Dancing’s loss was golf’s gain.

Madi Peterson grew up as a dancer, starting at the age of 2.

After hip surgery forced her to give up dancing, she turned her attention to golf.

She wound up becoming the first girl from Gibraltar Carlson to qualify for the state finals four times and won the Monroe County Championship this fall.

Peterson has been named Monroe County Region Girls Golfer of the Year by The Monroe News.

“A neighbor encouraged me to try it,” Peterson said of her introduction to dance. “She had owned a dance studio.”

The daughter of Dayna and Steve Peterson of Rockwood started in children’s classes then moved up into competitive events for seven years.

“I went to nationals several years and competed regionally,” she said.

The competition was hard on her body.

“I had a hi

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