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Young New Zealand professional Kit Bittle was in the second group out at Cobram Barooga on Sunday with no chance of winning. But he was about to enjoy a special day.
Bittle, 24, knocked his 5-iron into the hole for his first-ever career hole-in-one at the par-3 third hole from 177 metres. As a result, he is now the owner of a BMW iX xDrive40 valued at around $140,000.
Shepparton BMW’s dealer principle, Aaron Brain, travelled to the course this afternoon to present the keys.
“Not the greatest week of golf, but one shot made it special,” said Bittle, who is playing his first season on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
Bittle, who lives in Auckland, currently drives a Mazda 6 Atenza, but that is all about to change.
“I jokingly said to the boys before we hit that, ‘If there’s ever a time we go for a flag, it was now’,” said the Kiwi. “I didn’t hit it that great, but as soon as it landed, it was a chance, and it went in quite nicely.
“I picked a good time for it.”
Ironically when the ball ducked into the hole Bittle was not convinced that he had won the vehicle.
“I knew BMW were donating $250 for every birdie that went in, so I wasn’t sure if that was the only thing that was on offer. I wasn’t 100 per cent sure if the car was. I was hopeful!”
The magnificent iX hatchback was on display behind the third tee and was on offer for the first player – professional, amateur or junior – at the TPS Murray River event to hole out at the third.
As part of this year’s groundbreaking partnership between Australian Golf and BMW, another car will be on offer at the Vic Open at 13th Beach Golf Links next week.
Aware that the secret would soon get out, Michael Sim set his alarm for 11.59pm so that he could register for the second tournament in the TrackMan-powered NEXT Golf Tour.
A former top-50 player in the world with four wins on the secondary Korn Ferry Tour in the US to his name, Sim uses the simulator bays at Burleigh Bunker on the Gold Coast primarily to dial in his iron and wedge distances and check club path and attack angle.
An e-mail from TrackMan’s Director of Sales in Australia and New Zealand, Brook Salmon, alerted Sim to the new 10-event virtual tour promising a minimum of $US100,000 prize money for each event.
He signed up for the opening tournament, shot five-under at the Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course at PGA West and finished tied for 12th when the tournament closed on Monday, Sim expected to bank close to $1,000 for his efforts.
A four-time winner on the Nordic Golf League, Denmark’s Mathias Gladbjerg won Round 1 by one stroke with a score of eight-under 64, TrackMan CEO Klaus Eldrup-Jørgensen personally delivering his cheque for $US17,477.
Sensing it would grow in popularity, Sim made sure not to miss out on Round 2 by setting a midnight wake-up call, all 250 spots snapped up within the first three hours.
“I knew how popular it was starting to get,” said Sim, a two-time winner on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia.
“I actually set an alarm clock for midnight to enter and by the time I got up at quarter to five in the morning it was sold out.”
Entry for each competitor is $US130, $100 of which is put straight into the prize pool.
Given demand, Round 2 was opened up to 500 competitors and the expectation is that by Round 3 there could be as many as 1,000 entrants playing virtual golf for very real money.
“If we get 1,000 players we’re really going to see some sizeable prize purses and the ability for someone to make $50,000 for a 45-minute round of virtual golf,” explains Salmon.
For Sim – and touring professionals just like him who have access to TrackMan technology – the possibilities offered by NEXT Golf Tour are endless.
“If you’ve got a week off and an event’s on, it costs you $200 and you might win $25,000; why wouldn’t you do it?” Sim asks.
“I’m going to play them all. The guys at Burleigh Bunker have been great and it’s a great facility down there.
“You’ll see way more Tour guys start to jump on. I’m not sure how big the fields are going to get but if the fields do get bigger, I’d like to see two or three rounds. Then you’ll start to see the better players win or certainly up the top of the leaderboard.”
In addition to the overall strokeplay champion, each event offers cash prizes for aggregate closest to the pin, birdie streak, longest drives for men and women and greens in regulation.
Although hitting greens can bring its own reward, the fixed putting that is in play means that anything inside three metres is automatically counted as a one-putt, between 3.1m and 20m is an automatic two-putt and outside 20m is an automatic three-putt.
“There’s a little bit of strategy involved with that,” said Sim, who played his tournament round in 38 minutes, all of which is recorded and verified by TrackMan representatives.
“I was two-under and then I had two holes in a row where I was 3.6 and 4 metres away and they’re only pars.
“If I’d got those I would have been four-under after eight and that gets your mind thinking. You almost feel like it’s the last round, back-nine sort of thing.”
That a player of Sim’s calibre admitted to feeling nervous energy while playing a virtual tournament adds even greater legitimacy to what TrackMan has created with the NEXT Golf Tour.
“’Simmy’ is a pretty even-keel guy on the golf course but you could see there was that nervous energy, the nervous smirk,” said Salmon, who watched Sim complete Round 1.
“He air-mailed a green and by his own admission said it was because the heartbeat was racing a little bit because he was pushing to birdie three of the last five to equal the lead.
“There’s a guy that has played on the biggest Tour in the world yet he’s still getting a buzz out of virtual golf. It was cool to see.
“I’m sure our owners would be thrilled to see a person of that ilk have those feelings and emotions.”
There are more than 400 TrackMan units throughout Australia and 23 TrackMan-powered commercial simulator centres.
The NEXT Golf Tour is open to both professionals and amateurs but amateurs are limited to winning a maximum of $1,000 as stipulated by both the USGA and the R&A.
Entries for Round 3 – to be played on Medinah Country Club from February 1-12 open on January 19.
For more information visit nextgolftour.com.
Marquee player Cam Davis has started the Sandbelt Invitational with a thundercrack, jumping to the lead with a seven-under par 65 at Kingston Heath on Monday.
Davis, the world No.67 and a Presidents Cup player this year, rolled in six birdies to go with an eagle at the par-5 ninth hole to seize the advantage in good conditions on day one of the event run by Geoff Ogilvy’s foundation.
His only bogey of the day came at the par-4 third hole where he three-putted from close range.
It is Davis’s first appearance in the event which is in its second year, a trip to Melbourne that crystalised in his mind at the same time that he shared the locker room with Ogilvy at the Presidents Cup in North Carolina in September (Ogilvy was a vice-captain of the International team).
The 27-year-old Davis said he found momentum after a slowish start.
“I hit the ball really nicely actually,” he said.
“The swing felt horrendous on the range this morning. It felt like I was knocking off some rust after a couple of days off. I worked my way into it. Missed a couple of short putts early, I had to hit them a bit harder coming in.
“I had a cruisy tee-to-green day today and made a couple of mid to long-range putts coming down the stretch.”
With no ropes in place, fans were allowed to walk the fairways up close to the 72 players competing and Sydneysider Davis enjoyed the more relaxed vibe.
“I love the idea of a competitive round of golf when it’s almost dead quiet out there, a couple of people getting inside the ropes action, even though there aren’t any ropes here,” he said.
“We’re obviously playing some of the best courses in the world this week as well, so it’s really cool to share that with a bunch of people on the fairway.
“It’s a more relaxed but a very competitive atmosphere. I love it.”
Davis leads by two shots from recent Gippsland Super 6 winner Tom Power-Horan who shot a 5-under par 67 in Round 1, with New South Wales amateur Jye Pickin in third after a 68.
Davis said the notion of the Sandbelt Invitational appealed to him.
“I love the idea of it,” he added.
“The amateurs, women and men all playing together; I feel like this is a great environment that I would’ve loved when I was coming up as an amateur, getting some experience from the pros.”
Tuesday’s second round is at Royal Melbourne West, with Yarra Yarra and Peninsula Kingswood Country Club also hosting rounds of the 72-hole event.
Click here for Round 1 leaderboard.
Australian golf hero, Cameron Smith, and his PGA Professional Coach Grant Field, were this morning joined by hundreds of keen golfing Queenslanders as they attempted to break the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ title for the Largest Golf Lesson.
The driving range at Royal Queensland Golf Club was overrun with fans and golfers keen to participate in the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ attempt which fell just short of making history. The masses were expertly guided through a 30 minute lesson by hometown hero Smith, together with some expert coaching, from Field in what was a morning enjoyed by all.
Smith, who was warmly welcomed home at the event, acknowledged the efforts of every involved in making the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ attempt.
“What an amazing experience this morning and equally warm welcome home for the first time in three years,” said Smith.
“I’m blown away with the turn out from both fans and golfers alike – a huge thank you to everyone who came out for the lesson, I’ve had a ball being involved.
“It’s great to be home, and this was a perfect way to kick off a big week – now I can’t wait for the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship to start on Thursday.”
PGA of Australia CEO Gavin Kirkman highlighted the spectacle of the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ attempt.
“What an incredible day to be a part of – the PGA of Australia is delighted to have been able to put on a spectacle like this in partnership with Brisbane City Council via the Brisbane Economic Development Agency,” said Kirkman.
“While we would have loved to secure the GUINNESS WORLD RECORD title, it has still been a fantastic morning for all involved and a pretty unique way for Cam to be welcomed home for the first time in years!
“With the best Australian golfers back on home soil for the Australian PGA Championship and today’s lesson, where hundreds learnt tips and tricks from two of golf’s best names, it just highlights the interest in our game, the tournament and is a fantastic beginning to the week ahead.”
The Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and today’s GUINNESS WORLD RECORD title attempt is proudly supported by the Queensland Government, through Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane City Council, through Brisbane Economic Development Agency.
The GUINNESS WORLD RECORD™ title holder remains the Mayakoba Golf Classic who hosted a clinic for 1,073 participants at the El Camaleón Golf Course on January 23, 2011.
The great Karrie Webb is to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Webb’s induction along with eight other new members of the SAHOF were announced today.
The seven-time major championship winner is the 13th Australian golfer to enter the Hall of Fame as an ‘Athlete Member’ of the nation’s most prestigious sporting club.
Of those 13 golfers, two – Peter Thomson and Greg Norman – are in the category of ‘Legends of Australian Sport’.
The other athlete members from golf are Doug Bachli, Bruce Crampton, Jim Ferrier, David Graham, Edwina Kennedy, Kel Nagle, Jan Stephenson, Norman Von Nida, Ivo Whitton and Leonora Wray.
Webb, 47, won 41 times on the LPGA Tour and is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame. She also won five Women’s Australian Opens, and as recently as July won a major championship on the seniors circuit in the United States, the Senior LPGA Championship in Kansas.
She is returning to Australia soon to play in the rejuvenated Australian Open at Kingston Heath and Victoria in Melbourne when the tournament is played in mixed-gender format for the first time.
The honour roll of induction into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame features the nation’s biggest sporting names and champions, including Sir Donald Bradman AC, Dawn Fraser AC MBE, Cathy Freeman OAM, Ian Thorpe AM, E.J. ‘Ted’ Whitten OAM, Raelene Boyle AM MBE, Wally Lewis AM, Shane Gould OAM MBE, Sir Jack Brabham AO OBE, Greg Norman AO, Lauren Jackson AO, John Eales AM, Susie O’Neill AM, Rod Laver AC MBE, Bart Cummings AM, Louise Sauvage OAM and Layne Beachley AO, among other luminaries.
Winners of The Don Award and the Dawn Award will be announced at the induction on December 8, with the inductees featured in a special on Channel Seven.
Two members will be elevated to Legend of Australian Sport on December 8 when the inductions occur as part of a Seven Network special. On that night the winners of The Don Award, which honours an athlete who ‘inspired the nation’ in 2022, and The Dawn Award, which honours and individual or team or organisation from this or a previous generation who are courageous, brave, and have changed sport for the better, will be announced.
INDUCTEES FOR 2022
Sir George Bedbrook OBE- Sport Admin Paralympic Movement, WA
General Member
The Australian Paralympic movement owes its origins and its ongoing success to pioneering orthopedic surgeon and rehabilitation specialist Sir George Bedbrook. A spinal injury innovator and advocate, Bedbrook led the first Australian team for athletes with a disability to the 1957 Stoke Mandeville Games, the forerunner to the Paralympics. He was one of the leading figures in helping start the Commonwealth Paraplegic Games, held for the first time in Perth in 1962, and would play a leading part in various roles in taking Australian representative teams abroad to major events including the Paralympics.
Catherine Cox AM – Netball, NSW
Athlete Member
Catherine Cox was one of the most decorated netballers of her generation, with her goal-shooting prowess and leadership qualities playing a key role in Australia’s successes of the era. She represented the national team over 16 years, making 108 senior appearances between 1997-2013. She was captain of the side on seven occasions and played more than 250 games in the national league. As a member of the Australian team, she won gold medals at the 2002 Commonwealth Games and the 2007 and 2011 World Netball Championships, silver at the 2006 and 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2003 World Netball Championships.
Brad Fittler- Rugby League, NSW
Athlete Member
Brad Fittler had a glittering 16-season career as one of the most durable, resilient, and attacking players of his generation. His NRL career consisted of 336 games and 122 tries for Penrith Panthers and Sydney Roosters, winning premierships for both teams (1991 and 2002) as he became one of the greatest five-eighths to play the game as well as spending time in the centre and lock. Fittler played for the NSW Blues on 31 occasions, leading them 14 times for eight memorable wins. He led his country in 20 of his 40 matches, guiding the Kangaroos to the 1995 and 2000 World Cup titles, as well as being a member of the victorious 1992 side.
Tanya Harding – Softball, QLD
Athlete Member
Tanya Harding’s contribution to Australian softball spanned 15 years, more than 50 tournaments and a total of 283 matches, including four consecutive Olympic Games appearances. Harding became one of the countries, and one of the world’s best pitchers in a stellar career. Renowned for her determination and mental toughness, she played a pivotal role in helping make the Australian team a potent force on the world stage. She won medals at four consecutive Olympic Games, with her strong performances against the mighty United States teams setting her apart from her contemporaries.
Cara Honeychurch – Tenpin Bowling, VIC
Athlete Member
Cara Honeychurch is one of Australia’s most successful tenpin bowlers. She fulfilled her childhood ambition of becoming a world champion and helped elevate her sport into the mainstream. She was the second Australian to win the Bowling World Cup, in Northern Ireland in 1996, and was one of this country’s unlikely heroes at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, becoming a triple gold medallist from her three events. Honeychurch turned professional and was named rookie of the year in the Professional Women’s Bowling Association in the United States in 2000, winning eight titles, including two majors, as one of the most successful players on tour over three years.
Dr Adrian Hurley OAM – Basketball, NSW
General Member
Dr Adrian Hurley is one of the most significant coaches in Australian basketball history who had a profound impact on the sport and its top-level participants across four decades. Hurley played the key role in establishing the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program and served as the head coach or assistant coach of the national team for more than a decade. He became the first Boomers coach to take an Australian team through to the medal rounds of an Olympic Games, finishing fourth in 1988 at Seoul. He led the Perth Wildcats to the 1995 NBL championship, was NBL Coach of the Year in 2004-05 and was inducted into the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame as a coach in 2004.
Chris Judd – Australian Football, VIC
Athlete Member
Chris Judd was one of the most decorated and dynamic footballers of the modern era. Judd had the distinction of not only captaining two clubs but also winning a Brownlow Medal at the West Coast Eagles and Carlton. A six-time All-Australian, including one as captain, and a five-time club champion, Judd played 279 games and kicked 228 goals in a career that spanned from the 2001 national draft until his final game in round 10, 2015. His capacity to reach peak performances in games that mattered was highlighted by his Norm Smith Medal win in a losing team in 2005 before he captained the Eagles to the 2006 flag.
Karrie Webb AO – Golf, QLD
Athlete Member
Karrie Webb’s journey from a shy, talented teenager from the small far-north Queensland town of Ayr to the world’s most dominant female golfer is one of Australian sport’s greatest success stories. Webb became one of the most decorated golfers of the modern era, winning seven career majors and 41 LPGA tour titles as well as 13 Australian, 15 European and three Japanese events. She won the LPGA player of the year award twice, was a three-time LPGA Tour Money List winner and was the youngest person at the time inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.
Mark Webber AO – Motor Racing, Monaco
Athlete Member
Mark Webber graduated through the motor racing ranks from his native Australia to the United Kingdom before realising his dream of becoming one of the most resilient Formula One drivers across 12 seasons and 215 starts. While he often had to compete in under-performing cars, particularly early in his career, he went on to score his maiden victory at the 2009 German Grand Prix, the first Australian to win a F1 race since Alan Jones 28 years earlier. Webber competed for four different teams, winning all nine of his Grand Prix races with Red Bull. He secured 42 podium finishes and 13 pole positions. On his return to sports cars with Porsche, he combined with Timo Bernhard and Brendon Hartley to win the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.
Karen Lunn has made history by becoming the first-ever woman to chair the Australian Golf Industry Council.
Lunn, who is also Chief Executive of the WPGA Tour Australasia, was elected this week to the role.
She replaces Gavin Kirkman, Chief Executive of the PGA of Australia, who served two terms over four years at the helm of the all-encompassing industry body.
“I’m very honoured,” said Lunn. “To represent the whole of the industry is an honour. We’re seeing collaboration through the industry and it’s great to be a part of that, and it’s really good timing.
“Everyone in the sport including all the organisations that sit within the AGIC will play an integral part in delivering the Australian Golf Strategy. It’s an exciting time and I’m proud to take on the
role.”
Lunn said there was symbolism in the appointment.
“The strategy has such a strong focus on women and girls’ participation, knowing that the industry hasn’t done so well in that space before, so it is significant,” she said.
“Any time that a woman takes on a role when they haven’t taken on before, it’s significant, and that’s not lost on me either. I’m honoured that the rest of the organisations in the AGIC, who are all represented by men, have put their trust in me to do the job.”
Kirkman said Lunn was an obvious choice in a time when the industry was promoting inclusiveness for the sport.
“She’s there because she’s the best person to do the job,” he said. “It’s about her input and her knowledge and her experience. We’re delighted that Karen has seen fit to take this on and we’re sure she’ll do an excellent job.”
Lunn is a former touring professional who played in Europe (1985-2013), on the LPGA Tour (1994-2002) and in Asia (1998-2005), serving on the LET board of directors for 14 years including a 10-year stint as chair as well as chair of the players’ council.
A 10-time winner in Europe, the high point was her 1993 British Women’s Open victory.
She has been CEO of the WPGA (and its forerunner, the ALPG), for nine years.
Lunn said the industry had seen how it needed to move forward with the publication late last year of the Australian Golf Strategy, a roadmap for the future compiled by the full golf industry.
“The work that we’ve done has shown us that there is a lot of work to be done,” she said. “We’re all very aware of that. But there are resources allocated to the areas that need to be focused on.”
The AGIC was formed in 2006 to help unite the golf industry in Australia, and includes representatives from the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association (ASTMA), Australian Sporting Goods Association (ASGA), Golf Australia, Golf Management Australia, PGA of Australia, WPGA and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects (SAGCA).
Australian Golf has welcomed the exciting news that golf will appear in a Commonwealth Games for the first time when the Games come to Victoria in 2026.
The sport appeared on the new competition list released today along with two other new sports – BMX and coastal rowing.
Golf made its reappearance at the 2016 Olympic Games after a gap of more than 100 years and was also part of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
But it has not been on a Commonwealth Games program before and Australian Golf has acknowledged the initiative of the Commonwealth Games Federation and the Victorian State Government in endorsing golf into the 2026 program.
The addition of golf has been driven by the International Golf Federation (IGF), which also runs the Olympic golf competition and the World Amateur Teams Championship, and the three peak bodies in Australian Golf – the PGA of Australia, the WPGA and Golf Australia.
To this point there is no announcement on the format of the competition. Given the vast array of quality golf courses across regional Victoria, the organisers will be spoilt for choice. Various regional golf facilities have expressed interest in hosting, noting that the 2026 Games are designated across regional hubs in Geelong, Ballarat, Gippsland and Bendigo.
James Sutherland, Golf Australia’s Chief Executive, said he was enthusiastic about the news that golf will be part of Commonwealth Games competition.
“This is a great win for golf,” said James Sutherland, Chief Executive of Golf Australia.
“This announcement validates golf’s increasing popularity and the enormous growth that the sport has enjoyed over the last three years. The golf industry has embarked on an aggressive growth strategy that involves bringing new people to the game. The Commonwealth Games in 2026 will provide a huge platform to further demonstrate golf’s appeal as a sport for all.
“Together with the PGA of Australia and WPGA Tour, Golf Australia looks forward to working with the IGF, CGF and State Government to deliver a wonderful spectacle and we encourage innovative thinking around a competition format that is inclusive of men and women, and attractive to golf fans new and old.”
Gavin Kirkman, Chief Executive of the PGA of Australia, said: “This is a terrific result for our sport. It’s going to provide playing opportunities for our young stars from around the Commonwealth.
“We absolutely love golf in the Olympic Games and we’re sure that the sport being in the Commonwealth Games will be important for golf going forward as well. It’s a big stage, the Commonwealth Games, and we’re privileged to be finally on it.”
Karen Lunn, Chief Executive of the WPGA Tour, said: “We’re really excited in particular to see some of our fantastic female players compete alongside the men on this stage. These are the kinds of platforms that we’re seeking to find for our sport and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to make it happen so quickly.”
The 2026 Commonwealth Games are to be held from March 17-29.
It is estimated the Games will contribute more than $3 billion to Victoria’s economy, creating more than 600 full-time equivalent jobs before the Games, 3900 jobs during the Games and a further 3000 jobs beyond the Closing Ceremony.
His bloodline is that of Parramatta royalty yet Alex Edge does not yet have a ticket to Sunday’s NRL Grand Final. If he’s being honest, Edge is not sure that he wants one.
The Assistant Professional at Castle Hill Country Club and competitor on the ISPS HANDA PGA Tour of Australasia has been burnt once before, in the stands as a 20-year-old with his father when the Eels went down to Melbourne in the 2009 decider.
They will be the underdogs again when they run out against the Penrith Panthers on Sunday evening seeking to end a 36-year premiership drought.
Edge’s uncle, Steve Edge, captained Parramatta to their very first premiership in 1981 and his father David also played for the club.
Although he was born in Penrith and worked in a golf shop frequented by Panthers players, Edge was only ever going to be a Parra fan.
“I was never a chance of following else,” he says emphatically.
“When I was a kid, Steve was still working for the club in Parra.
“Any time one of the corporate boxes wasn’t filled in the ‘90s and 2000s it seemed to be my mum, my dad, my brother and I sitting in a corporate box watching Parramatta.
“They were a good time back then that never quite got over the line and I got to meet them all and everything so it was pretty cool.”
Given his family history and 6’3” frame, Edge is asked of his rugby league background every time he tees it up in pro-ams across the country.
The career-ending injuries suffered by both his father and uncle and his mum’s insistence that he was “too little” to play footy helped to sway Alex towards golf at 12 years of age.
His grandparents on his mother’s side were both committee members at Springwood Country Club which is where he would first join as a cadet.
He has been told of his father pushing him around the golf course in a pro-am as a toddler and was hooked from the moment he started playing.
“Once I showed a bit of enthusiasm and ability at golf, my mum especially was pretty happy for me to stop playing footy,” adds Edge, whose best finish on the PGA Tour of Australasia last season was a tie for 21st at the NSW Open at Concord.
“Every pro-am I play – especially if we play in Queensland – every single time without question – and it happens in WA too because they call it rugby – everyone says, ‘Gee you must have played some footy.’
“The last time I scored a try was when I was 12 so a long time ago.
Inspired by the performances of close mate Daniel Gale and encouraged by the work he has done since joining the John Serhan coaching stable, Edge is hoping to make a strong early impression when the 2022/2023 season begins in Kalgoorlie in a fortnight.
But first, there’s a game to watch.
“Part of me has been pushing not too hard to try and get a ticket to save myself from the feeling in case it goes the wrong way,” concedes Edge, whose brother James is also a PGA Professional.
“I’m a massive Tiger Woods fan so when he won the ‘19 Masters, I feel like if they were to win it’s going to be a similar feeling.
“I’m more desperate for them to win the grand final but a close second is being desperate to go see them win it.”
From the dad who is hard to buy for, to the one who insists he doesn’t want a gift this year and even those who have seemingly already bought themselves everything they could possibly want, there is one sure-fire way to surprise your dad this Father’s Day.
…Spoil him with the gift of golf!
We’ve dropped some inspiration for you below to make it a special day for dad – whether he’s hooked and already got the golfing bug, is looking to reignite his passion for the game, or falls anywhere in-between; golf offers something for every dad!
1. Get kitted up and dress to impress
Drop in and visit your local pro-shop to find the perfect gift for dad. At golf Pro-shops around Australia, PGA Professionals are able to help you find dad the perfect gift! From new golf balls that suit his game, to the latest apparel to make sure he is playing in style or even a custom fit set of new clubs! PGA Professionals have the expertise and experience to find the best products to suit everyone’s game and should be your first port of call this Father’s Day!
2. Go play
We are blessed in Australia to have some of the best golf courses in the world on our doorstep. However, wherever and whenever you want to play, a round of golf is the perfect way to bond with your family. Check out a course near you and spend a day on the fairway with dad, he deserves it!
3. Elevate his game
Australia’s accredited experts in golf, PGA Professionals are here to help elevate everyone’s game. Get your dad a lesson this Father’s Day and give him the chance to work on his swing with expert guidance, so he can be in top form on the course! Lessons are available with your local PGA Professional. Visit Find a Pro to find a PGA Professional in your local area that specialises in coaching and book dad in for a lesson today.
4. Sit back, relax and enjoy
The 2022 Fortinet Australian PGA Championship will host a field of top Australasian talent when it returns from 24 – 27 November 2022. Always a major highlight of the Australian summer of golf, it is the perfect way to relax and spend time with dad at a major sporting event. Tickets on sale via Ticketek here and more information is available here.
Father’s Day is right around the corner, so make sure you’ve got dad a golfing gift in time for Sunday September 4!
The Scramble Championship Final will return to Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club on the Gold Coast for the 30th staging in December 2022.
In 2022, Mixed and Women’s teams from throughout Australia will again play for the privilege of spending four days at Sanctuary Cove where the 1993 and 1994 Championship Finals were both played.
With The Scramble season in full swing, 150 events are still to be held at golf clubs across the country through August and September with Regional Finals and Women’s State Finals to be held throughout October.
There they will vie for the chance to qualify for the Championship Final where they will play four rounds of golf at the acclaimed Palms Course at Sanctuary Cove and stay at the luxurious InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort.
The Championship Final will be held from December 5-8 in a return that is befitting in The Scramble’s 30th year.
“Sanctuary Cove hosted the Championship Final in the early years of The Scramble so it is fitting that we will return there in December for the 30th,” said Natalie McIlroy, General Manager of Tournament and Event Operations for the PGA of Australia.
“Qualifying for the Championship Final is really the major prize of The Scramble and I am sure the thousands of participants who take part between now and December will be very excited at the prospect of spending a few days at Sanctuary Cove.
“The final has been held on the Sunshine Coast at Twin Waters Golf Club and the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort in recent years and we would like to thank them for their wonderful hospitality over the years.
“We are thrilled to return to Sanctuary Cove which has such a strong connection to the history and early years of The Scramble to celebrate the 30th anniversary.”
One of the premier golf facilities in Australia with the Palms Course and private Pines Course along with world-class practice facilities, Sanctuary Cove continues to set the standard for excellence across all areas of its operation.
“Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club is excited to be hosting the 30th edition of The Scramble at The Palms golf course, continuing its long-standing relationship with the PGA,” said Paul Sanders, Executive General Manager of Sanctuary Cove Golf and Country Club.
“We look forward to welcoming the competitors and showcasing our facility in December.”
As part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ Luxury & Lifestyle collection, InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort is a much-loved icon in the local community and is built on the brand’s legacy of delivering world-class experiences for guests.
Signature restaurant, The Fireplace, offers wood-fire cuisine sourced from the finest local produce and boasts an award-winning wine-list.
“We are delighted to be supporting The Scramble Championship Final this year by hosting the competitors at our luxury resort,” said Dean Jones, Vice President Commercial, Japan, Australasia, Pacific (JAPAC), IHG Hotels & Resorts.
“We have a long history of supporting both grassroots and elite sports at IHG Hotels & Resorts, and as a Major Partner of the PGA of Australia, we look forward to welcoming the competitors to our perfect base at InterContinental Sanctuary Cove Resort with our access to championship golf courses, premium dining experiences and resort facilities – including the one-of-a-kind beach lagoon.”
The all-inclusive trip for qualifiers will include four rounds of golf in tournament conditions, event functions, accommodation and flights, all for the honour to be crowned the 30th Mixed champions and 17th Women’s Only champions.
Since 1997 an estimated six million swings have produced some 1.8 million birdies in more than 12,000 individual Scramble events, all with the primary purpose of securing a place at the coveted Championship Final.
“A trip to The Scramble Championship Final is unlike anything else in Australian golf,” said PGA of Australia Events Manager, Louise Meagher.
“Everyone who plays in The Scramble does so with the hope that they will get all the way to the Final.
“Knowing that this year’s Championship Final will be held at Sanctuary Cove will undoubtedly inspire more people to form teams and play The Scramble at their local golf club.”
Local qualifying events continue through until the end of September. To register a team for a Scramble in your area visit thescramble.com.au.
