Columbia Gorge News
www.columbiagorgenews.com
Wednesday,April21,2021
15
Golf can be a grind sometimes, but
not if you play with a smile
Petshow
■ By For Joe
Columbia Gorge News
golfing struggles of late are on
the putting green.
“When it comes to golf, just
a little weakness can mess
HE EVOLUTION OF
with your game because it
15-year-old Tora Jo
can get inside your head and
Timinsky’s young
doesn’t want to come out,”
golfing career has progressed
she said. “My biggest struggle
from her first clubs — a pink,
recently with golfing has
Barbie set — to a single-digit
been my putting. Inside of
handicap. And, if indicators
about five feet I don’t seem
are correct, there should
to have that strong putting
be more progression in her
confidence I used to, instead
future.
I seem to just push it to the
That should benefit Dufur
right side of the hole.
High, where Timinsky is a
“Putting used to be one
sophomore, and part of the
of my stronger suits … and
school’s first (hopeful) season
now it’s on the low side, but
of girls and boys golf teams.
I have some good drills and
The sport is hardly new for
equipment to help me get my
Timinsky, who is a regular
confidence and skill back.
on the state junior circuit.
Even though positivity is one
She plays year-round, having
of my strengths, sometimes
finished second earlier this
confidence can be one of my
year at a tournament in San
weaknesses. It’s really nice
Antonio, Texas, where her
knowing I have all of these
dad, Bill, was her caddie.
people that believe in me, but
That’s who introduced
sometimes I can get inside of
Timinsky to the sport. “My
my head and it messes with
dad got into golf a little bit
my confidence out on the
before I was born,” she said.
course.”
“Later, he thought it would
A summer family road trip
be a good sport to get me and
in 2020 help fuel Timinsky’s
my sister into.
love of golf and family. “My
“At first, I didn’t play that
family and I took our camp
much on the course. Instead,
trailer and traveled for golf
I just rode around in the golf
tournaments in Oregon,”
cart and watched movies,
while hitting a few shots here
Dufur High School sophomore Tora Jo Timinsky takes a swing on the practice range in August 2020. she said. “(We were) all on
and there. But that’s what
Timinsky, who plays year-round, finished second at tournament in San Antonio, Texas earlier this year. the course together, just
kept it fun; I wasn’t forced to
Contributed photo having a great time. It’s
also fun when we play in
practice or play constantly.”
Friday night scrambles at
At about age 6, Timinsky
said she participated in the
Salem. Timinsky shot 79 and congratulate myself on each The Dalles Country Club. We
the First Tee program under
First Tee of Greater Portland the tutelage of Ron Moseley, won the age 15-18 division.
good shot, and I make myself take our red, four-seater cart
out and play a scramble as a
program, which introduces
“My putter was on fire that believe that I can, and I will,
and more recently plays high
family.”
youngsters to the game of
day and I was just draining all play well.
school golf under the guid-
Family, at least some of
golf. Closer to home, she
“My favorite thing about
of them,” she said.
ance of Coach Travis Kane.
it, was a big part of her most
participated in Bob Sproule’s
She attributes her positive golf is that it’s a lifelong
Timinsky practices five
recent competitive junior
junior golf program at The
enjoyable sport. When you
days a week, she said. Those attitude and her short game
golf round in early spring in
Dalles Country Club —
smile on the inside is when
as important factors of her
sessions include the use of
San Antonio. “I had never
where Amy Wilson also
you really know you enjoy
golf success. “My pitching
a simulator in the family’s
helped mentor Timinsky.
what you’re doing. That is the been to Texas before and it
wedge, 9-iron, and 8-iron,
workshop — when winter
was an amazing, unforget-
“As I got older, I started
feeling I get on the course,
I feel good when I need to
weather doesn’t allow out-
to like the game even more,
a strong smile on the inside
hit a shot with those clubs,
table experience,” she said.
door play.
so we started to play in little
that also shows outside.”
because the swing is just in
“My dad and I walked on the
“Normally I look back
tournaments here and there,” and reflect off of my pre-
Despite this, Timinsky is
me by muscle memory,” she
river walk every afternoon
she said. “I would practice
not immune to golf’s many
said. “I’ve hit so many good
and had our fill of delicious
vious tournament to help
more and get lessons, then
challenges, physical and
shots with those clubs that
Mexican food.” As for the golf,
me decide what I should
the rest just kind of played
mental. The legendary golfer Timinsky finished second
practice,” she said. That ethic my mind just goes to full
out.”
Bobby Jones once said, “Golf to medalist Abra Richmond
has helped lower her United confidence.
Timinsky travels to Lake
is a game that is played on
“Another thing I’m strong
of Los Angeles in the age
States Golf Association hand-
Oswego every couple of
a five-inch course — the
with is staying positive on
15-18 division at Willow
icap to 9.1. Her best 18-hole
weeks to receive instruc-
distance between your ears.” Springs Golf Course, near
competitive score was in the the course. A lot can go
Timinsky said most of her
AT&T Stadium. The tourney
fall of 2020 at the Oregon Golf wrong when you start to get
tion from Meurig Morgan,
down on yourself or start
Association Tournament of
who operates Dragon
to become negative on the
Champions at Illahe Hills
Golf Instruction. She also
course. So, I just try and
Country Club in South
continues to participate in
T
was part of the US Kids Golf
Foundation Teen Series.
Away from the course,
Timinsky has been on the
Dufur High cheer squad and
also enjoys dance — jazz,
musical theater, and tap.
“Sometimes it can give you
a good break from reali-
ty,” she said. “With dance
(pre-COVID), I would go to
different dance conventions
and those were a blast.”
Timinsky said one of her
goals is to consistently shoot
in the 70s for 18 holes, which
should get her noticed by col-
lege coaches. “Golfing in col-
lege is one of my goals for the
future,” she said. “My hopes
are to work hard enough to
receive a golf scholarship,
and if not, I still would like to
play on a college golf team.”
A year-round golfing
climate would be ideal, she
said, of her college location.
“Even though I can, and do,
play golf year-round here,
it can get a little chilly,” she
said. “So going somewhere
where the weather is nice
sounds good to me.”
Timinsky, a sophomore
class representative at Dufur
High, continues to ponder
her future. “My mind seems
to bounce from career to
career when I think about
what I want to do … what
I should study in college
to help get me there,” she
said. “As of right know I’m
thinking about majoring in
business, because it’s always
good to have a solid base …
I’ve bounced from thinking
about being a chiroprac-
tor, to a teacher, to being a
photographer.”
If that career trifecta pans
out, it should benefit her golf
game. She will be equipped
to treat the occasional back
injuries which sideline some
golfers; she can instruct
her way out of slumps; and
when she wins, she can snap
self-portraits holding the
trophies.
KLICKI
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