Following his remarkable sophomore season as part of the Varsity Boys Golf Team, Dane Starnes has set a culture and new expectations for himself and his teammates. Dane first picked up a golf club for the first time when he was in sixth grade, “I started playing golf when I was in sixth grade,” he said, “what got me into it was seeing my Dad and older Brother play and how much fun they had.” Now, Dane is entering his third year as a varsity golfer. His older brother Cole is now a Division One golfer at Indiana University. What started as family influence quickly turned into something that Dane is very passionate about and hopes to continue doing for the rest of his life.
Dane’s older brother, Cole Starnes was a key contributor to the Hamilton Southeastern golf team in his time as a Royal. Now he plays at Indiana University, and Dane keeps the family legacy going with an incredible start to his junior year. It can be a lot of pressure for Dane to live up to that legacy that his brother had, but Dane has handled it well and has played a huge role in the success of the team this year. “Yeah, people compare us from when he was in high school, and it’s pretty cool to see how similar we were.”
It was a challenging start to the season for Dane, but he has found confidence through hard work and focus on what he can improve. “Coming out of the winter, my confidnece in my game wasn’t great, but it’s gotten a lot better. I would say my short game is what I’ve improved the most.” His development has translated to his teams success. Dane understands that success in this sport comes down to his mindset. “The mental game is the most important part of golf, but I just remember to take deep breaths and focus on what I can control.” Showing that the pressure that comes with being at this high of a level of golf is all mental.
For Dane, living up to his brothers legacy is bigger than the game itself, its about mindset. “The mental game is the most important part of golf.” he said. When under pressure, I always take deep breaths and make sure I commit to my routine.” With aspirations to play college golf, and earning all-state, Dane is proving that even if he is following in his brothers footsteps, he is having his own success, and creating his own legacy.
