Hayden Riley '25 Recruiting Profile

I was a late starter to the game of golf even though my dad has worked in golf my whole life.  I played baseball and basketball in my grade school years and didn't take golf up until late in my 7th grade year.  I played in my first tournament in the 8th grade and immediately fell in love with competing.  I realized my game was a long way from being able to win events but I had what it took from a pure competitive standpoint.  I was very undersized and could not hit it far which I look back and appreciate because it drove me to focusing on my short game.  I was able to win my High School Regionals my Sophomore year and finish runner-up my Junior year.  I was happy with certain parts of my game and the fact that I don't get bothered by competitive golf no matter the course or the field.  I feel I have a knack when it comes to competing.  I also took up tennis late (8th grade) and finished runner up in the 2024 State Finals in 4 singles.  Tennis and Golf are both individual sports but playing them in a team setting makes it rewarding.  I love having the weight on me to win a match or shoot a score that will help the team win a match, tournament or event States/Regionals. 

I went through a pretty big growth spurt through my Junior year.  As my body changed so to did my speed and my club path.  Over the 2024-25 winter I put time in the gym and a focus on speed and understanding my swing.  There isn't a day that goes by that I don't spend at least two hours practicing. I knew I had to focus on gaining confidence in knowing where my club face was in space.  I have been very fortunate to work with two amazing PGA Professionals in Chad Elledge of Be Golf (Novi, MI) and Joe Hallett (Nashville, TN & Palm Springs, CA) who just won the 2024 PGA Teacher of the Year.  This last off-season I have developed a dependable wedge matrix, AimPoint putting and a real grasp of my golf swing.

I am excited for my final year of High School golf and my summer events.  My game has never been in a better place.  I have huge goals for myself this Spring and Summer.  My dream is to play college golf and I have the confidence that I am going to keep improving.  My PGA golf coaches believe I have an extremely high ceiling and 2025 will be the year that I catch and pass many of the kids who were winning tournaments when I started.  I am ready to take the flashes I have shown, the last few years, and put it on full display.  The thousands of hours of practice and dedication have provided me with confidence and a great ability to adapt to any course or conditions.