By Mike May
As a golfer, Kadin Gibson, 18, has plans to work in the golf industry, just like his father Eric, who is a sales representative for Tour Edge Golf.
But, for right now, Kadin is immersed in just being a golfer albeit a very good golfer, currently sporting a +1 handicap, playing out of the Legends Golf Club in Franklin. He doesn’t rule out playing professional golf for a living.
“It remains a dream,” admits Kadin, who is a left-handed golfer.
Kadin graduated from Franklin Community High School, where he played on the varsity golf team and was the number-one golfer on the team, coached by the legendary Ted Bishop. He is heading to Vincennes University to study business management and play on the men’s golf team, under head coach Dennis Chattin.
This summer, Kadin has been busy playing tournaments in Indiana. He qualified for his third consecutive Indiana Open, held at The Pete Dye Course in French Lick, but didn’t make the cut. He competed in the Boys Junior PGA Championship at the Rock Hollow Golf Club in Peru, shot 75-77 and finished tied for 35th place. In the IGA Match Play at the Ackerman-Allen course at Purdue’s Birck Boilermaker Golf Club, he shot 81 and failed qualify for the match play portion. At the Indiana Junior Masters at the Broadmoor Club in Indianapolis, he rebounded and fired two rounds of 72-72 to finish seventh. Last month, he finished in a tie for third at the annual club championship at the Legends Golf Club.
When he plays, Kadin considers the strength of his golf game is putting with his Odyssey, but he’s also very confident with his Tour Edge driver, Callaway APEX irons, and Mizuno wedges. He is also very particular about the golf ball he uses.
“I like playing the Titleist Pro V1,” notes Kadin, who has two holes-in-one on his golf resume.
According to Eric, he is optimistic that his son will find a professional opportunity in the golf industry because of his mature, golf-centric mindset.
“Kadin has always embraced the integrity of the game and he respects the rules and players at each and every tournament,” says Eric. “In one of his first IGF Junior Tour events, he hit in the woods and after the hole, he made sure he scored a stroke that happened back in the trees that nobody saw. I knew then, at 14 years old, he loved the game. Respecting the history and integrity of the game has always been a talking point for us. At the end of the day, he knows his dad wants him to be a better man than a golfer.”
Eric is excited about his son’s future, but he’s not thrilled about his son going off to college.
“I’m not ready for my boy to leave, but I am excited to see what his next chapter brings though.”
