Dustin Battaglia didn’t like golf when his dad first introduced him to the sport, but now he loves the game and is excelling. He is the first player since 2020 to advance to the state tournament.
He initially tried out for the golf team in eighth grade, but didn’t like it so he quit. The summer before his freshman year he started playing golf with friends and his dad. That’s when he discovered a real love for the game.
“I just went out every day with my friends and my dad. He was helping me every day to get better,” Dustin said. His dad, John Battaglia, is the CCHS golf coach and his brother, Branon Battaglia, is also one of the top golfers.
Dustin was consistently one of the best performers on the Panthers golf team this season.
After achieving an individual top 10 finish at the regional tournament, he earned a spot in the state tournament. He played in a foursome with three other boys he knew from prior matches during the summer and the school year.
“To have only been playing for a short time he has come a long way, and to make it to the state tournament this year is a huge achievement for him and our program,” John Battaglia said. “With guidance and encouragement he has really excelled and his love for the game grew as well. I am very proud of him and his determination.”
Dustin, who is a sophomore, said the achievement didn’t sink in initially. “When I started thinking about it, I realized it was a pretty big accomplishment,” he said.
Dustin has pretty high expectations for himself and plans to continue working on his game during the off-season. A golf simulator will help him prepare for various situations and give technical insight on his golf mechanics.
“I want to play well for my team, but I want to be satisfied for myself too,” he said.
“Dustin’s goal is to play golf at the college level and I feel he is well on his way,” John Battaglia said. “This year we will lose a lot of senior leadership and talent, however, we have a very skilled group of underclassmen with potential to lead us to another conference championship.”
