Young Winter Parker Michael Ott is making noise on the golf course

Six-year-old Michael Ott stands on the putting practice holes at the Winter Park Country Club.

This is his happy place — where the young golfer has worked on his game since he was 3.

Crouching down, Ott eyes the ball and prepares for the shot — taking a reading of the hole that sits about three-yards away.

He stands back up, lines up with his putter and gives a soft swing.

The reflective yellow golf ball rolls quickly to start but slows some as it reaches the hole before finally falling in with a loud “kurrplump” sound.

“Great putt, son!” said Rich, his father.

Putting on a show of pure golfing artistry is nothing new for Michael, who at such a young age already has played in 40 different youth tournaments — winning about 25 to 28 of them.

His most recent adventure came in the US Kid’s World Golf Championship at Pinehurst.

After qualifying by winning six of the seven tournaments with US Kid’s Golf — taking the title of Tour Champion — Michael traveled to North Carolina for the championship, where he faced off against kids from all over the world. After three days of tough competition, Michael finished an impressive 36th overall, and his father could not have been any more excited.

“Being a proud dad, you don’t really know how your little guy stacks up (against others) in the world — meaning, he might be good locally, but how can he hang with the best in the world his age?” Rich said. “Much to my surprise, not only could he compete with kids from Japan, China, Venezuela, etc., but he was good enough to get a top-40 ranking this year.”

Although Michael has been getting a lot of attention with his golf game, the start of it all was a happy accident.

When he was 2, Michael started playing baseball. Every time he swung the bat, he would basically golf swing. As a golf enthusiast, his dad took notice and suggested possibly trying golf.

In his first golf tournament at age 3, Michael competed and won against other kids at the Country Club of Winter Haven.

Since then, Michael became absolutely hooked into the sport.

“I like everything (about golf),” Michael said with a grin. “Driving is the most fun, the putting has gotten a little bit better, and (my) chipping has gotten a little bit better.”

The little golfer takes to the course to practice four to five times a week and is constantly asking his dad to take him out to the greens.

His passion for the game doesn’t stop at playing — Michael is an avid fan, too. 

Sitting in the chair in the pro store at the Winter Park Country Club and Golf Course, Michael “oohs,” “aahs” and comments on the game as he watches a PGA tournament on TV.

He knows all the lingo, the players and the ins-and-outs of gameplay to the proverbial tee.

That combination of passion and pure talent for the game has led him to places that his father never thought possible.

“I came in with the expectation of him just having fun, that was the main thing,” Rich said.

So far, Michael is slated to take part in the upcoming US Kid’s Golf Fall Tour and the regional PGA Golf Invitational, though he also has been invited to participate in the Australian Open, British Open and Guadalajara Open. 

Seeing his son’s game progress over these last few years has been a great experience for Rich.

“He has made a ton of new friends — literally friends that have invited us to go all around the world … that’s been one of the most rewarding things,” he said. 

As a kid, all Michael is thinking about is getting out onto the golf course and hitting around that little colorful ball and winning more tournaments.

As a financial planner and father, Rich hopes there is also the a possible golf scholarships could be in Michael’s future — helping to pave way for a great education. 

“My main goal for him is to just have fun,” Rich said. “And when he is good at what he likes to do, that’s the most important thing for me.”