Danny LaDore (pictured with head coach Kevin St. Pierre) was part of a sensational senior season with the North Haven golf team in 2024, helping the Nighthawks reach the top 5 at both the SCC and Division II State Championships. Photo courtesy of Danny LaDore

Danny LaDore realized he had one last run with the North Haven golf team this year. It led him to unleash all his fears and sources of anxiety on the links and helped lead the Nighthawks to one of the best years in recent memory.

The North Haven Class of 2024 member started out playing baseball and then football until the eighth grade before his father helped switch him to golf. As a senior, Danny stepped up in his final effort and helped North Haven to two top-5 finishes in both postseason draws by finishing second at the SCC Championship and fifth at state in Division II.

“My dad had a private club membership, so I played there a lot. I started to enjoy it more and more and became more competitive over the years,” Danny says. “When you start a season, you’re playing against new guys. But when you play a team for the second time, you get to know the guys on the other team and get to know them better. The biggest thing that’s helped me is my consistency. The first few years, I struggled with my mental game and keeping my head cool. I would get so angry that I couldn’t finish. I’ve learned to just have a goldfish memory.”

Danny’s mental improvement simply came from a sense of urgency. He realized that his time was fleeting when it came to his Nighthawks tenure, so he learned to release the tension and return to the simple and pure enjoyment of the game.

“I noticed my mental game improving, especially this year when I realized it was my last year and I just wanted to have fun with the game,” Danny said. “I just relaxed a little bit with it. The mental game is really important because after a bad hole you can either bring yourself down or pick yourself up. One bad hole doesn’t make a round.”

There was certainly a youth movement within the North Haven squad in 2024, so Danny took it upon himself to use the personal lessons he had learned and give the youngsters some valuable intangibles to strengthen their mentality.

“We had a lot of younger guys on our team this year,” Danny said. “I realized I had to be a good role model for them. I also realized I had to lead by example and show them that if you have one bad hole, you can’t dwell on it and you have to get over it.”

North Haven Golf Head Coach Kevin St. Pierre says Danny was all in from day one as a freshman. But this past spring, during his swan song with the Nighthawks, he took it to the next level, truly embracing every game, practice and drill to help himself grow as a golfer and a person.

“Daniel showed tremendous maturity in his career at North Haven. He made an immediate impact from his first day of practice as a freshman to his final practice and game as a senior,” said St. Pierre. “This year I saw the best of Danny. He fully understood and embraced the different concepts and practices required to compete at a high level and continued to strive to become a better player. Danny earned the No. 2 spot in the lineup throughout the season. I believe Danny has learned the life lessons and skills needed to be successful in golf that he will carry with him throughout the sport of life. I am very proud of him.”

When it comes to putting power behind the ball off the tee, Danny brought the intensity and power with him as the spring progressed. He explains that his fairway shots were a little up and down, but that was just a microcosm of one of golf’s defining principles.

“My drive wasn’t great at the beginning of the year, but it’s improved a lot as the year has gone on,” Danny said. “My irons have been on and off; sometimes they’re good and sometimes they’re bad. But you’re never going to be perfect all the time in golf, so I’m just playing through it.”

Danny also explains that even with a number of rookies making the starting grid, the experience weighed heavily in North Haven’s favor. There were no barriers between classes and the camaraderie bred success.

“The two seniors on the team were on the team for four years, and then our junior Will Sagnella played for three years,” Danny said. “As time went on, we got to know the younger guys and the freshmen starters. I think getting to know each other really helped us do well as a team this year.”

Danny has experienced tremendous personal growth over the past four years on the links, explaining that perseverance and determination with everlasting self-confidence will always take him far.

“Playing for North Haven was a great experience. It was great to be there and not have to worry about having a bad round,” Danny said. “Coach St. Pierre has always been there for me and I love that guy. Golf has taught me a lot and I’ve learned how to grow. I’ve learned not to give up on yourself and always turn the page and move forward no matter what.”