How did Patrick Dalton start his summer tournament tour in mid-May?
The Westwood senior finished with a two-day total of 75-82—157 for a four-stroke victory to capture the New England Junior Open championship of the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour at Falmouth Country Club.
On July 16, his 72-74—146 finish resulted in a one-shot victory at the New England PGA Junior Cup at The Bay Club in Mattapoissett.
“That was the best moment of the summer,” Dalton said. “It was pretty exciting to win that.”
It was the continuation of what has been continued growth for Dalton, who was the runner-up at the Division 2 Central sectional, followed by a third-place finish in the state final at Kettle Brook GC last October.
Like Dalton, playing golf at the collegiate level is on the mind of a number of players gearing up for their season.
Xaverian’s Thomas Constantine, another returning Globe All-Scholastic selection, is headed to Bryant University next fall. Foxborough senior Zac Georgantas, the reigning Division 2 champion, is verbally committed to Providence College. The offseason becomes vital to the transition between junior and collegiate golf because of its multi-round and individual nature.
“Because you’re not competing as a team in these individual tournaments, I think they impact your personal growth more than high school,” said Braintree junior Chris Psaros, the defending Division 1 South champion.
Each summer, the majority of the state’s best young high school golfers compete in high-level tournaments to hone their skills ahead of the high school season.
The New England PGA Junior Tour hosts more than 100 events, with most golfers choosing to play between two and five tournaments. This allows players to develop their individual skills by playing difficult courses against talented opponents.
Beyond helping players develop individually with continuous reps, the summer tour is excellent tuneup for the school season.
“You know what you’re going to be up against in the high school season and you get a general sense of what the other teams are going to look like,” Psaros said.
Because the focus is on individual finishes, Weston senior William Goldstein, the Globe’s Division 3 Player of the Year last fall, said, “I’m not really thinking about the high school season when I’m out competing at tournaments.”.
The difference between high school and summer competitions is both a blessing and a curse. NEPGA tournaments feature three 18-hole rounds, and players are teeing off from the tips. High school matches are one round, nine holes, and white tees.
When the school season started last week, players had to adjust to the difference in yardage.
“The high school season can be easier to start, but you just have to be smart about the way you play it,” Goldstein said. “Not just hitting driver off every hole is important, you have to keep the ball in play.”
On the other hand, playing longer and more difficult courses takes the pressure off of the high school season for Georgantas.
“Learning how to score low is good for the nine holes that we play in high school,” Georgantas said.
With more opportunities to practice, the high school season grants golfers the opportunity to finetune aspects of their game.
“My putting was a little inconsistent this summer, so I’ll be able to work on that when practice starts,” Georgantas.
Players in leadership roles emphasize team camaraderie as opposed to a skill.
“My focus is on the season and the first match,” St. John’s Prep junior Seamus O’Holleran said. “Having the new guys get ready and feel comfortable is the most important thing.”
Chip shots
After a 2024 finish that featured a victory in the Cape Cod National Invitational, a Division 1 South title, and a runner-up finish in the state final, Xaverian is gearing up for yet another march to October.
“[We have] the usual challenging schedule, but that’s appropriate,” Xaverian coach Gerry Lambert said. “We’re a good team this year, and we’re looking forward to using the season to get better and also be prepared for if and when we make it into the postseason.”
Xaverian returns five of its six tournament players, including and co-captain Constantine, the Mass. Junior Amateur champion, Chris Morrow, and Michael McCormack. Quinn Dumas joins Constantine as a co-captain.
“[Constantine and Dumas] are key for keeping everybody else on an even keel,” Lambert said. “If they panic, then that won’t be good for us, but I can pretty much promise that there’s not much panic in those two guys.”
Though the Hawks return an experienced roster, Lambert says depth is the crucial piece.
“We’re going to need contributions up and down the lineup. You bring six guys to the postseason, and sometimes it’s your No. 6 guy whose score is great,” Lambert added. “You really have to master yourself mentally as well as physically, and appreciate the mental grind of an 18-hole tournament or even a 9-hole match [in the Catholic Conference]. It’s not easy to do.”
▪ While the MIAA regular-season schedule for soccer, field hockey, cross-country kicks off Tuesday, the golf slate started last week.
Brookline (2-1) started with a season-opening win over Catholic Memorial and a Bay State Conference victory against Framingham, paced by Andres Polanco’s 1-over-par 36 and 3-over 38 in the wins.
St. John’s Prep opened its season with a 231-237 win against Malden Catholic, behind co-medalist rounds of 37 from Cullen Pasterick and Seamus O’Holleran.
Correspondent Joe Eachus contributed to this story.
Bailey Reynolds can be reached at bailey.reynolds@globe.com.