As we stated in our first installment, a sibling bond is like no other. However, there's something slightly different about our next pair of siblings this week. This week, we feature two brothers from just down I-40 in the Collierville area of Memphis, Tenn. Cal and Blake Templeton are golfers here at Union, and are featured in our second installment of siblings on campus. Playing an individual sport together on a team calls for an interesting dynamic, but for the Templeton brothers it's as natural as riding a bike.

Cal, you started your career here at Union as a pretty successful high school golfer being on a team that won a regional, numerous top-10 finishes, what was the selling point for you to come to Union.
I had it down between Union, and a few other schools, but as soon as I walked on campus here it just felt like the right place. I met some of the guys on the team, and I 'vibed' well with them, I felt like I'd fit in well and I knew I could contribute right away.

Tell us about the coaching switch you went through given that Golf is an individual sport which makes it different than some other sports.
With golf being an individual sport, there's not as much of an effect, but they definitely have two different coaching styles. Coach Chandler does a good job of pushing us. Sometimes he'll play with us in practice, just because he knows it'll push us. It was definitely a good transition, I feel like Coach Chandler is here for the long haul, and I know he'll invest in the program.  

Both of you won numerous academic awards, and had a good academic background at a school like Briarcrest High School. Did that have anything to do with the decision to come here to Union?
Cal: For me I liked the idea of coming to a Christian college, where I would have that influence there to fall back onto when I fall off where I shouldn't. So I was looking for a Christian school, so that's what mainly pushed me this direction.
Blake: Coming out of high school I knew where I was going to go, I was going to come here because of him [Cal]. Realistically I had it down to three schools. I was thinking about after college, and here [Union] was the better choice in my opinion.

Blake, can you elaborate on your decision to come to Union?
In high school, I'd come up here on weekends and hang out, and I got to know a lot of his teammates and his friends and I got to really enjoy it here and getting to play a sport in college with my brother is awesome, and having somebody there to hold me accountable that's really nice.

You both grew up in the Memphis area, which plays host to the World Golf Championship FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Did that have any influence on playing golf competitively?
Cal: It definitely made us want to go play. Every year when we'd go we'd be out there for three or four hours and immediately want to go to the course after. You watch them and you're like 'I want to do this' and obviously they make it look easy. So it definitely pushed us to try harder, and it was always a goal to qualify for it.
Blake: I'd go and watch my favorite player, Rory McIlroy, he came for probably two or three years, and just watching him is so cool. I'd go back and practice after.  

How much do you guys help each other on the course as far as your swing and course strategy?
Cal: In high school we were equally helping each other out, but now that I have a little more experience I understand my swing and I don't mess with it as much. His [Blake] swing is good and he's got his swing but if anything is off he'll come to me, but we'll always help each other. I know his normal tendencies so I can tell what's going on quicker than most people.
Blake: I'd say when we are on the course playing, and he may do something I don't agree with and I'll say 'I think you should do this' and we'll talk it through and figure it out together. We definitely help each other A LOT.

Have you ever caddied for each other?
Cal: Oh yeah I've been fired!
Blake: I was 10 or 11 years old, it was a tour championship, and for me it was a big deal, I started off with my Dad on the bag and I said 'you're doing terrible' so I fired him too. Looking back on it, it was me I was playing terrible, but at the time I blamed them.

With golf being an individual sport and you two playing on the same team but also against each other, can you explain that dynamic and how that is?
Cal: It's a good mix of supportive and competitive, we both want each other to do well and qualify. I would almost not play just so he could, but at the same time there's a competitive nature. If we are in a tournament he's not going to beat me.
Blake: The summer before my freshman year we were playing in a tournament and I finished before him, and I shot around three over, and he was three over going into hole 18 and he birdied it.
Cal: Yea Dad told me what he shot going into the last hole so I knew I had to birdie it.  

Blake, the moment you knew you were going to join Cal at Union, who was the most excited?
I'd have to say Cal, throughout the entire recruiting process he would tell me to come to Union and how much fun it would be.
Cal: Even when I was getting recruited, I had a strong feeling he would follow wherever I went, so I asked him 'where would you want to go'. Then I came here and every weekend he'd come up and play with the team and I wanted him here. I was pretty excited.
Blake: When I decided I was at the golf course, but I knew before that I was going to commit, but I'm pretty sure my mom was the first person I called.
Cal: Our mom has loved the fact that we've been here, and that I can stay on top of him.