While some aspects of life may be hereditary, golf play is not one of them.

It’s not obvious from the start that  the Straka brothers are twins, and fans would certaintly see no relation between the two Georgia golfers when they play.

CHRIS HAACK

“Well, they’re not like twins because they are so different,” Bulldogs head coach Chris Haack said. “It’s like having two different guys. I don’t even look at them as twins. Sam is very aggressive. Sepp is more of a methodical plodder. Just two different styles of play.”

As seniors in high school, Sam and Sepp Straka didn’t have to go to the same university and were not a package deal, but both brothers achieved their life long goal of becoming a Bulldog.

“It didn’t have to be the same college,” freshman Sam said. “We were never set on going to the same college no matter what, but UGA came together where they wanted us, and we both wanted to come here. So it just happened.”

Originally from Austria, the twins moved to the U.S. in the ninth grade, and immediately picked up where they left off in Europe.

One thing both brothers own are outstanding individual resumés, highlighted by Sam’s victory in the 2009 Southeastern Junior Golf Tour Tournament of Champions. Sepp finished in second place in the 2011 Southeastern Amateur.

Despite his success in the amateur ranks, Sam said that meant little when he arrived in Athens.

“I always thought it would be a big boost coming in here, but once you get here everything changes,” Sam said. “You start over new, and what you did in junior golf doesn’t really matter. So really it was good to have the confidence to know I could win in junior golf, but it was completely different having to prove myself. I had to come and start over completely.”

While the two may have great stats individually, they have been playing with each other all their lives.

Their most memorable victory together was helping lead Austria to a second-place finish in this year’s European Boys Team Championship.

“It was fun,” Sam said. “It was good practice.”

After aiding the Austrian team earlier this year, the brothers traveled from Valdosta to Athens to try and help their new Bulldog teammates.

Being on the same team doesn’t mean they  do not relish taking the title of the “better” twin on the course, though.

“You want to beat him even if you’re playing bad,” Sepp said. “As long as you beat him you’re fine. You always got someone to compete against.”

The two brothers agree their sibling rivalry is for the best.

“Its good to have him around,” Sam said of his brother. “It’s good competition. We strive off of each other. You always want to beat your brother more than you want to beat anyone else. It keeps you on your toes, and makes you practice harder.”

And even though the twins are always playing to beat each other, they are one another’s biggest fans.

“You can tell they’re brothers,” Haack said. “Not because they razz each other, but just by the way that they bond with each other on things. They’re very supportive of each other.”