Derek Bayley's introduction to the game of golf happened on a course that no longer exists.

His legacy on the links at Lakeland High in Rathdrum remains unfinished now, but he's taken a large step toward a second individual state 4A title, following up his title as a sophomore in 2012.

It was his grandparents that got him started playing golf, something he hasn't stopped doing since.

"When I was 8 or 9 years old, my grandparents started taking me to Rimrock Golf Course (a par-3 course in Chilco which closed in 2009)," Bayley said. "They got me going and I've been playing ever since. My entire family played it and it seemed fun to me back then and it's still fun."

Bayley is also a standout in football and basketball at Lakeland High.

"I used to play a lot of baseball," Bayley said. "Any sport there was, any competition there was, I was in at that point. I played baseball until my freshman year of high school, when I had to make a decision whether to golf or play baseball. And I was just a little better at golf than baseball, so I thought I'd give it a shot."

Golf has been a family affair for the Bayleys, with Derek's older sister Chelsea just wrapping up her sophomore season at Division III Whitworth University in Spokane.

"Both Derek and Chelsea, it has been a way of life for the family for the last six to seven years," said Mike Bayley, a former coach at Lakeland High, who is the father of Derek and Chelsea. "Both of them have played a full summer schedule for the past few years. We've gotten to see a lot of the country and see some high level golf, which was really cool. They've been exposed to a lot of golf, weather and culture."

Mike pointed to a three-week stretch last summer where the family was all over the country for tournaments.

"We had tournaments in San Diego, Hawaii, North Carolina and Oregon," Mike Bayley said. "All of them had different kinds of grass, humidity and it's uncomfortable when you're in a different place, but good to see all those different things. As a family, it was fun to get to experience that together."

Derek Bayley played on the varsity football team as the quarterback as a sophomore and junior, and was on the basketball team the last two seasons.

"I like the competition of it," Bayley said. "Golf is both an individual and team sport. I'd played football and basketball my entire life. I didn't really have a favorite, and that's what was important to me. Whatever season it was, if it was fall, football was my favorite, or if it was winter, basketball was my favorite. If it was spring, golf was my favorite. There really wasn't one that was favorite over the other."

Something that didn't sit well with Bayley was spending his senior year in football on the sidelines after having surgery just before the season to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.

"It was awful," Bayley said. "Every Friday night was terrible. Having to cheer my friends on and the guys I've played with my entire life from the sideline this year, after being on the field for the last two, it was bad. Coming back and being the ball boy, water boy or equipment manager, it was just frustrating.'

"It was sad not to see him play football his senior year," Mike Bayley said. "I know how much it hurt him. He wanted to play so bad, but his mother and I put the kibosh on that and didn't want him to leave the house with a trick shoulder. I coached enough years in it (football), but I sure would have loved to see him play his senior year."

Derek even went as far as to tell his dad that in the team's state 4A playoff game, he was going to get on the field.

"Derek was trying to tell me that they were going to let him be the kicker if they got way ahead," Mike Bayley said. "He was just begging to be a part of something and compete so bad."

Bayley opted to have his surgery in August, following his summer season of golf.

"It kind of hurt during the late rounds in the summer," Bayley said. "Early in the summer, it didn't bother me much. After I'd played all that golf, I think it just took a toll on me and I'd have to ice my shoulder. It was a little frustrating toward the end."

Now, he's 100 percent healthy.

"It's perfect now," Bayley said. "The rehab went great and I'm glad now I had the surgery when I did. Even though I had to take football off, I would have had to take golf off if I did it right away or didn't have it at all. Chances are, I would have hurt it again and have to have (surgery) when I really didn't want to have it and it could have affected my college golf season."

The 6-foot-2 Bayley signed a letter of intent in November to play golf at Washington State.

"It's local and I really like the golf coach Garrett Clegg there," Bayley said. "The guys on the team are great, and the course they play on really suits my game. When you're trying to qualify 10 times a year at that course, it gives me an advantage I think."

Washington State's home course is the Palouse Ridge Golf Club, where Bayley finished with an six-under par 66 to win the Palouse Ridge Invitational in early April.

Washington, Gonzaga, Idaho, Oregon, Oregon State, Arizona, Arizona State and Utah Valley were among the other schools interested in Bayley.

As a sophomore, Bayley won a three-way playoff at Blackfoot Golf Course for the state 4A individual title.

This year, he's enlisted the help of Steve Prugh, head pro at Manito Golf and Country Club in Spokane, who has been his swing coach.

"He's improved my game dramatically," Bayley said. "Even after the surgery, he had me starting with quarter swings, then half swings, then three-quarter swings and full swings. He's worked with me, and been really, really patient. He's been a huge help and with my swing, he's made it where I can score the best I've ever been able to."

Mike Bayley said that Prugh has taught Derek to take his hands out of the swing.

"He's tried to get him to focus as much as he can into using the larger muscles in his body," Mike Bayley said. "He's done everything he can to tighten his swing, and he's done a good job with that. So that Derek's bad shots aren't always that bad."

Even on the mental side of the game, Prugh has helped Bayley.

"He gives you a couple of mental things to think of during rounds or when you're practicing," Bayley said. "I've practiced more this year because I know what to work on."

"When you get a kid with that kind of talent, it's not much coaching," Lakeland golf coach Mario Maddy said. "He's got his own swing coach. He's a great leader. There's not much coaching involved. You just let him go out and play."

His father has also influenced his game.

"Something he's taught me is never giving up and compete through everything," Bayley said. "If I had a bad round, but finish good, he'll say I'm proud of you for not giving up. You could have thrown in the towel, you could have given up on the spot and shot a 90, but you kept going."

After starting a recent tournament four-over par, he saved it by finishing with a 74 and winning by one stroke.

"He's always told me to pound through it," Bayley said. "And never give up."

Lakeland has been among the top teams in the north this spring, with Bayley leading the charge in most of those tournaments. The state 4A golf tournament is at Twin Falls Municipal Golf Course May 12-13.

Bayley finished 10th at last year's state tournament at the University of Idaho Golf Course in Moscow. Lakeland was sixth out of eight teams.

"It's not pressure, but I feel confident," said Bayley of the prospects of winning state, as well as another individual title. "Last year, it kind of got away from me and I had a bad first round (he shot an 82 on the first day). But this year is a new year, and our team is looking to win it this year. We've got a solid team.

"What would be the best scenario is if I win the individual and we win the team title," Bayley said. "To bring back two trophies is the ultimate goal. I'd probably be more happy if I didn't win and the team did. That will be the biggest goal."

Maddy believes everyone on the roster has been influenced by having Bayley on the course.

"No doubt about it, playing with him makes them better," Maddy said. "His intensity, focus and he has developed a strength in the program. Sometimes, you get kids like that and they're standoff-ish - but that's not Derek - he's always playing with the kids. Sometimes at practice, we'll do an alternate shot with a boy-girl, and he doesn't have a problem with that. He just wants to compete."

His ultimate goal, which he's been chasing for a few years, is to qualify for the U.S. Open.

Any professional golfer, or any amateur with a USGA men's handicap index of 1.4 or lower can attempt to qualify. There are 111 local qualifiers, with 13 sectional events. Those who make it from sectionals advance to the tournament.

"I started last year, and I don't think I'll ever stop trying to qualify," Bayley said. "I'm hoping one of these years I'll make it to the U.S. Open and see where it goes from there."

If golf doesn't work out, Derek said he "might want to be a sports analyst and get a communications degree and go from there."

Following the same career path as Chris Williams, who played at Moscow High and Washington, and is currently on the PGA Tour, is a goal.

"I'm just trying to be the best I can in myself," Bayley said. "Not necessarily be as good of a college player, but maybe compare myself to Tiger Woods. It's borderline unrealistic, but it's a good goal to reach for."