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Young golfer Camiko Smith got a taste of success as part of the gold-medal winning golf team at the Island Games. Smith, who works at the pro shop at Belmont Hills, picked up the sport at 11 when it was part of the curriculum for his P.E. Class.

"In primary school I used to go as part of gym class," Smith said "They'd take us down to the driving range and I liked it from there."

He played in several of the Bermuda Junior Golf Association's tournaments and honed his skills.

In a couple weeks time, Smith will be playing in a qualifier for the U.S. Amateur. If he does well enough, he'll go to play in the big event. The best he's done in previous qualifiers is missing the cut by five strokes.

What's your favourite course in Bermuda?

Mid Ocean because I like the greens, they're nice and challenging.

What professionals do you try to model yourself after?

Tiger Woods, of course, but also Roy McElroy.

Who's helped your golf career?

I took a few lessons from Kamel Bean, Rawn Rabain, Eardley Jones.

What are you golf goals?

I want to compete on the Nationwide Tour or somewhere else and work my way up.

What was it like competing at the Island Games?

It was very competitive. The competition was pretty stiff. The atmosphere was different. There was a six-hour time difference and that played a big part. It took a little while to get used to.

What was the camaraderie like amongst the Bermuda team at the Island Games?

It was great. Everybody was cheering everybody else on. We were cheering for the team and for team pride. The individual medals were a bonus. We were encouraging each other to do good.

How did it feel to receive your gold medal?

It felt great. I can't even explain how good it felt. I phoned home to tell my parents right away and they were so excited.

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