Brown County senior Chloe Poling is The Republic Girls Golfer of the Year. She is pictured at Harrison Lake Country Club in Columbus, Ind., Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Chloe Poling has shown growth over the past four years with the Brown County girls golf team, and her growth has paid off.
Poling saw cuts on her scorecard the past few years, and after a solid senior year, she is The Republic Girls Golfer of the Year.
“I’m really proud with how I’ve been competing. I wish I could have gone a bit lower this past year, but I’m really happy with my scores,” Poling said.
Poling started golfing four years ago when she picked up interest from her older sisters Taylor and Savannah and brother Tyler, all of which played on the golf team for the Eagles.
After swinging her clubs and giving golf a try, Chloe was determined to get better. Most of the growth in her swing came from working with Ben VanNess, the head golf pro at Salt Creek Golf Retreat in Nashville.
Poling listened to her coaches, and over the years, she noticed a difference in her game after spending much time at the driving range and on the practice green.
“I really had fun these last four years just learning new things every day, and I literally feel that new swing every day,” she said. “I love my coaches for helping me with that.”
Poling averaged 48.5 per nine holes played this season and was named to the All-Western Indiana Conference Team the past three years.
“She’s very coachable. She’s had a wonderful relationship with both of us,” Brown County coach Brad Baughman said of him and VanNess. “Ben has been influential in shaping Chloe’s game. She cut strokes off every year, and I attribute it to the fact that she is very coachable, and she really listened and really wanted to be the best golfer that she could be.”
Poling is a multisport athlete at Brown County. She plays basketball during the winter and played tennis for the first time last spring after playing softball in the spring most of her life. She plans to play tennis again in the spring.
After graduation, Poling is leaning toward attending Indiana State and possibly majoring in criminal justice or criminology.
“It’s not set in stone, but I’m thinking about it. My sister went there, so I feel like I know it and can study there and be close to home,” Poling said. “I really like helping people. I did 4-H, so it’s a good community. My sister studied criminal justice. I’ve had family that went through the justice system and really just want to help people.”
As for her golfing career if she chooses Indiana State, Poling will try to get into some leagues or intramurals.
“I will focus mainly on school, but I really want to get into those smaller league sports groups because I know Indiana State is D-I,” she said. “I think I’ll just go to those and go to the gym and just try to keep active.”
Even though Poling wished she could have advanced farther past the sectional, she enjoyed her golfing career with the Eagles.
“It was fun. My coaches just really helped with everything and give us everything that we need, and my friends, they’re all on the golf team. They’re amazing to play with, and we always have fun at practice,” Poling said. “I like playing the sport just because I have to do it all on my own, and it’s really fun to be able to work. It’s all about mental stuff. I really like that. I really like improving.”
Poling will leave big shoes to fill for the Eagles next year.
“We’re going to miss her presence because she worked her way up,” Baughman said. “She was someone who worked her way at the bottom of the lineup, to the middle of the lineup, and she played No. 2 behind Lilly (VanNess) for a couple years, and then this year got the chance to be our No. 1 golfer. We’re going to miss having her around.”
The Republic 2025 All-Area Girls Golf team:
Chloe Poling, Brown County: The senior averaged 48.5 per nine holes played.
Caitlynn Lookebill, Brown County: The junior averaged 54.6 per nine holes played.
Grace Oden, Jennings County: The sophomore averaged 50.2 per nine holes played.
Abby King, Columbus East: The sophomore averaged 51.4 per nine holes played.
Calleigh Gill, Columbus East: The junior averaged 55.9 per nine holes played.
Ava Hien, Trinity Lutheran: The freshman averaged 54.0 per nine holes played.
Honorable mention
Brown County: Cami Keaton. Columbus East: Emma Gill, Amaylie Walsh. Columbus North: Bryn Emmitt. Hauser: Beckah Sessions.
