watch him so I grew up around him, Thongchai Jaidee, because he was one of the first Thai golfers to get into the PGA and European tours, and of course Cristie Kerr and Rory McIlroy for coming over to the Junior Golf Center and teaching us how they play.

How do you like life in Bensonhurst? What are some of your favorite people, places, or things in your neighborhood? Do you practice nearby?

I love Bensonhurst because it’s quiet so it’s not hectic, and it also has some great food. I love taking my friends to Sake, the all-you-can-eat sushi place near my house. I practice at the Junior Golf Center and the Dyker Beach Golf course, and once in a while I’ll go to Marine Park too.

How do you feel coming out of the Doral Publix Junior Golf Tournament? [Editor’s note: Nortee’s time in Florida was spent in a private lesson with golf instructor Jim McLean — a former teacher of Cristie Kerr — and completing a score of 90 in his first round of play at the Doral-Publix tournament. However, an unfortunately timed bout of the flu meant he did not compete on Day 2.]

Coming out of this tournament I feel a bit sad that I wasn’t able to finish, but it was amazing to experience the level I had to play at to compete in a major tournament. I also feel like I want to play more, I was a bit disappointed that I was sick for the second day of the tournament so I feel like this year there’s going to be a more meaningful start to the season.

What do you hope to do with your golf prowess in the future?

After seeing what the kids down in Florida could do, I really think that I’ll be able to compete at that level after another year of practice and maybe even go farther. I think I have all the technical aspects of the game down well enough, but I still need to work on my focus and course management. Even if I don’t get to the PGA, I’m sure I’ll have a career involving golf one way or another.