Complaints about North Carolina’s chilly winter rose as fast as the temperatures dropped these past few weeks.

Put Troy Spencer on the short list of those who loved the weather.

“It’s been warm – there’s no problem with that,” Spencer said with a laugh.

Then again, the weather in South Orange, N.J., isn’t exactly the stuff of tourism posters. Spencer’s Christmas vacation started late thanks to a big snowstorm that cut into his trip home to Archdale. All told, he’ll spend a little less than a month away before returning to Seton Hall University for a highly anticipated spring semester.

The former High Point Christian Academy star only played golf once in December, but his time away from the course had nothing to do with the weather.

“It was freezing cold, but golf’s golf. I don’t care,” Spencer offered. “If you want to practice bad enough you’re going to find a way to practice.”

No, Spencer’s sabbatical was a forced one thanks to an over-abundance of practice. The sophomore decided three top-15 finishes in the Pirates’ fall season wasn’t good enough, so he increased his workout schedule to four days a week and once on the weekend, all the while hitting golf balls just about every day.

His reward? A strained biceps muscle and some ligament and tendon damage to the elbow.

“Just a nasty situation all around,” Spencer admitted. “A product of being a perfectionist, trying to work hard all the time. The minute I step foot on campus until summer time I’m employed by Seton Hall University. That’s the way I approach it, as a business. You’re only as good as the results you produce.”

Spencer’s injury has healed and he now plans to produce plenty of results for the Pirates when the spring season opens March 8 in Puerto Rico. After all, the university has increased its investment.

Spencer became High Point Christian’s first Division I scholarship recipient when Seton Hall offered him a large athletic deal and some academic money that left roughly 5 percent of the cost up to Spencer and his family. Spencer then debuted with a 74.96 stroke average, was runner-up for Big East Rookie of the Year and earned Seton Hall’s Male Freshman Athlete of the Year award.

That prompted coach Clay White to bump Spencer to a full scholarship – quite rare in golf thanks to limited funds available for those teams.

Spencer can’t wait to prove himself worthy. After leading Seton Hall in three tournaments as a freshman, he settled for two seconds, two thirds and a fifth-place showing in the five fall events. His stroke average jumped to 76.00, which in turn led to the increased workload he placed upon himself.

Now healthy this spring – “the first semester of my college golf career I’ll be completely healthy,” Spencer said – his goals aren’t stated in terms of a Big East title or NCAA Championship appearance.

Instead, “I’ve tried to focus on being the best I can every single event and finishing as high as I can every single event,” Spencer explained. “Hopefully we can do some damage and make the most of it.”

David Spencer figures to be along for as much of the ride as possible. Troy’s father first took him out to play golf at the age of 3 and continues to be an invaluable asset.

“Dad taught me golf, and if not for my dad I’d be a regular 20-year-old college sophomore somewhere,” Spencer offered. “All the tournaments within driving distance, he’s there. He can watch me play a round and whether I shoot 66 or 75, when I’m walking off the 18th it’s, ‘Dad, what have you got?’ ”

Mom, meanwhile, concerns herself with scores of another nature. Gina Spencer is the principal at Pickett Primary School in Lexington.

“School is the No. 1 priority to Mom,” Troy said. “You’ve always got to have a fallback, and I try to bring home as many A’s as I can. That makes Christmas break a lot more peaceful with my mom, that’s for sure.

“She could care less about the golf thing, unless I turn pro,” he added with a laugh. “Then she’s really excited. I’ll thank her one day, I’m sure.”

Of course, the academic side is no laughing matter for Spencer, who owns back-to-back semesters on the Dean’s List to go with his hours spent playing golf.

His secret is simple: “I don’t get out much: Practice, schoolwork – I don’t ever see the outside of my dorm room, really.”

After starting as a business and marketing major, Spencer said he felt called to follow a different path. He’s now a double-major in religious studies and sociology in a pre-law track.

“My dad is a Bible teacher (at HPCA) and he’s on fire for it,” Spencer explained. “I’m a Christian first before I’m anything: Jesus Christ, that’s my passion, even before golf.”

No matter the major, it’s clear that Spencer has his sights set on a career path that doesn’t include law school and office buildings.

Or cold weather. The PGA Tour figured out quite some time ago that its professional golfers prefer warm climates. Like Hawaii in January. Pebble Beach in February. Florida in March. Augusta in April ...

You get the idea.

“I’m gonna try to play golf first,” Spencer said.

Put him on the short list of those likely to succeed.

shanf@hpe.com | 888-3526