Cedar Rapids’ Harrison Hartke climbing junior golf ladder

CEDAR RAPIDS — Harrison Hartke started playing golf in his yard with gifted clubs when he was 6 years old.

Six years later, he has an incredible list accomplishments.

“Our neighbor, she had some little kid golf clubs. She was like ‘here we don't need these anymore, does Harrison want them?’” Hartke’s mother, Deanna, said. “He started hitting around the front yard, like some foam balls.”

Hartke fell in love with the game and started playing competitively at 9 or 10 years old.

“I was just watching a PGA Tour event and I just had some clubs in the garage. (I thought) I wanted to be like them someday,” Harrison said.

Harrison won the Cedar Rapids Optimist Junior Golf Association player of the year in the 11-12 age bracket this year and last year. He also was the PGA Iowa player of the year last year and is ranked fourth in the state this year.

He has had a great experience playing in many different golf tournaments around the country.

“(It’s been) pretty cool honestly,” he said. “I mean it's just cool to see all the other kids hitting the golf ball.”

Golf also has given him life-long friendships he will never forget.

“He's made a lot of really close friends. He's made several friends from Des Moines that he would have never made,” his mom said. “They're always texting saying: ‘hey I saw you shot this at the tournament, I wasn't there, good job.’ I think it's some of the lasting friendships and positive role models he's seen.”

When asked about his best round he’s ever played he said, “I feel like Hunters Ridge. I shot 5 under on 18.”

Hartke credits his driving ability for his success in golf.

“I am usually able to get it in play,” he said.

“He drives it about 270 yards,” Deanna said.

Harrison hopes to play golf for the rest of his life.

“My goal is to just make it to the PGA Tour and make cuts,” he said.

He has now qualified for the Optimist Tournament of Champions, which will be held at Mission Inn Resort, Howey-in-the-Hills, Fla., on Nov. 18-19.

He’s playing in the Rotary-Pribyl Junior Golf Classic this week, teeing off Tuesday at Cedar Rapids Country Club. That three-day event wraps up Thursday at Elmcrest Country Club.