Florida sisters may be the "Venus and Serena" of golf

7:48 AM on 09/05/2009

Join Our Mailing List

Related News: Serena Williams: Venus 'coming along awesome'; TheGrio's 100: Ibtihaj Muhammad, young Muslim changes the face of fencing; Serena Williams defeated in 4th round of Australian Open

Share Bar

With the U.S. Open underway in New York this week, it's hard to imagine a time when Venus and Serena Williams weren't household names.

But now there's another set of sisters some say could be just as famous someday.

The Howard sisters are hoping to achieve that kind of greatness, on the golf course.

At 15, Ginger Howard has been called a phenom.

The numbers say it all.

Ranked top 25 in her age group, with close to a hundred trophies. But what really sets her apart is one younger sister who may be just as good.

"I try to beat her every once in a while. Well all the time actually," says younger sister Robbi.

Robbi Howard just turned 14. And if you're already thinking about that other set of sports sisters, you're not alone.

The two are often called the Venus and Serena of golf.

"I definitely want to be as famous as them. Like become as famous as them, because that would be awesome and be a huge honor of course," says older sister Ginger.

Like the Williams, they started playing their sport young.

Dad Robert says it was a lark: A trip with him to the driving range.

But it seems the connection was instant.

"The head pro at one of the ranges came up and asked me how long girls had been playing. I said they've been playing for about 15 minutes," Robert Howard remembers.

Now, they play more than three hours a day, and train at the prestigious IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida.

But beyond the perfect swings, and striking smiles, what may be most notable about the Howard sisters is that, in what can be the most individual of sports, they never seem alone out there.

And coach Kevin Collins says that may ultimately make all the difference.

"When you have that positive background, and that positive reinforcement for the people that are around you at a young age, it really starts to shine through."

For the Howards it is a family affair.

5 year old brother RJ already following in his big sisters' swings.

While dad says his goal is opportunities and college scholarships for his daughters, he also has his dream for their future in the game.

"I would love for them to finish one and two in a tournament. That'd be fantastic. And a big major tournament," their dad said.

Follow theGrio on Facebook & Twitter!

With the U.S. Open underway in New York this week, it's hard to imagine a time when Venus and Serena Williams weren't household names. But now there's another set of sisters some say could be just as famous someday. The Howard sisters are hoping to achieve that kind of greatness, on the golf course. At 15, Ginger Howard has been called a phenom. The numbers say it all. Ranked top 25 in her age group, with close to a hundred trophies. But what really sets her apart is one younger sister who may be just as good. "I try to beat her every once in a while. Well all the time actually," says younger sister Robbi. Robbi Howard just turned 14. And if you're already thinking about that other set of sports sisters, you're not alone. The two are often called the Venus and Serena of golf. "I definitely want to be as famous as them. Like become as famous as them, because that would be awesome and be a huge honor of course," says older sister Ginger. Like the Williams, they started playing their sport young. Dad Robert says it was a lark: A trip with him to the driving range. But it seems the connection was instant. "The head pro at one of the ranges came up and asked me how long girls had been playing. I said they've been playing for about 15 minutes," Robert Howard remembers. Now, they play more than three hours a day, and train at the prestigious IMG Academies in Bradenton, Florida. But beyond the perfect swings, and striking smiles, what may be most notable about the Howard sisters is that, in what can be the most individual of sports, they never seem alone out there. And coach Kevin Collins says that may ultimately make all the difference. "When you have that positive background, and that positive reinforcement for the people that are around you at a young age, it really starts to shine through." For the Howards it is a family affair. 5 year old brother RJ already following in his big sisters' swings. While dad says his goal is opportunities and college scholarships for his daughters, he also has his dream for their future in the game. "I would love for them to finish one and two in a tournament. That'd be fantastic. And a big major tournament," their dad said.