Athlete Spotlight: Kasen Rostad

MINOT – Kasen Rostad’s introduction to golf is a familiar story.
At an early age he would ride on the cart with his parents as they played a round. Soon, he was hitting a ball or two a short distance from the green or putt a ball toward the hole.
Fast forward 14 years and the Minot North senior is quite at home on the course.

“The thing I love most about golf is that it is such a humbling game,’’ Kasen said. “Any day you could go out and feel like you are the best golfer in the world and the next day go out and never want a touch a club again.”
Fortunately, those frustrating times are few and far between for Kasen and he’s emerged as one of the state’s top players over the past few seasons.
He already has a West Region individual tournament title to his credit and tied for third at last year’s Class A Tournament. He has already won a couple of tournaments this spring and has a 70.5 scoring average through six rounds of play.
His steady development can be attributed to the time he’s put into his game.
“During the summers I golf every day,’’ Rostad said. “My home course is Vardon Golf Club and I play there quite often. I play in two tournaments a week where it is a North Dakota Golf Association event or a Dakota Junior Golf  tour event.”
Once the courses close for the season he does take his swings indoors, but admits he’s not a fan of swing simulators. He gets the opportunity to take a trip south to Arizona or Florida during the cold months to get in a few rounds. And then anxiously awaits the start of spring.
His main interest was hockey growing up, but that changed in sixth grade. “I got done with hockey that year and golfed all summer and I really found my passion for the game,’’ Kasen said. “The next year I quit hockey and mainly focused on golf.”

Rostad played in his first varsity event as an eighth grader. It took some adjusting to playing alongside older players and a course that was longer than his previous youth tournaments. There were some early growing pains and lessons to learn. 
“I think just the ability to not let a few bad holes or shots ruin the rest of your round (was key),’’ he said. Indeed, his game continued to blossom and the low rounds started to come. Coach Shane Hannegrefs said Kasen’s mental game has become a strength and he has length off the tee. “He is confident in the big moments,’’ Hennegrefs said. 
Where Kasen is at his best is starting down a green with a pitching of sand wdege in his hand.
“I think that I have always been good at the 50 to 120-yard wedge shots,’’ he said. “If I can get a wedges in my hands, I am going to have lots of chances to make birdies.”
Hannegrefs adds Kasen’s course management skills has allowed him to know when to position himself to score and when is the right time to attack the course.
If there is an area which Kasen says continues to be a work-in-progress is his longer iron play. “Sometimes I struggle with mid-to-long irons, mostly on Par 3s. Some rounds I will go out and shoot plus-three over on the par 3s, but the rest of the course I shoot even or under par.”

When Kasen began his high school career he was clad in the maroon and gold of Minot High for three seasons. During his first season he was able to learn quite a bit from senior standout Gavin Argent, who went on to win the state individual title. For the past two seasons he has played for Minot North. The transition to the new program has been fairly seamless. Coach Hannegrefs 
moved over from Minot High to lead the Sentinel program. And a handful of others  have joined him at North. It has quickly emerged as one of the top programs in the WDA and are a strong contender for the conference regular season title. Kasen and his teammates are committed to putting in the effort to improve and are capable of posting some good rounds. They understand the importance of finishing strong on the final few holes when a tournament title is on the line.
Being one of the veteran players Kasen has taken his leadership role to heart. “As a teammate he is incredibly positive and helpful,’’ Hennegrefs said.
A conference crown would be a special accomplishment for the program which also has benefit of playing the postseason on its home courses. The West Region Tournament will be held at Souris Valley G.C. in late May with the Class A Tournament the first week in June at Vardon Golf Club.
“Our team goal is to win state,’’ Rostad said. “We know that we can do it. We have shot scores good enough (to win). We just need to believe in ourselves and we will be right in the mix.”
There is still some golf ahead before the postseason, however. 
And the focus is to continue to improve and being playing the best golf at the end of the season.
Kasen will continue competitive golf next year and he doesn’t have to go very far. He will enroll at Minot State University.
Hannegrefs said with college tournaments playing on 7,000-yard courses, Kasen will need to improve his long iron game. And there is also adjusting to playing differentcourses and strong competition. Not to mention and balancing his studies with the time commitment on the course.
“When it comes to practice, Kasen will do everything he needs to find success.”