Miles Ahead

The journey to finishing fourth in the IHSA 2024 State 1A Golf Tournament began for Miles Van Prooyen at age two. “I think I got a toy set of clubs when I was about two. I first hit a golf ball at about age four, and I loved it immediately,” Miles recalls. His golf game has been on an upward trajectory ever since.

Miles’ fourth-place finish in the State Tournament is the highest ever by any golfer in Timothy history. He qualified for the state playoffs by finishing third at Sectionals in a playoff. The State Finals Tournament takes place over two days, with players completing 18 holes each day. On day one, Miles shot a two-over 74, and on day two, he shot an even-par 72 for his school-record finish.

Miles is the first to tell you that his success is built on hard work. He has been taking golf lessons since he was very young and continues to see a PGA-certified coach on a regular basis. He practices year-round, averaging about two hours a day. In the winter, he trains at an indoor facility.

That practice has paid off. According to Miles, the strengths of his game are driving and putting. After his freshman year, he worked hard on improving his driver swing and increased his average distance by nearly 60 yards. In addition to distance, he also focused on accuracy. While the driver requires a hard, full, balanced swing, putting requires finesse. He improved his putting during the season when he changed putters and found the touch he was looking for. Putting was a key factor in his low score at the state meet—especially on Saturday.

In the summer, Miles sharpens his game by playing in several junior golf tournaments, where the focus is solely on individual performance. He enjoys those tournaments but also values the camaraderie that comes with high school golf.

“There will always be struggles in golf. There are days when you’ll play well and days when you won’t. It’s important to remember that God is in control of life, which is much more important than my golf score.”

High school golf is a unique blend of individual and team competition. Each match during the season is a combination of individual scores. During the regular season, eight golfers play, and the top four scores count toward the team total. In the postseason, six golfers play, with the top four scores counting. Miles’ approach to team play is to focus on his own individual score, knowing that the lower he shoots, the better chance the team has to win.

Golf is a sport known for its ups and downs. Even PGA Tour players can be on fire for a few weeks, then vanish from the leaderboard for the next stretch. Miles has experienced those highs and lows in high school golf too. “You just have to keep grinding, knowing that things will change and you can shoot lower,” Miles says.

That’s also where Miles’ faith comes into play. “There will always be struggles in golf. There are days when you’ll play well and days when you won’t. It’s important to remember that God is in control of life, which is much more important than my golf score,” he says.

Participation in sports teaches life lessons. For Miles, golf is teaching him the importance of mental toughness—of not getting too high or too low. He’s also learned the value of consistent hard work. “Hard work pays off,” he says.

As only a sophomore on a team full of underclassmen, Miles has big goals for Timothy golf—and for himself. He hopes to lead the team to a spot in the state final tournament and win an individual state title. With the right mindset and continued effort, those goals are well within reach!