Bedford's Carter Klawon repeats as Region Boys Golfer of the Year

TEMPERANCE – Carter Klawonn was scheduled to take the advanced placement calculus test on May 13.

He couldn’t miss it.

Passing it would give him college credit.

But Bedford’s golf team also was scheduled to play in the Monroe County Championships that day.

2023 Golfer of the Year: Consistency the key for Bedford's Klawonn

He wasn’t going to miss that, either.

Klawonn found a way to do both.

He rescheduled the calculus test for another day and aced his other test, winning the county championship.

It was that kind of spring for the Bedford senior who achieved high grades in the classroom and on the course.

Klawonn has repeated as Monroe County Region Boys Golfer of the Year picked by The Monroe News sports staff., joining Mike Croucher of Ida (1984-85), Jason Bomia of Jefferson (1991-92), Jason Talbot of Gibraltar Carlson (1995-96), David Noe of Monroe (1998-99), Nathan Johnson of New Boston Huron (2000-01), Joey Bussdieker of Monroe (2003-04) and Connor Lenhart of Whiteford (2017-18) as two-time winners of the award.

“I was a little bit upset,” he said of when he learned the test was scheduled for the same day as the county championship. “But I was not really too worried about it. I still got a four (out of five) on it and got college credit.”

He calculated his way around The Legacy in the county meet for a round of 75, edging Nick Kosiba of New Boston Huron by a stroke.

Klawonn chipped in for a birdie on the No. 2 hole, but won with consistency. He finished his round with three straight pars.

Consistency was the key to his successful season.

He finished with 81 twice this season, but all of his other 18-hole rounds were in the 70s.

“I worked this year on not making as many bogeys and double bogeys,” he said. “I tried to be more consistent.”

Bedford coach Brad Reed was impressed with the way Klawon was able to manage courses all season.

“He’s always been pretty good, but his short game was better this year,” the coach said. “His stability was invaluable this year. We knew he was going to go out and shoot a low score every time.”

His best score of the season came in the Southeaster Conference Meet at Leslie Park in Ann Arbor. He shot 72 to take second place in a league that features some of the top golfers in the state.

“The whole day I was hitting fairways and really got off the tee,” he said.

But the county meet might have been the biggest jewel in his crown.

“I don’t think he had a good round the year before,” Reed said. “He really wanted to do well in that one.”

“I’ve been looking to win that one since I was a freshman,” Klawonn said.

Klawonn shot 81 for Bedford’s best round in a tough Division 1 Regional at Pine View Golf Course, but wasn’t able to secure a trip to the state finals.

“That Regional was just loaded,” Reed said.

Klawonn said course management was the key for him this season.

“Mental and just playing smarter,” he said when asked about his biggest improvement over last season. “I tried to stay out of trouble off the tee.”

Klawonn also was a hockey player for Bedford.

“I played baseball and hockey growing up, but golf was the (sport) I played the most,” he said. “I quit baseball my freshman year.”

He will continue playing golf nest year at Adrian College.

“The coach called me last summer,” Klawonn said. “He was the first coach who reached out to me. He was a really cool coach and I liked the school.”

The son of Mindy Aaron Klawonn of Temperance plans to study finance in college.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Bedford's Carter Klawon repeats as Region Boys Golfer of the Year