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Dalton Finds Early Success

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By CLIFF GILL

Tribune correspondent

Published: September 28, 2008

PORT RICHEY - In middle school golf leagues, the top four players from one school compete against the top four from another school. Typically, the A player is the best and competes against the opposing school's top player, and so on.

With so many youngsters playing golf, it is rare for a fifth-grader to compete. It's even more rare for a fifth-grader to compete as an A player. At Bishop Larkin Catholic Elementary School, Brooke Dalton is that rare player.

"Brooke had the low net score for our team," said Bishop Larkin golf coach Fred Pendleton. "She competed against eighth-grade boys. Although she didn't win, she hung in there with them. I am very impressed with her dedication and determination. She is a valuable member of the team, a great competitor and teammate and a wonderful person."

Dalton, 10, learned about golf before she started playing.

"When I was 2 years old, I sat on my father's lap and we watched sports on TV," she said. "When a golf match was televised, I liked to watch Tiger Woods. In addition to his talent, he's extremely focused, intense and competitive."

A little more than three years ago, Dalton attended a summer golf camp at Seven Springs Golf and Country Club, where she won the first of her 18 golf awards. The following summer, Dalton attended a camp at Summertree Golf Club, earning trophies at three levels.

In the summer of 2007, she registered for weekly lessons with golf pro Ray Cisbani at The Links Golf Club in Hudson.

"Coach Cisbani helps me to improve all aspects of my game," Dalton said. "Recently, I was slicing the ball to the right. Coach told me I was standing too far away from the ball and I was cupping my wrist during my swing. Those two adjustments cured my slice. He makes learning fun, with games such as chipping into a hoop. Those games challenge me and improve my game."

In addition to teaching the rules and the mental aspect of golf, Cisbani emphasizes the short game.

"Coach taught us the importance of chipping and putting," she said. At a recent practice, Cisbani led the class in chipping dozens of balls from between 10 and 50 yards from the green. "The key to chipping is following through," said Dalton. "Most beginners chop at the ball. Coach Cisbani taught us that the backswing and the follow-through should reach the same height."

Dalton's putting routine includes walking around to the other side of the pin to look at the contours of the green. She then goes behind the ball and repeats the process. Dalton consistently sinks putts less than 5 feet and makes about two-thirds from 8-10 feet.

Cisbani said a number of factors contribute to Dalton's success.

"Physically, Brooke is very strong. She's focused and serious about her game," Cisbani said. "She has improved a great deal, and when someone strikes the ball well and can putt as well as she can, you are looking at a serious competitor. I feel her desire to improve and good work habits will take her game to the next level."

With nine-hole scores in the mid-40s and drives of up to 180 yards, Dalton would be welcomed on most high school teams. In June, she joined the North Suncoast Junior Golf Association tour. Competing against 10- to 18-year-olds, she finished second at the Inverness Golf and Country Club.

In July, she was third at The Dunes in Brooksville and won at Southern Hills and at Sugarmill Woods Country Club. In August, she placed third at Seven Rivers Golf and Country Club in Crystal River.

"Older girls are better and more challenging to play against," she said. "It forces me to improve my game."

Dalton also plays soccer, volleyball and basketball at Bishop Larkin. She has played the flute in the school's band and has been in the choir. In the classroom, Dalton is an honor student and has a 3.6 grade-point average.

"I study a minimum of one hour every night," she said. "My favorite subject is math, because I like the challenge of figuring things out."

Dalton has volunteered at car washes and has worked at fundraisers for her school. She has helped set up for Bishop Larkin's annual fashion show, where she modeled a red, white and blue golf outfit this year.

Every year in religion class, the students are given a cardboard rice bowl to fill with coins to send to people around the world. Doing a household chore or an act of kindness for others earned her enough coins to fill her rice bowl.

"I like to help the people in our community," she said. "It makes me happy to help someone else."

Teachers, coaches: If you would like to nominate an outstanding student-athlete to be featured in an upcoming In The Community article, contact Cliff Gill at reportercliffgill@yahoo.com or (727) 860-4903.

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