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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.
The PGA of Australia is thrilled to announce the extension and expansion of its corporate partnership with Liberty Specialty Markets.
In what will be the 15th year of the partnership between the PGA and Liberty Specialty Markets, Liberty will be elevated to a Major Partner of the PGA through a new multi-year partnership agreement, highlighted by their involvement in the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship in November.
Part of the US-based Liberty Mutual Insurance, Liberty Specialty Markets is a global commercial insurer relied on by Australian businesses, government and associations to underwrite more than 25,000 policies each year.
Liberty is a trusted partner of the PGA of Australia in the staging of major golf events, and there is no bigger event on the PGA calendar than the contesting of the Joe Kirkwood Cup at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship held at Royal Queensland Golf Club.
PGA of Australia Commercial Director Australasia, Michael McDonald, is thrilled to have Liberty Specialty Markets on board again in 2022.
“We are excited to have Liberty recommit in what is their 15th year of partnership with the PGA,” said McDonald.
“Liberty ran an exceptional customer hospitality program at the Fortinet Australian PGA Championship and we look forward to welcoming them back to Brisbane for this year’s tournament and beyond.”
Australia’s most influential golf business event, Golf Business Forum \ PGA Expo, has announced an exciting principal partnership with SHANX Mini Golf.
SHANX, who produce some of Australia’s best mini golf courses, has facilities at Regency Park Community Golf Course in Adelaide, Links Shell Cove on the New South Wales south coast and has just commenced construction of a new facility at Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club at Bribie Island in Queensland.
“We’re thrilled to welcome SHANX Mini Golf as Principal Partner of Golf Business Forum \ PGA Expo 2022,” said Gavin Kirkman, Chief Executive Officer of the PGA of Australia. “SHANX provides a great way for Australians to play golf, have fun, and get them involved in our great game. Also, it provides a great commercial proposition for golf facilities and clubs to encourage the broader community to be involved. ”
Golf Australia Chief Executive James Sutherland said: “It’s great news that the Golf Business Forum \ PGA Expo has partnered with SHANX, an organisation that is doing a wonderful job introducing people to golf and providing great entertainment and fun experiences for golfers young and old.
“SHANX continues to provide inclusive and fun experiences and it’s great to have them on board with us as we grow golf as a sport that offers something for everyone.”
SHANX Managing Director, Peter Vlahandreas, said: “We have long been advocates of innovation and change within the golf industry and now with SHANX Mini Golf we have an opportunity to deliver our messages and deliver that change. SHANX was born from a need to be different, do different and achieve new outcomes in our industry. The Golf Business Forum, when established, set out to do the same and now combined with the PGA Expo, in partnership we can truly deliver an innovative message and offer for the Australian golf business community.”
The event will attract more than 550 attendees from across the Australian golf industry and beyond, and will be held at CENTREPIECE at Melbourne Park from 12-13 October 2022.
Kirkman said: “So far, we’ve been delighted with the response to the commercial partner opportunities for Golf Business Forum \ PGA Expo 2022. In addition to SHANX, the six major partnerships have all now been confirmed — Mizuno, Acushnet (Titleist and FootJoy), American Golf Supplies (PING and Ecco Golf), Callaway, TaylorMade, and Srixon, along with a range of other category partnerships.
“There are still plenty of opportunities to join the industry, get involved, and partner with Australia’s most influential golf business event.’’
Learn more and download the partnership and exhibition prospectus via: https://www.golfbusinessforumpgaexpo.com/partnership
THE SHANX PARTNERSHIP 2022
A Q&A with SHANX Managing Director, Peter Vlahandreas
Interview by Martin Blake, Australian Golf Media Manager
1. How do you feel about this partnership, Peter? Do you think the Golf Business Forum \ PGA Expo is a good fit for what you are doing at SHANX Mini Golf?
SHANX was born from a need to be different, do different and achieve new outcomes in our industry. The Golf Business Form when established set out to do the same and now combined with the PGA Expo, in partnership we can truly deliver an innovative message and offer for our industry.
2. Has your organisation had this kind of involvement before with such a significant golf business event?
We have long been advocates of innovation and change within the golf industry and now with SHANX Mini Golf we have an opportunity to deliver our messages and deliver that change to the wider golf business community.
3. Tell us some more about SHANX Mini Golf? Where did it all start for you? How quickly is it growing?
SHANX Mini Golf was born from creating a need within the facilities that we manage at GreenSpace Management and providing golf facilities with a sustainable revenue stream whilst diversifying their demographic catchment.
We wanted golf to be more about fun than rules.
Our concept is unique to the Australian market whereby our mini golf courses are not ‘amusement based’ with clown heads, windmills and rocks in the middle of putting surfaces, but rather golf as we know it, miniaturised. A concept that caters for the pro golfer to the ‘never played before’ and everyone in between.
There is no mini golf product like SHANX in the Southern Hemisphere.
All work is undertaken in-house and we can provide clients with a turnkey service providing everything from feasibility, business modelling, design and construction through to operations and branding. That’s an appealing offer for facilities to be guided from day one on how to best optimise their investment.
4. It feels like with the new Australian Golf Strategy emphasising the need for the industry to connect with all forms of golf, that this is a perfect fit for 2022? Do you agree?
Absolutely! All golf is golf!
5. What is your feeling about where golf in Australia is at, particularly at the grassroots level where you operate? We all know that the pandemic has led to a boom in participation … have you seen that in your space and do you see it continuing?
Golf is in a renaissance – there is a lot of great things coming out of our industry right now. SHANX is one of many innovative new forms of golf within traditional golf-focused facilities; public access and private.
Entertainment based golf will continue to grow; and grow fast.
Its reach is well beyond the traditional golfer market and that for us is exciting – we’re tapping into the family entertainment market, young adults and every other cohort you can imagine. When the rules are broken, the barriers are lifted and the focus is on fun… we reach a broader audience and that’s exactly what our industry needs to do in order to continue its growth trajectory.
6. What should golf be doing to capitalise on the gains of the past couple of years?
Keep looking forward, evolve and adapt to a changing market.
The importance of using additional funds over the past few years to future-proof operations with diversified revenue streams has never been more important. Facilities need another motor beyond green fees and membership to drive their strategic outcomes.
7. Overall, do you have any thoughts about how golf can grow and move forward in this country, areas of concern and improvements that can be made?
SHANX was formed on the basis to provide a golf amenity that is fun, family focused and entertainment based. There should be more of this. All golf is golf, and the more we can complement existing facilities with these kinds of amenities the more sustainable that facility, and ultimately our industry will be.
It was instigated out of necessity yet the water management plan implemented in 2017 has earned Oaks Cypress Lakes Golf and Country Club one of the major gongs at the Sports Environment Alliance #SEAChanger Awards at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The Sports Environment Alliance – of which Golf Australia is a member – is established to be a charity with a purpose of protecting and enhancing the natural environment of Australasia by promoting sustainability, sustainable development, regeneration and use of resources.
As the Australian Grand Prix Corporation took out the #SEAMember category, Cypress Lakes was the recipient in the non-SEA member category for the innovative and sustainable solutions for golf course maintenance systems.
Under the guidance of Course Superintendent Craig Molloy, Cypress Lakes harnesses 200,000 litres of effluent water from the resort on-site each night – enough to water all 18 greens – have cut their consumption of potable water by 18 per cent across the property and the Elysia Wellness Retreat educates guests on organic and sustainable gardening.
Molloy received the Australian Sports Turf Managers Association Excellence in Golf Course Management award in 2021 and took great pride in Cypress Lakes being recognised amongst a wide range of sporting organisations and facilities.
“It was nice to be recognised by an industry outside of golf for the work that we are doing,” Molloy said following the success of the recent TPS Hunter Valley tournament at Cypress Lakes.
“We’re enhancing and improving the environment. The award is a great recognition of that.”
A member of the turf industry for 26 years, when Molloy arrived at Cypress Lakes in 2013 he was immediately faced by a crisis of water, the only solution to purchase 120 million litres at a cost of $76,000.
In 2016 the bunkers on the golf course were redone so that up to 5mm of rainfall would generate 12 million litres of water to feed into the irrigation storage that boasts a total capacity of 180 million litres.
But it was the ability to use treated effluent water from the resort and transfer it to the golf course that provided a water source that would otherwise simply be flushed down the drain.
“It was the first site I had worked on with effluent water and in 2013 when I started here water was an issue,” Molloy explains.
“We just had to come up with something. In 2013 it was so dry here. It wasn’t drought conditions but it was really hot and we just didn’t have enough water to be able to produce decent surfaces.
“Without water we didn’t have a golf course and we weren’t able to succeed.
“To improve the property we had to be able to manage our water better.
“The last two years we haven’t had to use any of the water that we buy in. Not one drop. We’ve been self-reliant in our own practices.”
The resort is now beginning to see the financial rewards that come from a sustainable management plan and have set their sights on positively impacting the environment that they nurture even further.
“Now we’re starting to see some financial benefits of what we’re doing and it’s about trying to be as carbon neutral as possible,” Molloy said.
“That will be the next step, to reduce our carbon footprint even further.”
A tournament-best final round of 20-under par nett 52 has catapulted Bankstown Golf Club to victory in the Mixed competition as Rossdale Golf Club won the Women’s section at The Scramble Championship Final at Twin Waters Golf Club.
Tied with the team from Armidale Golf Club entering Monday’s final round, PGA Professional Lee Hunt and the Bankstown boys bolted clear by going five-under on their first four holes, adding three more nett eagles to win by 2.3 shots.
Tyron-Jaye King led Mount Coolum Golf Club to second position with a final round of 53.1 nett, matching Bankstown’s gross score of 10-under 62 to edge Armidale by just 0.2 shots.
With legendary Australian comedian Tahir Bilgic part of the team, fun was always going to be part of Bankstown’s week on the Sunshine Coast and it proved to be a winning recipe.
“The boys had the mantra to have a good time and to keep smiling and it’s been great,” said Hunt.
“I couldn’t think of a better bunch of fellas to come and play golf with. Lots of laughs, lots of cheering… It wouldn’t matter if we came last.
“I’ve had a great week, it’s been fantastic and something that we’ll remember for a long time.”
The pressure on Shane Butler and the Rossdale team was evident early on the final day of the Women’s Championship Final.
Rossdale were 7.8 shots clear at the start of play but were just two-under through seven holes as Blackwood and The Vines both ate into their advantage.
Birdies at eight, 10 and 11 were crucial in restoring some confidence and a nett eagle at 13 providing the buffer Butler, Anne Towns, Barbara O’Connor, Gaye Sinclair and Anne Cash needed to win by 3.3 strokes.
(11.1)
“It’s a relief,” said Butler. “We knew we had a decent lead coming into the final round but I said to the ladies when we were out for dinner that it was business as usual. Go out and try and play as well as we can.
“We came out a little bit slow but by the seventh or eighth hole we started to get into a bit of a groove and then the back nine we came good.”
Monday’s final round completed one of the largest Scramble seasons in the event’s history and clubs are already preparing for the 2022/2023 season.
For information on how your club can host a qualifying round of The Scramble visit www.thescramble.com.au.
Armidale and Bankstown golf clubs will start the final round of The Scramble Championship Final tied at the top as Rossdale Golf Club enjoys a handy buffer in the Women’s section at Twin Waters Golf Club.
With PGA Professional Lee Hunt at the helm Bankstown recorded their second straight score of net 55 to be 34-under through two rounds, Armidale’s team led by Andrew Campbell posting the best score of day two (52.5) to match Bankstown’s 36-hole total.
Adopt-A-Pro Shane Butler and the team from Rossdale are 7.8 shots clear of The Vines Golf Club on the back of their net score of 53.9 in the second round, seven shots better than their day one total.
Although legendary comedian Tahir Bilgic joked that their lofty position was purely the result of Hunt’s play, Bankstown’s resident professional was adamant that it was a team effort.
“We’re a team. We’re all pitching in, we’re all getting our drives away,” Hunt insisted.
“There hasn’t been too much stress as yet – I’m waiting for that to come – but we’re looking to hole a few more putts tomorrow.
“A couple of par 5s early in the round, we’ve got some big hitters in the group so hopefully we can get off to a good start because the back nine’s a little tougher we’ve found.”
Armidale are also hoping to get off to a flyer on the front nine.
An eagle at the par-5 18th for the second day in a row gave Armidale the momentum they needed to charge up the leaderboard on Sunday and Campbell wants to see a fast start in Monday’s final round.
“It was a team effort today,” said Campbell. “Andrew (Williams) with the flatstick was amazing and we all hit good shots when we needed to. Lots of good drives put us in position to make some birdies.
“On 18 Andrew holed an eagle putt yesterday and today he hit driver off the deck from about 240 to the back of the green and sunk a 40-footer so that really kick-started our round going into the front nine.
“We knew the front nine was to our advantage so held on the back nine and really turned it on coming home.
“That will be the key for us tomorrow. If we can finish that back nine well we’ll be in the hunt.”
It will take something special to deny Rossdale in the Women’s Championship Final.
The leaders on day one extended their advantage heading into the final round, Butler praising the work of the team of Anne Towns, Barbara O’Connor, Gaye Sinclair and Anne Cash.
“I can’t praise them enough,” Butler said.
“They have said many times that it comes down to what I do but very rarely am I putting. The ladies are very much pulling their weight. When I’ve let a little bit slip their short games have been great.
“The putts we missed yesterday went in today. We were five-under through our first five holes. We got going early and it was pretty steady through the day.”
The Scramble Championship Final will conclude on Monday with the first groups to tee off at 10.40am AEST.
Less than two shots separate the first five teams in the Mixed section as Rossdale Golf Club edged ahead in the Women’s section of The Scramble Championship Final at Twin Waters Golf Club on Friday.
With Tasmanian Coach of the Year and experienced Tour player Scott Laycock at the helm, Kingston Beach Golf Club lead the Mixed final by 0.9 of a shot from Bankstown Golf Club with Sandy Gallop Golf Club a further 0.5 back in outright third position.
Kingston Beach’s nett score of 54.1 on the par-72 layout provides a handy buffer heading into the second round with Laycock pleased with the contribution of all members of his team.
“Everyone pitched in, combined a little bit and holed a couple of putts. Hit their drives when we needed them to and did really well,” Laycock said.
“We birdied four of the first five, had a couple of pars on some of the more challenging holes and then made birdie on 17 from off the green which was a bonus.”
Led by Professional Lee Hunt, Bankstown’s nett score of 17-under 55 puts them a half-shot ahead of Sandy Gallop (55.5) followed closely by Clare Golf Club (55.8) and Gladstone Golf Club (56).
Little more than five shots separates all six of the teams in the Women’s Final with Rossdale’s nett score of 60.9 giving them just 0.6 of a shot lead from Prospect Vale Golf Club (61.5) with The Vines Golf Club (61.8) and Wynnum Golf Club (62.2) also within reach.
PGA Professional Shane Butler was assigned to the Rossdale team as part of the Adopt-A-Pro program prior to the Regional Final and has set his sights on taking his team all the way to Championship glory.
“I was given the chance to be the Adopt-A-Pro at the Regional Final and we got through there and was able to come up with the ladies this weekend,” Butler said.
“I’m going to enjoy every minute of it and hopefully give them a good experience.
“We came out a little bit slow but we made a couple of putts early which was nice.
“We did give one back early which was a bit of a downer on my part because I missed the putt and thought it should have been me that made it but the girls rallied and played some amazing shots.”
Mixed Championship Final Scores: https://bit.ly/3I5pOUn
Women’s Championship Final Scores: https://bit.ly/3t34dro
Decorated PGA Professionals and the grandson of an Open champion will lead 29 teams of amateurs at The Scramble Championship Final at Twin Waters Golf Club on the Sunshine Coast, the Scramble’s official holiday destination, from this Friday.
On the back of the golfing boom, The Scramble boasted one of its largest seasons in recent times.
A total of 32,364 participants teed it up in 372 local and 28 regional qualifying events throughout Australia, all for the chance to be one of the 116 amateurs who will represent their respective golf clubs at the Championship Final.
The Mixed and Women’s competitions will be conducted over three rounds at Twin Waters Golf Club with the finalists to also enjoy the off-course hospitality that The Scramble has become famous for.
There are 23 teams competing in the Mixed event including Campbelltown Golf Club, who won the fast-track competition with Head Professional Scott Martyn to bypass the Regional Final and book their place at Twin Waters.
There are six Women’s teams taking part with Blackwood Golf Club in Adelaide to be represented in both divisions and led by PGA Professionals Matthew Dent and Chris West.
The grandson of 1960 Open champion Kel Nagle, Jake Nagle represented Australia at the 2015 International Challenge and is back at The Scramble Final with his team from Queanbeyan Golf Club in the ACT.
Other teams expected to feature in the Mixed competition is the Shelly Beach Golf Club led by Leigh McKechnie, Lisa Jean and her team from Deniliquin Golf Club and 2018 PGA Professionals Championship winner Scott Laycock and the team from Kingston Beach Golf Club.
Joining Blackwood in the Women’s competition are Prospect Vale Golf Club, Gosford Golf Club, Rossdale Golf Club, The Vines Golf Club and Wynnum Golf Club.
To follow the daily score updates or express your interest in playing in the next edition of The Scramble visit thescramble.com.au.
2020/2021 The Scramble Championship Final teams
Mixed
Queanbeyan Golf Club (Jake Nagle)
Armidale Golf Club (Andrew Campbell)
Bankstown Golf Club (Lee Hunt)
Campbelltown Golf Club (Scott Martyn)
Shelly Beach Golf Club (Leigh McKechnie)
The Links Shell Cove (Robby Stephenson)
Wellington Golf Club (Jake O’Brien)
Worrigee Links Golf Club (Paul Maiolo)
Capel Golf Club (Braden Becker)
Ballina Golf Club (Brenton Parrish)
Gladstone Golf Club (Jamie Bashforth)
Mt Coolum Golf Club (Tyron-Jaye King)
Sandy Gallop Golf Club (Alan Staines)
Tropics Golf Club (Tara Jenkins)
Blackwood Golf Club (Matthew Dent)
Clare Golf Club (Cody Sherratt)
Kingston Beach Golf Club (Scott Laycock)
Perth Golf Network (Jarred McCosh)
Cobram Barooga Golf Club (Michael Macgregor)
Deniliquin Golf Club (Lisa Jean)
Eynesbury Golf Club (Lachlan Aylen)
Waterford Valley Golf Club (Carl Smedley)
The Springs Golf Club (TBC)
Women’s
Rossdale Golf Club (Shane Butler)
Prospect Vale Golf Club (Bryce Gorham)
Gosford Golf Club (Kieran Moran)
Blackwood Golf Club (Chris West)
Wynnum Golf Club (Patrick Hatton)
The Vines Golf Club (Darren Garrett)
In the time since the Australian Mini Golf Open was last played in 2019, mini golf has become a very big deal.
Holey Moley was a ratings’ smash for Channel Seven, city entertainment venues are incorporating it into their offering and new courses have popped up across the country, providing traditional golf clubs with a revenue stream that has transformed some frivolous family fun into a major money maker.
To kick off The Murray River Festival of Golf that culminates with the TPS Murray River tournament in honour of Jarrod Lyle next week, the 2022 Australian Mini Golf Open will take place this weekend at Cobram-Barooga Golf Club’s nine-hole course, one of many designed by Mini Golf Creations as mini golf’s popularity has exploded.
There is $10,000 in prize money on the line across three divisions, the winner the player with the fewest strokes over the six rounds to be played across the two days of competition.
Those expected to feature in the final groups on Sunday have spent the past few days in Barooga mapping their paths to the all-important aces that are commonplace in this form of the game and which prove the difference in the final standings.
‘Putter King’ Allan Cox doesn’t expect to see the perfect round played this weekend – 18 hole-in-ones has only been achieved by four players in the history of mini golf worldwide – but recognises that this year’s championship is a big opportunity in more ways than one.
“Everyone that you talk to now wants to play mini golf,” says Cox, the world-record holder for most hole-in-ones in a 24-hour period (1,516).
“Holey Moley made its way into everyone’s lounge room and the winner of Holey Moley picks up $100,000 so the reward is there.
“There’s a pro mini golf tour in New Zealand, there’s two pro mini golf tours in America, there’s the World Minigolf Federation that has world championships all around the world and there’s the World Crazy Golf Championships in the UK.
“Competition mini golf is available to everyone pretty much all around the world now and it’s booming.”
An industrial chemist by day, Cox has spent more than 30 years playing professional mini golf tournaments all around the world.
He is accustomed to the querying glances when his side hustle becomes a topic of conversation yet it only takes the mention of prize money to pique the interest of those who scoff.
“When they realise there’s a $10,000 prize pool for mini golf, that opens a few eyes,” says Cox, who has raised thousands of dollars for charity through his YouTube channel PuttPuttdownunder, which boasts more than 6 million views to date.
“This is not just hitting brightly coloured balls with the family stuff, it’s $4,500 for the winner.
“How often do you get to play a couple of rounds of mini golf and someone hands you a cheque for $4,500?”
A field of 50 is expected when play commences on Saturday morning and the notion of a bit of fun becomes serious competition.
Nathan ‘Lumpy’ Lamplough is a second-generation mini golf champion and five-time former winner, Josh ‘Putting Wonder from Down Under’ Mars is a prolific winner from Queensland and the likes of Mick Collins, Scott Clancy and Craig Cameron are all genuine contenders (pictured above with Allan Cox).
The competition mini golf community is a small yet tight-knit one but Cox is hoping that events such as this weekend at Sporties Barooga will pave the way for an expanded Australian mini golf tour in future.
“I am a hand-up, self-confessed mini golf tragic,” says Cox.
“I just love trying to spread the word and hopefully with all of these wonderful new courses that are being built we can get more competition mini golf happening.
“There’s a big $10,000 Blitz Golf tournament happening at Shanx Regency Park in Adelaide at Easter there that we’re very interested in getting down and playing and hopefully we’ll see more of those popping up.
“We’ve been chugging along with sort of small numbers for 30-odd years so it would be nice to get a few more involved and find out the fun and challenges of competition mini golf.”
