Johanna and Samantha Head, the Surrey-born twin sisters of the Ladies European Tour have travelled a similar path in both their private and professional lives over the past seven years.

But as the women’s game develops globally, the Twins, who turn 30 at the end of February, are unlikely to see much of each other as they live in different countries and will play on different continents in 2003.

Sam and Jo arrived on the European Tour in 1995 amid much hype of being the next British superstars and glamour girls of women’s golf and both readily admit it was a misnomer.

Jo in action at Royal Portcawl

Certainly, they caught the attention of the golfing media in what was a dull and uninteresting game without Tiger. Only Laura Davies could bring any kind of colour to the British game and the Twins were marketed hard – perhaps unfairly.

The fact remains that despite grabbing attention for their Kim Basinger looks and happy go lucky personalities, during the first year of each of their careers, Sam notched up a paltry £1300 from eight events to close at 123rd on the order of merit and Jo failed to earn a penny from nine tournaments.

But both girls were determined to learn the professional game whilst on Tour. It was an expensive exercise over the next couple of years and without valuable sponsorship, neither would be striding the fairways for a living today.

After much work on her long game and putting, Sam got her break when she lifted the 1999 Italian Open title and the following year improved her position to 26th in the European rankings.

Sam on her way to a course record in Norway

Jo, a more powerful player, also found the winners circle in 1999 at the Malaysian Open and four years of toil and frustration was beginning to pay off for the bubbly blondes who learned the game at Goodwood GC.

“They were tough times back then,” admitted Sam. “We both knew we could compete, but after the first season, we knew we had to adapt quickly and work extremely hard at our games to make a decent living – and that’s what we did.”

The following year, Jo managed to secure a conditional card for the LPGA Tour in America, while Sam stayed in Europe. And if it was not for a rampant Carin Koch cruising to victory at the Chrysler Open in Sweden, Sam would have picked up her second Tour title.

Determined to win again, Sam compiled a two year program to get fitter, more consistent and improve her short game under the tuition of former Ryder Cup hero Antonio Garrido from Spain. At the start of 2001, the work paid off handsomely with a nail-biting victory at the 2001 Nedbank Mastercard SA Masters with Ignacio Garrido, her new boyfriend, on caddy duties.

Jo Head - smiling as usual

Jo plied her trade as much as possible in America with the odd sojourn to Europe. Playing on the LPGA, she developed more power and a sharp short game and in 2002, came agonisingly close to a maiden European victory in both the Tenerife Ladies Open and the Wales WPGA Championship of Europe.

The Twins have now taken the next step in their careers and Jo is on the verge of making Europe’s Solheim Cup team next September.

Now living in Northamptonshire with her boyfriend Terry Munday (caddie to Laura Davies), Jo is now the proud owner of her full LPGA card and Sam won the Japanese qualifying school at her first attempt and now the decision of where to play are the foremost question in the Head households.

“It has cost me a lot of money to get my LPGA card and I want to make that work over in America, so I won’t be concentrating on a full schedule in Europe,” explained Jo, who sits in tenth place in the 2003 Solheim Cup rankings.

Jo with her latest prize

“But by doing that, I am not giving myself the best chance of making the team for Sweden in September. There is a good run of big events in the summer in Europe so I will still have a good chance to make my dream come true.

“However, the other problem is that it is going to cost me $25,000 to play on the LPGA and I don’t have that kind of money right now.

“I have to fund the travelling costs before I head out there. I know I can do well out there, but I have to fork out that money first and I don’t have any sponsorship. It’s so tough to get sponsors when you play in America.”

And Sam, who lives in Madrid with Garrido (and who speaks excellent Spanish), will be racking up the air miles as she plans attacking both the European Tour and the JLPGA.

“There will be some fun with the travel agents I think as I go back and forth around the planet,” giggled Sam, who finished 23rd on the European Order of Merit.

“I’m not sure how many events I will play in Japan, but during the European Tour off weeks, I will head over there to play. It’s great to have competitive experience and when I get back to Europe, my game will be sharper.”

The girls from Goodwood are finally where they belong, among the best players in women’s golf and naturally the Twin sisters continue to spur each other on to bigger and better things.

The twins keeping up to date with the news!

2003 could well see a landmark year for both of them. Sam is planning on winning on another continent and is working hard during the winter to improve her driving distance. Like her sister, they will both begin the season in Australia at the ANZ Masters.

And Jo, winner of the recent Hassan Trophy in Morocco, will be targeting her lifetime goal of winning in Europe and perhaps realising her dream of playing in the biggest event in women’s golf – The Solheim Cup.

REPRODUCED WITH KIND PERMISSION FROM GOLF NEWS MAGAZINE - THE SOUTH EAST'S GOLF NEWSPAPER