LAKE CARROLL – Lake Carroll’s annual Club Championship has seen winners of all ages, from senior citizens to seniors-to-be.
Falling in that latter category is Kaden Brown, who joined the list of club champions at Lake Carroll Golf Course this summer, shortly after leaving his junior year of high school behind.
Brown may only be 17 years old, but when it comes to knowing the lay of the links at Lake Carroll, the Forreston High School student is like a seasoned veteran. That thorough understanding of Lake Carroll’s 18 holes helped him win the Club Championship on July 12-13 with identical scores of 73, finishing six strokes ahead of 2023 champion Andy Anderson after an opening day that saw less than ideal conditions on the course, due to the previous day’s rain.
Brown finished the first day with a score leading by three strokes over Andrew Maul, and a second-day winning score that was just one stroke better than Anderson’s 74.
As a young player on his way up, it was only a matter of time before Brown became champ, but that time came pretty quickly, earning the title this year after finishing third in last year’s Club Championship, behind Anderson and multi-time winner Doug Wagner. He’s one of the youngest club champions in the event’s history, and it’s an accolade he intends to be just one of many. He wants to crack the top 10 in the Class 1A Illinois High School Association state meet this October.
Brown is in his fourth season playing for the Forreston Cardinals golf squad, which plays its home meets at Sunset Golf Club in Mount Morris. He finished second at the NUIC conference meet at Lake Carroll last Sept. 26, after finishing third a year before, with a round of 75, before notching an entry in his school’s record books as its first state qualifier, shooting a 79 at a regional meet at Galena Golf Course in Galena, and a 78 at a sectional meet Mauh-Nah-Tee-See Club in Rockford. Brown finished 17th among 1A golfers at the state meet at Prairie Vista Golf Course in Bloomington, shooting a 73 and 80.
Brown’s family owns property in Lake Carroll, which has given him the opportunity to play there as much as he can. He enjoys playing at Lake Carroll with his grandpa. Not long after winning the club championship, Brown shot his best round yet at the course, a 69, while playing with Clayton and his friends in late July.
Shaw Media’s Cody Cutter talked with Kaden about his championship win and love of golf.
Going into the Club Championship, what were you hoping to accomplish?
I was just hoping to put up a good round and at least play my average, or better. I came into it feeling good. I did about a stroke better than my average both days. It was pretty good.
The course was a little wet for the first day after a recent rain, so what was your mindset going into it noting that?
There were some adjustments that I had to make, but we had lift, clean and place (cleaning the ball where it lands and placing it within one club length), and it worked out real well. I was happy.
And still turning in a 73 with all of that?
It just makes me feel better that I played good in those conditions. It made me feel good about myself.
Turning around the next day with the course a little better, what were you hoping to do for that second round, and how did it go?
I was happy. I played good the second day as well with better conditions, and I got to play with people who were fun to play with, too, so that really helps; and they were people I knew.
What was it like playing with the others in your foursome: Josh Heinrich, Andy Anderson and Andrew Maul?
It was fun. I’ve known Josh [the 2020 champion] for a while, and it’s always fun to play with him. Andy, I didn’t know him as well, but I know his brother [Brayden], and we talked about that and we talked a little about college golf. It was a fun time, and Andrew was fun to play with as well.
How does it feel to be this year’s club champion?
I felt happy and accomplished. I’ve been working toward winning this for the past couple of years. It just feels good to know that the practice paid off for it. I tried to practice here as much as I could. I love this course.
How busy is your summer golf schedule typically?
Usually, by the start of summer, it will be until about August where I’ll be in tournaments, hopefully either one or two a week. It always varies, but this summer has been about one a week and maybe two once in a while. It’s a good time.
What do you like and enjoy about the course here at Lake Carroll?
The community. Everyone here is just nice and I’ve always had a good time with them. [Course professional] Jason [Hill] has always been a real big help, same with Mike Allspaugh when he was here, he’s been a big help. It’s always a good time. The course is beautiful and is always in good condition, a fun course all around.
Do you have a favorite hole and a least-favorite hole?
My least-favorite hole has probably got to be No. 14. You get to 14 and from the blue tee box, you have to butter up a shot. With a mid-iron to about a seven-iron, I can butter it up and be about 180 out, and it can be tough for me to get going on that par 4. It’s my most bogeyed hole. My favorite hole is probably No. 2. With the drive, I can hit it far enough to get it over the trees on the right, it’ll be between 175 and 150, and it makes the hole a lot easier.
The Club Championship involves people of all ages, from seniors to high-schoolers, so what is it like competing against some of the older guys?
I’m kind of used to it because I’ve played with a lot of them and know them. It’s fun to play with them because they have a whole standpoint toward the game. They look at it way different than I do. I’ll see a tree, and I’ll say, “I can hit over that.” They’ll see it and maybe punt on it. It’s like playing with anyone else, some people hit it farther, some like it shorter, and some are smarter with it.
What is your earliest golf memory?
The first time I went out golfing was here. I remember the old No. 11, where it was my first golf shot ever.
Do you pick up something new to learn with each course you play on?
If I know I have a tournament somewhere, I try to play there beforehand so I know what clubs to use. I try to be more smart for my tee shots. [At Lake Carroll] I don’t have to worry as much, because I know where I’m going to hit. At any other course, doing it the first time is kind of tough.
Do you have a favorite course besides Lake Carroll, and your high school home course at Sunset?
A: I like to play PrairieView in Byron. Me and my grandpa, we go down to Arizona, and my favorite course out there is Cottonwood Country Club [in Sun Lakes], which is beautiful.
Do you have any college aspirations for golf?
A: After this year, depending on how I do at state, I hope to see some scholarship stuff come in. I’ve talked about going to one of the junior colleges around here. I’d love to go to a four-year college to start off, but if I don’t go that route I’ll go two years at a junior college and then transfer somewhere bigger.
How excited are you to play in your senior year?
A: I’m really excited. I just love the game and like playing it. It’s going to take a lot of practice and building a lot of courage to keep getting better.
