Sara Winter lined up her approach shot while her dad Robert locks down the framing and focus.
“He’s kind of just adapted to the job at this point, he doesn’t have a choice,” said Sara, a member of the Cowichan Valley Golf Club.
“I’m getting to be professional. They look pretty good,” said Robert Winter, as he recorded his daughter’s golf swing on his smartphone.
Over the past few years, Sara has garnered a massive following online. Her videos and photos, most of which were taken by her dad, have been viewed millions of times on social media.
“Recently I got posted on Barstool Sports, and they have millions of followers so that’s when my count blew up and got over 100 thousand followers,” said the 26-year-old Winter.
As of today, Winter has attracted over 118,000 followers on Instagram – more than twenty times the population of her hometown of Duncan.
“I just want to make sure that I’m spreading positivity and happiness and keeping on a good platform for the younger generation to look at,” said Winter, a biology major at York University.
Winter’s aim is to use her influence to grow the game she loves. Her social media stardom helped land her an ambassador job with Taylor Made Canada, which has resulted in financial opportunities as well as complimentary trips and merchandise.
On the course, despite only beginning to compete as an amateur four years ago, Winter routinely shoots in the 70s andhas seven hole in ones. She hopes to one day make the professional ranks, but the Cowichan Secondary School grad has other goals as well. Next month, she’ll be in Toronto competing for the third time in the Miss Universe Canada Pageant.
“Miss Universe Canada has been my dream since I started pageants forever, that’s why I’m competing one more time hopefully take the crown home to Duncan,” she said.
And her golf partner, personal photographer and life caddie has been there by her side through it all.
“My dad is my best friend,” said Winter. “He’s definitely the number one support system in my life. He believes in me when I don’t believe in myself so I don’t know what I would do without my dad.”
Robert Winter introduced his daughter to golf and supports her on the links and beyond.
“It makes being a parent easy when your kids are good. And I’ve got three real good kids. Sara, yeah, I’m really proud of her.”
She may be a social media icon, Miss Universe Canada contestant and perhaps one day a pro golfer, But to Robert, she’ll always be dad’s favourite golf buddy.
“Poor kid spends a lot of time golfing with me but at the end of the day if your kids are your best friends, that’s a pretty good deal,” Robert said.
Kevin Charach
