Sheboygan North junior eats and breathes golf on historic course

High School Hot Shot Mason Schmidtke

He eats and he plays golf and that's pretty much it for the life of one Sheboygan North golfer. That's why he's this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

SHEBOYGAN, Wis. - He eats and he plays golf and that's pretty much it for the life of one Sheboygan North golfer. That's why he's this week's FOX6 High School Hot Shot.

Mason Schmidtke and I'm a junior golfer at Sheboygan North High School.

"Ever since I can remember, I've been golfing," said Mason Schmidtke. "My brother and I both golfed ever since we were little, just in the backyard with plastic clubs and golf balls."

Schmidtke credits his passion for the to his brother Max, who is now golfing at the University of South Dakota.

"He's a huge inspiration to me," Schmidtke said. "He pushes me, drives me, he's developed the love of the game for me more than anyone else ever has."

While he's not playing, Schmidtke is still at the course.

During his sophomore year, the teenager started working, through a school program, at Whistling Straits.

"I've been here for a few months and I work as a GSA so I'll help out at backdrop like like an assistant," said Schmidtke. "I'll work the range one day or bag drop is where I love to spend my time."

As the course gears up for the Ryder Cup, it's pretty exciting for the young golfer.

"It's amazing," he said. "The atmosphere is just great because every day you come out here and you're like, 'Well, that wasn't there yesterday' as far as construction goes. To be on a course like this and call it call it home, I just try and savor it every day that I can."

Schmidtke says when he is not at the course, which is not a lot, he's usually only eating or sleeping.

"There's not much," said Schmidtke. "I'm pretty much at a golf course or eating. There will be days where I take a rest day and I'll just kind of lay at home and enjoy some TV or watch some golf. But I just love the game so much."