Boys Golf: Catalano finds groove for Upper Arlington
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
By Jarrod Ulrey
julrey@cbussports.com
Upper Arlington’s Brady Catalano goes for the green in two earlier this season on a par-5 at Rattlesnake Ridge Golf Club in Sunbury. Photo: Kevin Rouch
By the time a player who might make an impact as a freshman tries out for the Upper Arlington boys golf team, chances are good that coach Troy Arbaugh already has heard about them.
Then there are players like Brady Catalano, who is the exception to that rule despite his pedigree.
Catalano’s father, Mark, is a 1994 UA graduate who was the state runner-up in 1992 when the Golden Bears won the team championship and helped UA win the state title again as a senior in 1993 before playing collegiately for both North Carolina and South Carolina.
Brady, meanwhile, was more interested in other sports and didn’t begin taking golf seriously until he was in eighth grade.
Fast-forward to his senior year, and Brady has about a month left in an already successful prep career in which he was second-team all-state in Division I last season and the OCC-Central Division Player of the Year this fall.
“I played soccer and basketball until about eighth grade,” Brady said. “We would always play golf on spring break, and in eighth grade, something just clicked. I started liking it and played a lot that summer. Once I started working hard that summer, my scores weren’t great my freshman year, but my dad played, and I’ve been around the game my whole life.
“A lot of people say this, but it’s a game you can never be perfect at and it’s a game you can work so hard at, and that’s what drew me to golf. It’s fun, but it’ll beat you up sometimes. I don’t really know what clicked, but I just started to really enjoy it. I liked being out on the course and playing and trying to get the ball in the hole.”
Although the Bears settled for second with a 296 during the final round of the OCC-Central tournament Sept. 13 at Darby Creek behind Olentangy Liberty (285), they finished 18-2 overall during the four rounds of league play to edge the Patriots (17-3) for the championship. Dublin Coffman, which also has one of the area’s stronger teams, finished third at 13-7.
Upper Arlington golfer Ben Hendrix watches his approach shot earlier this season at Rattlesnake Ridge Golf Club in Sunbury. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Catalano won each of the first three rounds of league play and led the OCC-Central with a 69 average.
“We’ve come in second a lot (in tournaments),” Arbaugh said. “We’re putting up good scores, but sometimes not good enough. School started, kids are getting out of rhythm, they get tired. Hopefully we can rebound and pick it up.
“We won four out of our first six tournaments and we’ve won three of the OCCs. I’d consider us one of the three best teams in the state. There’s probably five or six contenders that on their best day could win it, but I think we’re in the top part of that conversation. I don’t think there’s any question that (Akron) Hoban is the team to beat in the state.”
UA, which has been averaging 296 and is on track to top the program-record for 18-hole season average of 302, will compete in a sectional Oct. 3 at Denison Golf Club where the top three teams and top three individuals not on qualifying teams advance to district Oct. 10 at Apple Valley.
Although Catalano was the only UA player to finish in the top 10 at last year’s district tournament as he shot 76 to tie two others for 10th, three other UA players shot 77 as the Bears finished with 307 to place runner-up and earn their first state berth since 2014.
At state, UA finished eighth with a 653 as Cleveland St. Ignatius captured the title with a 610.
Catalano’s two-day total of 152 at state was second among central Ohio players and tied for seventh overall.
“Brady is the kind of kid that when he’s playing badly, he’s still right around even par,” Arbaugh said. “He just knows how to score even when it’s not his best day. That’s what separates him from a lot of guys. He can still be frustrated like any other kid, but he plays the game on a different level.
“His putting has drastically improved. His putting has saved him a lot and the rest of his short game has also improved.”
Upper Arlington’s Mitch Stock hits his approach shot earlier this season at Rattlesnake Ridge Golf Club in Sunbury. Photo: Kevin Rouch
Catalano’s top two choices to play collegiately were Ohio State and Oklahoma State, but he has verbally committed to travel out of state to be a part of the Cowboys’ program.
His older sister, Avery Catalano, is a 2022 UA graduate who swims at Miami University, and he also has a sophomore sister, Ashley Catalano, who competes in soccer for the Bears.
Oklahoma State, according to Arbaugh, is an “elite program.” The Cowboys finished fifth in the NCAA championships in 2022.
“I loved Ohio State and I liked the coaches, but it was just too close and I wanted to get away for four years,” Brady said. “The weather is a lot better down in Oklahoma. I wanted to venture out and play all year round. I’m a guy that likes to be out on the golf course.”
Before heading off to college, Catalano is hoping he and the experienced cast that surrounds him at UA can make it back to the state tournament and improve on last year’s finish.
Senior Chase Bokker, junior Bric Baird and sophomore Will Mangas are returnees who competed at state last season.
While Catalano is averaging 71 this fall, Baird is averaging 73 and junior Mitch Stock is averaging 75.
“We knew we had a good team coming in,” Catalano said. “We got off to a fast start and won a couple tournaments and kind of are not playing as well at this time of the season as we were hoping to, but I kind of look at that as a good thing. Now we’re not playing as well but we’re just trying to peak for the end of October toward the state tournament.
“I’ve played well in our league tournaments and put some good rounds together outside of it. I haven’t played great and haven’t hit the ball particularly well, but as long as you kind of build toward the postseason, that’s kind of the goal. The key to doing well at (Ohio State’s) Scarlet (Course, where state is held), is all about minimizing mistakes. If we get five guys that are pretty disciplined and are mentally tough, I think we can get it done.”