The Timmins family from the Geelong region in Victoria are the gold star measure of the Australian Golf Foundation Girls Scholarships.

They are also testament to the notion that siblings can follow each other into the game.

Middle sister Winnie, 9, is the latest to pick up the program, via her school St Margaret’s Primary and the East Geelong Golf Club recently.

Eldest Ivy was a participant in 2023 through Curlewis Golf Club outside Geelong, and youngest of the trio, Pearl, is dabbling in golf although she is not yet old enough to take part in the AGF program.

Winnie Timmins, who is in grade three, said she already loved golf.

“Dad started teaching us how to play when I was a bit younger with Pearl and Ivy. I just like hitting the ball. It’s kind of fun,” she said this week.

She has already won two competitions, and she is improving. “I can hit the ball way further now,” she said.

The Timmins family are guided by father Jack, an “obsessive” golfer at Curlewis.

“We heard that the school (St Margaret’s) was thinking about joining the program, so we thought ‘let’s apply’,” said Jack Timmins.

“They’re really into it. They’re playing with girls who are the same age and Jay (PGA Professional Jay McKenzie) does a great job with them.”

Golf runs deep in the family. The three girls’ maternal grandparents are golfers, and the three generations of the Timmins family have played several times together. Jack Timmins acts as caddie and mentor.

“Caddieing for the three at once is pretty challenging,” he joked. “I don’t push golf above any sport. But they love going to the range and getting a milk shake, hitting a few balls. When you get on the course they love being in a cart. It’s a bit of Dad time.

“From my point of view whether they’re into the sport into the future it doesn’t matter. They are actually playing every sport under the sun. But if they want to pursue golf, they’ve got a solid grounding.”

ABOUT THE SCHOLARSHIPS

5th Anniversary: Celebrating five years of empowering young female golfers in Australia through the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program. Significant Growth: From 2023 to 2024, the program has seen a remarkable 22% increase in participation. This surge reflects the growing interest and impact of the program in the junior golfing community. Club Engagement: 210 clubs across the country have facilitated the AGF Junior Girls Scholarship Program since 2021! Program Reach: Since its inception, a total of 3,090 girls have participated in the AGF JGSP. This milestone underscores the program's success in engaging and supporting a large number of young golfers. Funded by the Australian Golf Foundation (AGF), the concept has demonstrated to be very successful over the past four years. Club applications close 31st of October 2024. APPLY HERE