At just 8 years old, Adam Nesbitt is showing promise in the golf circles. Speaking to him at Muthaiga Golf Club during the Safaricom Golf Tour, he’s so far played in 15 tournaments and won 13, including in the ongoing #SafaricomGolfTour.
I admit that I was more than impressed with him especially because at only 8 years old, he competes not only in golf, but also in football, swimming, hockey, cricket and motorcross. He attributes his keen interest in sports to the fact that he has very supportive parents and a grandmother who has played golf for almost 50 years. They take time off their own active lives to be very involved in the growing sports journeys of his sister Sophia Nesbitt.
Here’s more of his story:
“I usually play at the Muthaiga Golf club once a week and ride motorcross every Saturday. I go to Kenton College Preparatory School and I’m lucky to be in a school that also has so many sporting activities like football, swimming, hockey and cricket.”
When and why did you start playing golf?
“I started playing when I was 3 or 4 years old, but I started competing in July 2021, and it was all because of my dad.
He’d take me to the golf course almost every weekend and teach me how to hold my club, how to swing, and how to make sure I have proper alignment when I swing.
I’ve played in 15 golf tournaments and I’ve won 13 of them, including in the Safaricom Golf Tour.”
How does winning make you feel?
“It really makes me proud when I win, especially since I’m competing against very talented kids and it also makes my parents proud and it makes me happy when they’re happy because they sacrifice a lot to see me and my sister succeed.”
What do you do to prepare?
“I usually don’t want to do much just before the competition. I practice until about 6:30 pm on the day before, and I make sure I sleep well and have a good dinner. When I wake up, I’m usually very fresh so I get ready for the day, have a good breakfast, and get to the course about an hour early to practice before the tournament.”
How does it make you feel seeing so many other kids getting into golf?
“It makes me feel very happy because they can start to develop their skills at an early age, and develop their skills to a higher standard as they grow up. Plus they get to see how other kids play, so they know their competition, and can then work harder to improve their game.”
Let’s talk about your grandmother. She’s been with you, guiding you and helping you and your sister out on the course, plus she knows the game since she’s played for 50 years. How does that make you and Sophia feel?
“Having her with us on the course really makes us happy because she sacrifices a lot to be with us, and she really supports us when we’re playing. She really does know the game and its challenges, and so even when we do not play so well, she, alongside my dad and mom, really know how to help calm us down.
It really makes me feel good that I have supportive parents. When my grandma can’t make it, I have my dad around, and when he has a lot of work and has to leave the course, my mum is always there. I’m grateful to have parents who are around for us even when they’re so busy with work.
They are an inspiration to us.”
What do you think is the importance of kids getting into sports at an early age?
“When you start sports at an early age, you get to really learn and understand the skills and they become part of you. I could give an example of motorcross; you don’t just get to immediately learn motorcross, it’s a dangerous sport, but it gets easier to participate in over time because you’ve taken the time to learn it.”
Do you see golf getting to kids faster with tournaments like the Safaricom Golf Tour?
“Yeah. I like what the U.S Kids Golf has been doing to reach out to more kids and get them interested in the game. There’s always more effort being made every time because they see other kids including their friends winning medals and they always want medals for themselves as well.”
