Staten Island's 'hardest working' 7-year-old golfer heads to world championship

STATEN ISLAND, NY — When AJ Galli was just 2 years old, his father gave him a baseball bat. But instead of hitting to hit home runs, AJ was using him as a golf club.

“So he got me some golf clubs and I just kept hitting the balls,” the now 7-year-old from Bulls Head said.

From there, it was history and AJ has been golfing ever since. AJ went viral in early 2020 when a video of him playing golf was posted on Golf Digest’s Instagram page. Have over 170,000 views to date.

Next month, their hard work will pay off at a world golf championship for kids.

AJ Galli, 7, plays golf at LaTourette Golf Course. (Staten Island Preview/Annalise Knudson)

His father, Steve Galli, explained that he called various golf courses on Staten Island to find an instructor for his son to play golf at a young age. But generally, at age 4, AJ was considered too young to need constant golf lessons, until they saw him in action.

He has been training with a golf instructor. frank gargano for the last three years, going to the driving range and ballparks around the LaTourette Golf Course in Richmond.

“He’s here and he’s probably the hardest working student I have, even compared to older adults,” Gargano said. “It’s really just because he loves him so much.”

Galli explained that the lessons helped AJ improve his game, as he has no golf experience, although he is working hard to learn. AJ joked that she plays golf better than her father.

“The best part is when he [Frank] goes out with him, some of the best things is how he handles himself, like his etiquette… He played with my friends the other day, four grown men, and he beat all four of them,” Galli said.

Galli explained that he tries to get AJ to practice golf at least once a week in the summer, training with Gargano at least three or four times a month. In the winter, he can practice in Gargano’s training simulator business, golf shot shaver, which offers interactive game modes for junior golfers. Even Galli has a simulator installed at his home in Bulls Head.

Throughout the summer, AJ also participates in tournaments and competitions.

It’s what led him to qualify for the 2022 US Kids Golf World Championship, which will take place August 4-6 in North Carolina.

“You have to win or score well in local tournaments and if you do well in those, they invite you to the [championship]Gali said.

The Galli family, along with Gargano, will head south to the championship to support and cheer on AJ. The championship welcomes golfers ages 5-12 to 10 championship courses, bringing together the next generation of golf stars to shine. It is the largest junior golf tournament in the world.

While AJ’s dad gets frantic when he watches his son compete, you wouldn’t know AJ was nervous.

That’s because it’s not, Galli and Gargano explained.

“It’s extremely stressful to watch him play in these tournaments for me and he doesn’t seem to be upset at all,” Galli said. “He doesn’t care how many people are watching… He doesn’t care if he makes a good shot or a bad shot. He is very even-tempered. I’m biting my nails caddying for him and I’m in shock from some of the shots he took.”

In addition to golf, AJ also plays baseball and flag football.

But golf is still his favorite sport. And your favorite part?

That it is a sport that is played individually.

“If you make a mistake, it’s always up to you,” AJ said.