For three players on Highland’s golf team, it’s all in the family.

Taylor Naumann, Kendall Hayward and Presley Pickron had family members kickstart their love and passion for the game.

Hayward, a freshman at Highland, has a sister on the team. Lorel, a senior, has helped drive Kendall to better play.

“I would shoot mid 80’s. Like 85 to 89 and now I’m shooting high 70’s to low 80’s,” said Kendall.

“We live right by a golf course and my sister is the No. 1 on the team. She’s been a role model to me.”

Pickron, a sophomore, credits her two older brothers and her parents for her love of golf.

“Both of my brothers played on the Highland boys golf team and both of my parents played in high school,” said Pickron.

During the offseason, Pickron improves her golf game even if it’s playing with her father on the weekends or working on her putting.

“I try to practice every day whether it’s on the putting green for 20 minutes or it’s going out and playing nine,” said Pickron. “On the weekends I tend to play 18 with my dad on Saturdays. We do have youth on course, so it makes it a lot easier to pay five bucks and walk nine.”

Youth on course is a membership available to golfers starting at age 8 until they turn 19. Memberships are $90 a year but members can play many courses around the state for just $5.

Everyone has a hero and a mentor in life. For Naumann, her mentor is her grandfather Mike Nelson.

“He introduced it to me and taught me the important stuff,” said Naumann. “He was very good when he was younger, so we started to pick it up before high school.”

He enjoys watching her play from the sidelines but is willing to give advice to Naumann if she were to come to him.

During the off-season, Naumann plays on the girls basketball team. However, she ensures that her time on the golf course isn’t ignored.

“I am definitely going to the course at least four to five times a week to work on and improve my game,” said Naumann.