HARTLAND, Mich. — From the moment Payton Rohrhoff was born, excelling in athletics was going to be a challenge.
Rohrhoff was born with cerebral palsy, which affects movement and balance, key elements in nearly every sport. Her right foot is impacted by the condition, causing a limp.
The Hartland High School freshman tried playing multiple sports growing up before realizing golf presented her best opportunity for success.
She dabbled in golf most of her life, exposed to the sport through her father. Three years ago, she decided to focus on golf and started playing it competitively.
“Some sports were hard for me,” said Rohrhoff. “I wasn’t one of the best. I thought I would have a good chance at golf. I started doing lessons with coaches. I started doing strength training last year. I just wanted to take golf seriously and make these goals, because one of my main goals is to play D-I college golf.
“I wouldn’t be able to run very fast or jump or anything like that as good as everyone else. I thought golf would be a good fit for me.”
In her first year of high school golf, Rohrhoff was one of the best players in Livingston County and the No. 1 golfer for the Eagles.
She nearly qualified for the state Division I tournament, missing by one stroke in the regional at Forest Akers East in East Lansing. She shot 85 to finish 12th. The top three golfers not on qualifying teams advanced to the state finals.
While golf is a more forgiving sport for Rohrhoff, her condition still makes it more challenging, particularly when driving the ball.
Hartland High School (Michigan) freshman golfer Payton Rohrhoff. (Bill Khan/Livingston Daily via Imagn Images)
“It will be hard for me to balance on my right foot,” she said. “It will be hard for me to get off my right foot on a swing, but I had a lot of coaches who have been able to work around it and make my swing the best I can make it.”
When Hartland coach Ethan Hawker met Rohrhoff two years ago, he talked with her parents about any physical limitations she may have after noticing her limp and scars on the back of her ankle from two surgeries.
“She does not have the same physical abilities the rest of the girls do out there,” Hawker said. “She makes the most of it. She’s an unbelievable kid. She doesn’t let it slow her down one bit. It’s just hard work that’s gotten her to where she is. She definitely can’t swing at the ball as hard as a lot of other girls. That’s not going to slow her…
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