SLIPPERY ROCK — Bobby Paczkowski’s first tee shot sliced left into the pine trees at Oakview Golf Club.

It was the first shot of many on this day four years ago for Paczkowski, a very raw, very new golfer who was using left-handed clubs despite being a righty.

He shot a 122 on that day, but still made the Slippery Rock High golf team as a freshman.

“I played probably less than three times before that,” Paczkowski said. “I was horrible off the tee — everything I hit was a slice. But I was a pretty consistent putter. I could just never get it to the green.”

Things have changed considerably for Paczkowski on the links since that day. As a senior this fall, his average hovered in the mid-70s.

From those humble, unusual beginnings, Paczkowski transformed himself from a duffer into a strong golfer and recently received a full scholarship to play at Wheeling Jesuit University.

“It goes to show what hard work can do,” Paczkowski said. “I didn’t think about it until the beginning of this year that golf could happen for me in college.”

Paczkowski was a soccer player until a few weeks before his freshman year when close friend Brett Rinker, who has been an avid golfer since he was barely old enough to walk, convinced him to give the sport a try.

Rinker wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Brett pretty much made me do it,” Paczkowski said. “He told me he would help me, give me pointers, and that it would be a lot of fun.”

Paczkowski gave in. By the end of his freshman season, he had shaved nearly 30 strokes off his score.

By the end of his sophomore season, Paczkowski was shooting in the low 80s.

The rapid improvement caught the eye of longtime Slippery Rock golf coach Merle Whitmer.

“I was very impressed,” Whitmer said. “I think somewhere between his sophomore and junior years, he realized golf was the thing for him.”

Dropping so many strokes didn’t come by accident.

Paczkowski said he spent most of the summer between his freshman and sophomore years at the golf course working on his game.

To him, spending hours on the putting green, the range and playing round after round didn’t seem like work. It was enjoyable.

“I didn’t get burned out on it because I was new to it,” Paczkowski said. “Nothing was expected of me, so I was just out there playing and having fun.”

Through it all, Rinker and Whitmer helped him iron out the kinks in his game.

Rinker in particular took an interest in making Paczkowski a top-notch golfer.

“Brett helped me tremendously,” Paczkowski said. “He was a model for me to look at, someone to look up to. I just imitated him. He was always patient with me, answered all my questions and helped with every aspect of my game.”

Whitmer said Paczkowski had certain advantages that helped him make such a rapid rise in the sport.

Despite his small frame — he’s only 5-foot-8 and weighs barely 150 pounds — Paczkowski is strong for his size. He was a solid basketball player for the Rockets this winter, averaging 7.9 points and hitting a team-leading 29 3-pointers.

“He’s a good athlete, and that helps,” Whitmer said. “I coached him in basketball (in junior high) and he has always had good hand-eye coordination. Take that and add a lot of determination, support from his family and having Brett Rinker as your example, he was going to succeed.”