Mount Defiance Alliance capture 2024 William Buckley Classic

The Mount Defiance Alliance defy all to capture 2024 William Buckley Classic

 The 2024 William Buckley Classic saw golfers from across the country descend upon the magnificent Moonah Links Resort for the 19th running of this event.

Under warm and mostly sunny skies all weekend, with a bit of wind in round 2, the Moonah Open and Legends courses presented our players with a challenging and thoroughly enjoyable weekend.

For the second time in 2 years, a pair of newcomers to SGA battled harder than the rest (both on the course, and in the post-round festivities) as they stormed home to a two-point victory, taking home the mighty Murrangurk Trophy.

Congratulations to The Mount Defiance Alliance (Michael Holt and Simon Alston), who fired back-to-back rounds of 44 stableford points to finish on 88, pipping The Point Addis Bashers (Ian Steer and Cam Thompson) who came agonisingly close with rounds of 44-43.  One putt...one chip...one lip-out over the weekend could have made the difference.

In third were The Sullivan Bay Gingerbread Men (Richard Fellner and Cameron Dunn) who sprinted to the line, but came up just short, with rounds of 41-44, for a total of 85.

The full leaderboard can be seen below (or click here for the interactive leaderboard on Golf Genius).

2024 WBC Leaderboard

Screenshot 2024-10-14 162156

2024 WBC Teams

Screenshot 2024-10-12 201209

2024 WILLIAM BUCKLEY CLASSIC PHOTO GALLERY

Click here to see the Shared Lightroom Folder

(Click Photo to see the event program)

Thanks to all of our amazing players for joining us on an epic weekend. You were all top-notch! We couldn't have a great weekend like this without you!

Thanks also to the entire team at Moonah Links for hosting us on your wonderful course. Thanks to our sponsors Srixon Australia & New Zealand, Heathcote Winery, MGI, Garmin Australia, Drummond Golf and TCN.

Overall, it was a remarkable weekend of fun and frivolity. We hope to see you all next year!

About The William Buckley Classic

A long-cherished annual event in our popular Bushranger Golf series, The William Buckley Classic is always a HUGE amount of fun. Played on some spectacular Victorian golf courses, this two-person team event is played over 36 holes of Ambrose, and features our unique blend of fun, frivolity and excitement! Golfers enjoy a personally-hosted and professionally-managed competition, on-course accommodation for two nights, Plus, all the usual fun, frivolity and excitement of an amazing golf weekend!

To see upcoming (and past) William Buckley Classic events, click here

2024 Foodbank Charity Golf Day a massive hit at Kingston Heath

2024 SGA Foodbank Charity Golf Day a massive hit at Kingston Heath

An absolute stunner of a day on Tuesday, Oct 1 for Victorian SGA golfers at the magnificent Kingston Heath Golf Club for our massive SGA Foodbank Charity Golf Day. A packed field of 118 golfers (including many first-time SGA players) enjoyed one of Australia’s best golf courses (and host venue of this year’s Australian Open). Players were greeted by mostly sunny skies, gentle breezes, pre-and post-round food, and the chance to win over $5000 in prizes during the day. Everyone had a blast as they teed-off for a great cause.
Of course, the BIG winners of the day were the thousands of Aussie families who receive support from Foodbank Victoria. With over $7,000 in donations generated from the golf day, including $3640 in player raffle proceeds and donations of $1500 from Kingston Heath, and $2000 from Social Golf Australia, Foodbank Victoria can create over 14,000 meals to help these families out! A massive achievement by all involved. THANK YOU!

FINAL SCORES

A Grade
Pos / Player / Stableford Points
1 Daniel Bettess 36p.
2 Mark Wohlers 35p.
3 Graham Jephcott 34p.

B Grade
Pos / Player / Stableford Points
1 James Haskis 40p.
2 James McErvale 37p.
3 Freddie Leighton 34p.

C Grade
Pos / Player / Stableford Points
1 Geoff Hamill 36p.
2 Bill Anastasopoulos (and best SGA Tour result) 36p.
3 Matt Van Lith 35p.

Final Leaderboard here:
Novelties
NTP: Gus Geuna, Cam Thomson and Mark Wohlers. Drive n Chip: Brad Green.

Foodbank Charity Golf Day RAFFLE DRAW

Congratulations to the following winners of the charity raffle, which raised over $4000 for Foodbank.

1st: AI GPS+ Electric buggy from MGI, the leader in Electric Buggies. (RRP $2799)
WINNER: Jake Vella

2nd: 10-pc Set of Cleveland Golf Clubs (RRP: $1249).
WINNER: Rob Mathieson

3rd: A Srixon z28 Laser Rangefinder. (RRP: $1049).
WINNER: Paul Curtis

SPECIAL THANKS

A special thanks to all of our amazing sponsors on the day, including Srixon Australia, MGI Golf, Garmin Australia, Drummond Golf, Heathcote Winery, and The Card Network. Without their tremendous support, this day would not have been possible.

Also, a very sincere thanks to Andrew Taylor and the staff and members of Kingston Heath GC for hosting us on their world-class golf course. The course was in amazing condition, and proved to be a treat for all of us to play.

Finally, SGA would like to send a hearty "THANKS" to all the players on the day. We hope to see you at a future SGA event!

There's still time to donate!

For every $1 Foodbank Victoria receive, they’re able to provide 2 meals for someone in need. Every dollar donated is two meals created. It’s that simple. 

A FINAL WORD: “RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS”

"In the past few years we have all lived through some difficult times - from Covid, to lockdowns to cost of living increases. It has belted some folks and left others untouched. I am sure everyone knows somebody who has been severely affected.

For those who’ve had a significant drop in income, the simple act of putting food on the table for the family has become a challenge.

My wife and SGA founder Sally Pitt set some simple values for our family that we have adopted for our golfing community as SGA – Be Brave, Be Honest and Be Kind. I think the people involved in Foodbank operate in a similar way.

Random Acts of Kindness have become something that we aspire to in our family. It helps others but it also helps ourselves - it is a joyful thing to do that can inspire purpose, fun and happiness in yourself and in others.

This golf event and this initiative to support Foodbank helping families reflects our aspiration to kindness and our appreciation of people and organizations like Foodbank who do great work in our community to help others.

We are sincerely grateful to you all for contributing to this day and helping support Foodbank to get some meals to families who are doing it tough right now. We hope you had an enjoyable day and we hope you continue to look out for opportunities to make a difference by helping others with an act of kindness when you can."  -- MATTHEW PITT. SGA Founder

2024 SGA Foodbank Charity Day Sponsors & Partners

Hainan Island a tropical treat for 2024 Mission Hills Masters

Hainan Island a tropical treat for 2024 Mission Hills Masters

The 2024 Mission Hills Masters - Hainan Island, the inaugural China event co-hosted by SGA and AYM Golf Tours, proved to be (in the words of a few guests) one of our "best-ever events". Featuring a week of island fun (followed by an optional 3-day extension for even MORE golf), the event had it all: World-class golf, 5-star service, a lush & tropical setting and stunning scenery.

Sunday - 2024 Mission Hills Masters Welcome Dinner

A total of 57 players and their guests & partners were welcomed to the Mission Hills Masters at a sumptuous Welcome Dinner Buffet. They met their fellow players, enjoyed a few beverages and received their souvenir Tournament Polos, caps, bag tags and more.

Monday - R1 - Sandbelt Trails

Day 1 of the Mission Hills Masters proved to be a cracker! Playing the Sandbelt Trails course (modeled after Melbourne's famed golf region), our golfers were treated to an impeccably-presented golf course, knowledgeable (and friendly) caddies, and 5-star treatment all around. Despite some high temps and humidity, our players had an absolute blast.

Tuesday - R2 - Lava Fields

Another stellar day, hosted at the gorgeous Lava Fields course. What a course! The lava rocks (everywhere) provided not only a great setting, but also some unexpected bounces. And the immaculate greens and fairways were a joy! In the event, a few players began jockeying for position, with Drew Hallam leaping to the top of A Grade (38-38), Ian Jolliffe leading B Grade (37-37), and Carl Rutledge atop C Grade (24-34).

Wednesday - Rest Day

Wednesday was a well-earned rest day. While some golfers chose to play another round of optional golf on one of the many stunning par-3 courses at Mission Hills, many other golfers took the day to explore the Mission Hills Resort's shops, indulge in the free Spa (including 68 Volcanic Pools) or just chill by the sparkling pool.  Still others took the free shuttle to the city of Haikou (to explore shopping, the Zoo, and authentic Hainan Cuisine) or a quick trip to the shops and attractions at Mission Hills Centerville.

Thursday - R3 - The Vintage + The China & Australia Friendship Cup

Round 3 marked the inaugural China & Australia Friendship Cup. Held at the The Vintage Course, over 100 Australian and Chinese Golfers enjoyed a day of fun, friendship and camaraderie. This was a landmark occasion for all involved, with the language of golf transcending all barriers. Many long-lasting friendships were made.

Following the round, the golfers from both countries enjoyed a lunch together, and an awards ceremony, while they discussed their great (and not-so-great) shots on the course.

Friday - R4 - Blackstone & Farewell Dinner

The Blackstone Course provided a magnificent finale for our event, with lovely views and a stunning course & layout.  The previous host of many top-end Asian events (including The Match at Mission Hills, featuring Tiger Woods v Rory McIlroy), the Blackstone course was
In the week-long Aggregate Stableford event, there were some solid performances throughout. Congratulations to Drew Hallam, who led from wire to wire, blitzing the field to take A Grade honours with 146 points. Next best were Shane Hazell on 132, and Geoff Steer on 131.
In B Grade, it was Ian Jolliffe taking the bikkies with 143, over Arvin Kumar on 128 and Mark Stephenson on 124.
In C Grade, it was Mark Rice on top with 122, followed by Ian Steer and Carl Rutledge, both on 113.
Final leaderboard here (or see scoreboard below):

Extension - The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula

On Saturday, a large group of our players hopped on a luxury coach for a 2.5 hour transfer to The Sheraton Hotel, and The Dunes at Shenzhou Peninsula. Over the following three days, the players played the #1-rated club in China (Composite Course), and the #3 in Asia. The two 18-hole seaside courses (East & West) proved to be a bucket list treat for all, and were a highlight of the trip for all who played.

Final Scores - 2024 Mission Hills Masters

A Grade Flight

Pos. Player Total
Points
R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Drew Hallam 146 38 38 35 35
2 Matthew Pitt 134 31 29 40 34
3 Paul White 134 30 31 42 31
4 Shane Hazell 132 30 31 37 34
5 Geoffrey Steer 131 34 33 37 27
6 David Warwick 126 32 32 33 29
7 Nick Sutherland 125 33 29 35 28
8 Elliot Cayton 124 30 36 26 32
9 Andrew Grant 124 32 32 37 23
10 Matty Thomas 122 32 25 30 35
11 Dennis Williams 121 28 35 30 28
12 Stephen Te Whare 113 26 35 29 23
13 Robert Garioch 110 33 24 28 25
14 Ryan Hassan 109 25 32 30 22
15 Richard Fellner 107 26 25 29 27
16 Tom Tomlin 104 28 26 25 25
17 Lisa Garioch 104 28 22 30 24
18 David Morriss 97 27 23 27 20
19 Jerry Florindo 93 21 22 29 21

B Grade Flight

Pos. Player Total
Points
R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Ian Jolliffe 143 37 37 33 36
2 Arvin Kumar 128 31 30 39 28
3 Mark Stephenson 124 28 28 34 34
4 Greg Dalton 120 32 23 36 29
5 Tim Hibbard 117 33 27 31 26
6 Joel Matthews 115 27 29 34 25
7 Mick David 113 27 22 35 29
8 Rod Tozer 112 31 23 26 32
9 Lee Daly 109 22 25 35 27
10 Neville Hughes 107 28 27 32 20
11 Dennis Lanigan 103 27 25 28 23
12 Cameron Thompson 102 23 31 24 24
13 Chris Hallam 100 22 28 22 28
14 Gary Moller 98 16 22 31 29
15 Peter Calverley 97 29 25 25 18
16 Olga Tozer 83 26 19 17 21
17 Pete Jensen 83 25 18 22 18
18 Jodene Tuau 77 19 17 24 17

C Grade Flight

Pos. Player Total
Points
R1 R2 R3 R4
1 Mark Rice 122 28 27 38 29
2 Ian Steer 113 30 26 29 28
3 Carl Rutledge 113 24 34 32 23
4 Jade Lowe 111 25 25 29 32
5 Patrick Bond 110 30 25 28 27
6 Ivan Jones 106 29 27 25 25
7 Kathy Ridley 100 29 20 29 22
8 Frank Elisaia 100 23 29 29 19
9 Andrew Sharp 95 23 27 26 19
10 Bill Anastasopoulos 92 20 20 29 23
11 John Waltis 88 31 17 19 21
12 David Loveridge 85 24 17 24 20
13 Kina Hazell 84 23 10 25 26
14 Travis Hicks 84 23 20 22 19
15 Rita Petrovs 76 26 9 25 16
16 Sue Hughes 72 25 16 10 21
17 Marcella Broz 67 22 15 14 16
18 Sheri Yu 47 24 0 23 0
19 Yvonne Grant 45 22 10 6 7

Thanks

Thanks to all of our "Foundation Players" for making this event a huge success! If you had a blast, tell your friends! (And get them on board for March next year!)
Thanks to May and the entire team at Mission Hills for hosting us. Thanks to Sheri at AYM Golf Tours for making it all possible. Thanks to Hainan Airlines Global for their partnership. And thanks to our sponsors Srixon Australia & New Zealand, Garmin Australia, Drummond Golf, MGI Golf, Heathcote Winery, and Card.Gift.

Tassie shines for 2024 SGA Tasman Classic

Tassie Shines for 2024 SGA Tasman Classic

Our 2024 SGA Tasman Classic was, in a word, sensational. The course, staff, weather (and players!) were all top notch. With plenty of sunshine and little-to-no wind, it was a perfect golf weekend.

Friday - R1 - Bougle Run

A spectacular day in Tassie for the first day of our 2024 SGA Tasman Classic. A booked-out field of golfers from across Australia descended upon Barnbougle for R1 of the event, which teed off at the 14-hole short course, Bougle Run. And though it is a short course, it was anything but easy, with tricky approaches, sloped greens and elevation changes. But it was most definitely a LOT of a fun.

Saturday - R2 - Barnbougle Dunes

Simply amazing weather on the Saturday, on a world-class course, for Round 2 of the 2024 SGA Tasman Classic. The day was a corker at Barnbougle Dunes, and the players were smiling ear to ear (despite a few lost balls, a thieving crow, and some tricky lies!).