Short game distinguishes Lakota’s Dull on course

Early in her high school golf career, Lakota graduate Makayla Dull was flat with her swing and then came over the top for little distance on shots that always seemed to fade right.

Dull also endured reconstructive knee surgery following her freshman year. Still, Dull qualified to the state tournament four times and earned a championship as a junior.

Dull is one of the athletes of the year in the Michael K. Bosi series.

“She didn’t have the power,” said Raiders coach Chad Garberich, who was also Dull’s swing coach the last three years. “We went through a complete swing change. One big thing was getting healthy. She continued to work and fine-tune it to where it is now.

“Her swing when I first got here was that of a high-handicap golfer. She worked at it. She was always one to do what was asked. I couldn’t be more proud of her.”

Dull injured her knee playing basketball as a freshman. Rehab was often painful as Dull worked to re-establish range of motion.

“It was very challenging not swinging a club for a long time,” she said. “I was focused on just walking again and I built myself back. A lot of days were tough. On the mental side, I saw others in worse condition who couldn’t fully get back.

“I put everything in perspective.”

Dull, who also earned sectional and district crowns as a junior, tied for 10th in Columbus as a freshman and was fifth as a sophomore. She finished third last season.

Dull twice won a playoff for third place at districts. She continued to improve while living up to lofty expectations.

“Especially last year after winning state,” Dull said of the pressure to succeed. “I had stress, but my coach was able to give me confidence to mentally prepare me. My swing progressed every year.”

Dull qualified to compete in the national Big I tournament Aug. 1 in Kansas for the second consecutive year.

Lakota didn’t have a girls golf team so Dull competed with the boys. She was first-team all-conference her final three seasons.

“It’s all about 100-yards-and-in,” Garberich said. “She works very hard at that. Who can get up and down and chip and putt? That’s what she does well. She doesn’t lose a lot of shots — that’s where the separation is.”

Dull often practiced for five hours in the summer sun using Garberich’s workouts. Two hours were always devoted to Dull’s short game.

Dull, who will continue her career at Akron, finds golf’s setting refreshing. She also looks forward to playing as long as she can at the highest level she can.

“I grew up playing golf,” she said. “I did it for fun with my family and I was able to see it could take me somewhere.”

mhorn@gannett.com

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Twitter:@MatthewHornNH