There was a sense of tall poppy syndrome from some when Devon Smith turned to pro golf. But he is exceeding expectations. The former AFL tough nut opens up on his new venture.
The former Essendon and Greater Western Sydney tough nut had played in finals and blockbusters on the MCG, but his assessment round at the beginning of his pro golf journey felt much more daunting.
“I remember standing on the first tee and I was playing these guys and they were like, ‘What was it like playing in front of 90,000 people?’,” Smith said.
“I remember at the time my heartrate was like 140 and I was just thinking, ‘I am more nervous now than I was for footy’.
“Footy I’d played my whole life and prepared my life so I was always confident in what I could do. Footy is a random game and it is a lot longer whereas golf you can have one bad hole and it ruins your whole day.”
Devon Smith felt much more comfortable on Anzac Day than on the golf course. Picture: Michael Klein
Those nerves are subsiding which each round of golf that he plays on the PGA Australia Associates tour.
The Crichton medallist’s move from professional footy to golf was met with raised eyebrows by some. But it didn’t take long for Smith to dispel the doubters.
In just his third event as a pro – a title Smith doesn’t feel worthy of – he shot six under par at his home course to win the Mt Derrimut Golf & Community Club PGA Open.
“I didn’t actually warm up well, I probably only hit 10 or 15 balls when usually I am there for an hour. Went out and played and I thought I’d been playing well at the time and I was hoping to play well because it is a course you should know,” Smith said.
“A few things went my way that day I remember walking up the 18 and seeing Toby Walker who has had his (Tour) card or has got his card for bigger and better things. And I said ‘what did you shoot?’ And he said, ‘Five under’.
“And I thought ‘holy crap, I could be winning here with six under’.
“It was a cool experience and cool feeling and I did that so early on and that sort of gave me a bit of belief that, ‘Okay, you’re going okay.’”
Geoff Ross is Smith’s golfing mentor, boss at Mt Derrimut Golf Course – where Smith works in the shop and manages his driving range – and business partner with their joint coaching venture, Swing Sync Golf Academy.
Even he was surprised by the level of that performance so early into his pro career
“Home course, the pressure of the whole club. Dev is a high profile person, so everyone takes interest. No matter what he does everyone is looking, and externally you’re also taking note of his achievements and how he is going,” Ross said.
“There is also that element of people, that bit of tall poppy syndrome, that sort of think it is smoke and mirrors. Just an AFL guy who thinks he can play golf, but that validation of shooting six under, I think Dev came out quite chuffed with his achievement and very happy with what he’d done.”
Smith hasn’t had any wins since but he currently ranks eighth in the Victorian Associates Order of Merit with seven top-10 finishes.
And his form was so strong that he recently received a state invite to access Pro Ams and pre-qualifying for PGA Tour of Australiasia tournaments.
“I thought I was a mile away from these guys and now playing every Monday professionally you realise that you are still a little bit away, but you’re not as far as you think,” Smith said.
HOW IT BEGAN
Smith got into golf while he was Essendon, regularly playing with the likes of Jake Stringer and Darcy Parish. Back then it was an outlet that helped him switch off from the intense footy world.
But by the time Covid rolled around, Smith was hooked and his golf improved rapidly.
“His transition from being an average golfer to a good golfer was like 12 months. As an elite sportsman he drove me hard to train him and he wanted more and kept wanting more and over Covid he had a net and did home practice,” Ross said.
“He had ambitions of being a golf pro and playing golf for a living and it was probably a little bit unrealistic at that stage, as in his ability.
“Without breaking too many dreams I didn’t think he was good enough at that stage, so I called a meeting with the PGA and the AFL and tried to use Dev for marketing both for golf and for footy and it is quite unusual for a footballer to transition into professional sport, so it is quite unique.”
Devon Smith at the first tee at Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club. Picture: Max Hatzoglou
That led to Smith completing a golfing traineeship to become an associate member, having to complete a training module and a playing module on the PGA Associates tour.
The 31-year-old completed a diploma of golf management while he was playing at Essendon, retiring from the game at the end of 2022.
He is still completing the playing element of the qualification after being restricted in 2023 by a serious achilles injury suffered in a pre-season game for Geelong Football Netball League club Lara, where he is a playing coach.
But the end is in sight, with Smith open to the possibility of qualifying school and competing in bigger events.
“It is quite addictive and a game that you probably won’t ever figure out, you’re probably just always striving to be better which probably suits my personality to a tee,” Smith said.
“Probably where my heart is at is teaching, the teaching aspect of it. When we used to do the kids clinics, school clinics for footy, I always enjoyed that side of it. That’s sort of where it was at and this year playing footy and juggling golf commitments I wasn’t sure how it’d all go, and my golf has probably gone better than I thought.
“It has probably left the door ajar on a few things and ideally I pass my playing this year which should happen, touch wood, and then the next couple of years who knows, bigger and better things.”
“I kind of wish I was a little bit younger and at a different stage and I’d definitely say I’d be trying to have a go at playing at a higher level.”
While he was unsure initially, Ross believes he has what it takes to play golf for a living.
“To his credit he has taken it head on and he has got a pretty good attitude towards it, his golf is elite at the moment. He has got the practice there, it is like anything. If you work hard enough, you will end up getting through with your work ethic and he’s got a good work ethic,” Ross said.
“There is a lot of work that’s got to happen which Dev understands, but one of his skills is he aligns himself with good players.”
Devon Smith in action. Picture: Supplied
BLESSING OR A CURSE?
From the outside looking in there doesn’t appear to be many similarities between Aussie rules football and golf.
But the lessons Smith learned across his 182-game career and his relentless attitude to get better have been critical in his golfing journey.
“The more I think the mental side of things and how you deal with certain aspects of the game or pressures, I think I am in a good headspace whereas a lot of these guys are 18-20 and they want to be the next Tiger Woods and be on the TV,” Smith said.
“I’m 31 and just glass half full on everything whereas a lot of these people have played since they were four of five, everyone wants to win but there can only be one winner in golf. My mindset really can help with some stuff, that’s the mental things you learn from footy and how ruthless our game is I suppose.
“In football once a week you sit down with your coach and you get feedback on everything you did right and wrong, whereas in the real world you don’t get that feedback to a degree.
“It has probably put me in good stead to always review myself the hardest out of everyone.”
Devon (R) Smith in 2007 when playing for Lara. Picture: Supplied.
But his love for footy is holding him back somewhat.
Smith recognises the 10-15 hours he spends coaching and playing in the strong standard of GFNL football could be used to refine his game.
But he has been prioritising his golf more this year, playing just the three games this season to date for Lara, where he played as a junior, as he managed a long-term quad injury and other niggles.
“He is a typical footballer, when he did his Achilles he was like, ‘I am not going to play’, I’m done, golf’s my world’,” Ross chuckled.
“But when he got fit he sort of went back to footy and I feel he is a footballing tragic. I don’t know what signs he needs to say ‘I can’t play footy anymore’ but I think it is still in his veins a bit. And Lara he has pretty strong allegiances.
“He feels he wants to give a bit back which is pretty honourable but at the moment it is coming at his own mercy.
“At the moment he is juggling both but I think that hasn’t got a lot of longevity in it.”