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Hinsdale Central golfers give Danielle Brown a warm welcome back
Hinsdale Central senior Danielle Brown, shown in the 2010 state meet, returned to the golf team after taking last season off. | MATT MARTON~Sun-Times Media.
Updated: October 21, 2012 2:02PM
HINSDALE — After taking off last season, Danielle Brown was unsure what sort of reception she’d get when she decided to return to Hinsdale Central’s girls golf team for her senior year.
The Burr Ridge resident played over the summer while preparing for her comeback and has yet to score a truly solid round. She finished with an 85 at the season-opening Rockford Guilford Invitational Aug. 16.
The Red Devils won the Providence Invitational Saturday with a 317 to outscore Lyons by 10 strokes at Broken Arrow Golf Club in Lockport.
“I love golf. I didn’t know what to expect when I came back,” Brown said. “I knew I would do well, but I did not know how the other girls would react after they moved along.”
Brown sat out last season after finishing tied for 27th in the Class AA state meet in 2010 as a sophomore. She needed a year away from golf to work on her academics and address a few health issues as well.
“I thought (my teammates) would be mad at me,” Brown said. “I thought they would not want me back. It was completely the opposite.”
To get ready, Brown returned to the summer junior golf circuit, playing in all three possible tours with the Illinois Junior Golf Association (three events), the Mid-American Junior Golf Tour (five events) and in an American Junior Golf Association event. She missed the cut — scoring 83-89—172 — at the IJGA’s 32nd Chick Evans Junior Amateur Championship July 23-27 at Itasca Country Club.
In the MAJGT, Brown’s best place finish was ninth at the two-day Windmill Open in early June at Mill Creek Golf Club. She placed 23rd at the 54-hole Geneva National Championship in Wisconsin. She also competed in a tournament at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind.
“It helped. I thought I had a rough summer season. I did not do as well,” Brown said. “It was not just like the school season. But I thought, ‘If I did not do those things, I would do worse than I am.”
Compared to 2010, Brown claims her short game has improved, but her swing needs work. She receives lessons from Cog Hill pro Kevin Weeks.
Her love of the game has sparked interest in her 10-year-old brother, Derrick, who has begun to play. Danielle started playing eight years ago after trying dancing, ice skating and even soccer.
“My mom (Joy) wanted me to have some kind of skill,” said Brown, who would like to continue playing golf in college.
