There’s an old saying in life that says "family is everything."
For two Gainesville natives on the men’s and women’s golf teams, family plays an important role.
Senior J.D. Tomlinson has been a consistent player on the men’s golf team as he enters his final year this season. His sister, freshman Taylor Tomlinson has gotten a small taste of collegiate golf after participating in the first two tournaments of the season.
The Tomlinsons went to Oak Hall School in Gainesville — an independent, college preparatory school — and while they were at Oak Hall, they garnered a plethora of accolades.
For J.D., he was the Gainesville Sun’s Golfer of the Year three times and the 2011 Gainesville Sun Male Athlete of the Year. Taylor was not too shabby in her prep career, too, as she was named the Gainesville Sun’s Women’s Golfer of the year in 2012 and 2013.
Both were ranked in the top 10 by Golfweek, and when it came time to choose their path for college, the Tomlinsons could not pass up the opportunity to stay home and play in front of their family.
"That’s a huge reason why we’re both still in Gainesville," J.D. said. "University of Florida is an unbelievable experience, growing up a Gator, but also having your family here was a big decision."
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The Tomlinson’s have been around golf since they were young.
Their parents are originally from southern Illinois and their father, J.D. Tomlinson II, was a golfer who decided to stay in town and play for Southern Illinois University.
And for as long as they can remember, their dad has been teaching them the game of golf.
"We grew up at Gainesville Country Club, so we’d go out with my dad in the evenings," the fourth-year senior said. "He’d kind of teach us the fundamentals and we went from there."
Being able to have their father at arm’s length to ask him questions, not only about golf but about life, was another reason staying close to home made sense for the Tomlinsons.
"My dad helps me with my swing, and if I have a question I can just call him up," J.D. said. "It’s nice having family here, it’s nice being close to your family and it just kind of intertwines all together."
For Taylor, not straying too far away from the people she admires most in her life was essential.
During her recruiting process, she wanted to stay in the south — the weather and being able to see her family were factors. It made committing to the University of Florida all the more important. She, like her brother, takes advantage of talking to her father about her golf game, but spending down time with her parents is equally as important.
"I can talk to him about my swing, or I can talk to my dad and just get advice," Taylor said. "It’s always nice going back (home) on the weekends, either playing golf as a family on Sundays or just going for a meal."
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Families of student athletes have to be willing to make sacrifices to see their children grow and become high level competitors. Some will set aside personal goals and gains just to have the opportunity to see their kids compete at the highest levels.
For the Tomlinsons, it’s no different.
"It’s been incredible how they have put aside some things just to come see us," Taylor said. "They’re always going to his tournaments to watch him and then coming to my tournaments to watch me…they’ve dedicated a lot just allowing us to have those opportunities."
It is not only the parents of the Tomlinson’s that will come out to watch them play. Other immediate family members will go out of their way to support them.
"I think I could be the most supported Gator in the entire program. Basketball, football, anything," J.D. said. "Because at almost every tournament, both of my parents come out. We have eight grandparents and I know every single one of them have come to multiple tournaments, so we usually have at least two or three grandparents.
"I’ll have a great grandpa that will come out and watch, so they come to everything no matter what, if I’m playing terrible they’re still there, and it’s cool having that at every tournament."
With the unwavering support from both their parents and grandparents, for the Tomlinsons, family is everything.
Follow Luis Torres on Twitter @LFTorresIII
J.D. Tomlinson tees off on Day 2 of the SunTrust Gator Invitational on Feb. 16 at the Mark Bostick Golf Course.
