Westmoreland County Senior Spotlight: Hempfield’s Caden Biondi

By: Anthony DiFilippo
Monday, October 23, 2023 | 10:42 AM

The high school golf season is over for Hempfield’s boys team, but its campaign didn’t come without some bright spots.

There was one that senior golfer Caden Biondi was quick to reference.

“We set the Greensburg Country club course record for our team with a score of 190, so we always battled even after a couple of rough rounds,” Biondi said.

Biondi had some of the better performances this year for the Spartans, coming in sixth at the section tournament and 30th at the WPIAL tournament.

He shot an 81 in the first round of WPIALs, then an 86 in the second round.

Biondi, who said putting was his main issue during those competitions, had some wise words for those looking to take their golf game to the next level.

“Spend double the time working on your short game than your long irons and driver,” Biondi said.

Even though he has a ton of golf wisdom, his sports year is only about one-third finished.

In the winter, he’ll be on the court as a point guard, and in the spring he’ll move back outside to catch for the baseball team.

The differences between the sports may seem aplenty, but Biondi kept it short and sweet when describing them.

“Golf has the individual part to it,” Biondi said. “A big similarity is they are all team sports, and you can’t win with just one person.”

Biondi considers golf to be his strongest of the three sports he participates in.

Right now, Biondi is undecided on whether he wants to play sports in college, and he is leaning towards Penn State or IUP.

This week, Biondi took some time for a Senior Spotlight Q&A:

How did you get started with golf?

I started with junior golf when I was about 8 years old. It clicked pretty easy for me, so I stuck with it.

How would you describe your performance at the section and WPIAL tournaments?

I played well in the section qualifier, shooting a 75. Putting was a big struggle for me throughout the next two rounds. I struggled to find a consistent stroke with my putter, which led to some bad three putts throughout the rounds. I think if I had putted like I know I’m capable of, I could have moved onto states.

What’s your favorite memory from your high school career?

I would say my favorite memory is qualifying for the final round of WPIAL finals. It was my goal at the beginning of the season, so I was happy to accomplish that.

What golf course in the world would you want to play on?

Augusta National Golf Club because it is where the Masters is held every year.

How do you stay well conditioned throughout the year?

Being conditioned just comes with having one or multiple sports or lifts a day, which keeps me active. Even though my main focus is the sport that’s in season, I try to attend offseason workouts for the other sports when they don’t conflict. A big way I avoid fatigue is with naps. I’m a huge nap guy to help my body recover.

What is one thing that people may not know about you?

I want to be some sort of a sports coach when I’m older.

Tags: Hempfield