11-Year-Old Golf Whiz Also a Viral Video Star

Matty Du Plessis, 11, of Quechee, Vermont, hopes to develop his fame as both a serious golfer and a creator of golf-related viral videos.

"My best round is whatever I shoot tomorrow, but my lowest round was 64 so far," Du Plessis told New England Cable News, adding he'd like to one day be a PGA pro.

The homeschooler said he first picked up a club at 2 years old. Today, he said he plays with his dad, Lee, whenever he can, practicing as many as eight hours a day in the summer. Du Plessis said he once played 108 holes of golf in one day.

"I think about what I want to do behind the ball and then hit," he added, describing his approach to each swing.

On the side, Du Plessis puts together golf videos and photos, sharing them on YouTube, Vine, and Instagram, using the handle "MD_18undapar." They include a putt in which he sinks two balls with a single stroke, and another putt in which he makes a stroke between his feet while casually walking across the green.

In a rap video called "Stop, Drop, and Make a 12 Foota," the 11-year-old tells the camera about how he crisscrosses the world making 12-foot putts, even down the aisle of an airplane. "I try to make stuff that'll entertain people, but it's still golf," Du Plessis said.

The young golfer, who practices in the winter at a friend's indoor hitting area in Claremont, New Hampshire, told NECN he is now focusing on one really specific number: 18 under par. He explained he wants to birdie each hole on a course, in order, in a single round of play.

"I don't want to just shoot 18-under-par on one course, one time--shoot it once and then you're done," Du Plessis said. "No. Shoot it many times on all the best courses in the world."

While Du Plessis was demonstrating his drive for NECN, a TrackMan golf device estimated many of his drives at nearly 200 yards. Many were hit straight, or several feet off-center, according to the device's estimates witnessed by NECN.

Even when he makes a bad stroke, which of course does happen, Du Plessis said he tries his best to remain positive about the game that can be frustrating. "You hit a bad shot? Fine," Du Plessis said. "But the more positive you are, the less your misses will become."

Asked if he has ever heard of a PGA pro scoring 18-under-par in a single round of golf, Du Plessis said, "I don't think so; not yet."

And asked if he will be the first, the 11-year-old beamed, "Sure hope so!" 

Contact Us