Tee it up in a two-day, 36-hole Weekend Golf Adventure that is packed with fun. At the SGA Autumn Classic, you'll play some of Australia’s most scenic and enjoyable golf courses, enjoy a relaxing and fun vibe, and battle for individual and team honours.
ALL GOLFERS WELCOME.
Battle it out for Bushranger-style glory in a 4-person Team Ambrose Golf Event along The Murray River. One of SGA's longest-running Open events, the Kelly Gang Shootout features loads of golfing fun, camaraderie, adventure, glory, trophies & prizes, played in traditional Bushranger Country. Giddy-up!
For the second consecutive year, a sudden-death playoff provided an exciting finish to a massive week of golf and fun at the 2022 William Buckley Classic.
Played at the Moonah Links Resort on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, with a tournament record 42 players in the field, the 17th running of the WBC was contested under sunny and warm conditions - perfect for a golf weekend (and better than the rain-soaked east of the country!)
Day 1 ("The Ambush") saw our 21 teams of Bushrangers tee it up at the world-famous Open Course, designed by legendary Australian golfer Peter Thomson as a venue to host the Australian Open. Our two-person Ambrose teams (which were, as usual, all feeling a bit shaky following Friday evening's festivities in the Moonah Links Academy) battled the challenging course as they scrambled for a spot on the leaderboard. When the final putt was drained after day one, The Sullivan Bay Gingerbread Men (Richard Fellner and Wayne Ball) found themselves atop the leaderboard with a massive 42 points. But in one of the closest first-day leaderboards in event history, a massive 11 other teams were within 4 shots of the lead!
Day 2 ("The Assault") saw all 21 teams battling hard to reach the podium. Played on the more "lenient" Legends Course, our teams (which were now feeling the full effects of two full nights of the post-golf festivities) worked their way around the beautiful course. As always with our Majors, the tee sheets were a seeded draw, meaning that the last-placed teams teed off first, while the leaders teed off last.
When the final putts were holed, and the scorecards tallied (and re-tallied), the leaderboard was seriously jammed at the top -- with the top 10 teams all within 4 shots! It also became apparent that a sudden-death playoff would be required to determine the champions!
PLAYOFF!
The second-ever play-off in WBC history featured drama, action and good-natured fun. Two teams took the stage in Alternate-shot (Foursomes) action as the gallery watched on.
The two teams, The Point Addis Bashers (Ian Steer & Cam Thompson), along with The Cascades Gatekeepers (Michael O'Sullivan & Rob Fuleky - travelling all the way from Bright, Vic) teed off on the first hole of the Legends Course.
After a few nervy tee shots, fairway shots and approaches, both teams found themselves on the edge of the long par-5, with each shot piling the pressure on both the opposing team, but also each other's playing partner!
Showing true grit and determination, both chips/putts found the putting surface, though the Gatekeepers had a slight advantage, being within a few feet of the hole. After valiant efforts by both of the Bashers players fell just short of the hole, Rob Fuleky drained his putt to seal the victory for the Gatekeepers.
See below for Final team scores, video and photo gallery. (or click here to see detailed round-by round scores and stats on our Golf Genius Portal)
Thanks to all who played - it was an exciting and memorable weekend of fun! And thanks to our amazing partners/sponsors: Srixon-Cleveland, Garmin, Heathcote Winery, TCN Gift Cards and Drummond Golf.
(The 2023 William Buckley Classic is in the final planning stages, and will be available for booking soon!)
| POS | TEAM | TOTAL | R1 | R2 |
| T1 | The Cascades Gatekeepers | 80 | 41 | 39 |
| T1 | The Point Addis Bashers | 80 | 40 | 40 |
| T3 | The Murrangurk Masters | 79 | 35 | 44 |
| T3 | The Sullivan Bay Ginger Bread Men | 79 | 42 | 37 |
| T5 | The Point Lonsdale Cavemen | 78 | 39 | 39 |
| T5 | The Wallarranga Tribe | 78 | 39 | 39 |
| T5 | The Otway Rangers | 78 | 39 | 39 |
| 8 | The Port Jackson Labourers | 77 | 39 | 38 |
| T9 | The Bream Creek Freaks | 76 | 40 | 36 |
| T9 | The Barwon Heads Sir Robins | 76 | 38 | 38 |
| T11 | The Cheshire Militia Pivot men | 75 | 35 | 40 |
| T11 | The Pointless Impossibles | 75 | 37 | 38 |
| T13 | The Corio Bay Fugitives | 74 | 35 | 39 |
| T13 | The Mount Defiance Alliance | 74 | 39 | 35 |
| T15 | The Wild White Men | 73 | 33 | 40 |
| T15 | The Port Phillip Procrastinators | 73 | 39 | 34 |
| T15 | The Indented Heads | 73 | 41 | 32 |
| T18 | The Coonewarre Revivors | 72 | 35 | 37 |
| T18 | The Torquay Hookers | 72 | 37 | 35 |
| 20 | The Swan Island Hackers | 71 | 33 | 38 |
| 21 | The Aireys Inlet Slicers | 56 | 27 | 29 |
| TEAM NAME | TEAM MEMBERS | |
| The Swan Island Hackers | Rod Welsh | Steven Gracev |
| The Point Lonsdale Cavemen | Graham Sherlock | Shaun Condron |
| The Murrangurk Masters | Kirk Hayward | Travis Graham |
| The Aireys Inlet Slicers | Doug Henderson | Peter Dean |
| The Mount Defiance Alliance | Channa De Silva | Corey Hovenden |
| The Indented Heads | Marc Borgman | Jason Beach |
| The Coonewarre Revivors | Lino Polo | Nick Dunbar |
| The Torquay Hookers | Gavan Doran | Dean Connell |
| The Corio Bay Fugitives | Peter Calverley | Lisa Saunders |
| The Port Phillip Procrastinators | Shane Harwood | Bradley Henderson |
| The Otway Rangers | Gavin Tynan | Eanna O’Neill |
| The Pointless Impossibles | Fraser Gough | Tom Tomlin |
| The Barwon Heads Sir Robins | Jason Pratt | Joe Amenta |
| The Point Addis Bashers | Cameron Thompson | Ian Steer |
| The Wallarranga Tribe | Matty Thomas | Pete Jensen |
| The Sullivan Bay Ginger Bread Men | Graham Ball | Richard Fellner |
| The Cheshire Militia Pivot men | Thijs van Berkel | Michael Rohan |
| The Port Jackson Labourers | Jeremy O'Sullivan | Nathan O'Sullivan |
| The Bream Creek Freaks | Mick David | Matthew Pitt |
| The Cascades Gatekeepers | Michael O'Sullivan | Rob Fuleky |
| The Wild White Men | Steve Stoward | Terry Cooney |
A massive, unprecedented three-team sudden-death playoff provided a fitting end to a massive week of golf and fun at the 2021 William Buckley Classic.
Played at 13th Beach Golf Links on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula, the 16th running of the WBC was contested under mostly clear skies, with occasional bouts of the area's notorious "3-club" winds making an appearance on Saturday.
Day 1 ("The Ambush") saw our 16 teams of Bushrangers tee it up at the world-famous Beach Course, which has hosted the Victorian Open for many years. Our two-person Ambrose teams (which were all feeling a bit shaky following Friday evening's festivities) battled the wind as they scrambled for a spot on the leaderboard. When the final putt was drained after day one, three teams found themselves tied at the top on 40 points, with 5 other teams within reach.
Day 2 ("The Assault") proved a much calmer, but no less exciting, affair. Played on the Creek Course, our teams (which were now feeling the full effects of two full nights of the post-golf festivities) worked their way around the beautiful course. As always with our Majors, the tee sheets were a seeded draw, meaning that the last-placed teams teed off first, while the leaders teed off last.
As the final few teams were playing their 17th/18th holes, a quick check of the online leaderboard showed that this race was going to be close. When the final putts were holed, and the scorecards tallied (and re-tallied) it became apparent that an unprecedented sudden-death playoff would be required!
PLAYOFF!
The first-ever play-off in WBC history featured drama, action and good-natured fun. Three teams took the stage in Alternate-shot (Foursomes) action as the gallery watched on.
The first two teams, Jason Pratt & Joe Amenta (The Barwon Heads Sir Robins), along with Gavan Doran & Dean Connell (The Torquay Hookers) teed off on the first hole of the Creek Course. Meanwhile, a third team, Kirk Hayward and Travis Graham (The Point Addis Bashers) -- who had unknowingly (due to a scoring glitch) also qualified for the playoff -- had rushed back to their car to get their gear, shoes, etc.
A double-bogey 6 from the Torquay Hookers saw them eliminated by the Sir Robins' bogey-5. Meanwhile, a MASSIVE tee shot by Kirk Hayward set the Bashers up for success, followed by a stunning chip by Travis Graham to 6 inches to seal their birdie and the win!
See below for the video, plus team scores and photo gallery.
Thanks to all who played - it was an exciting and memorable weekend of fun!
(The 2022 William Buckley Classic is in the final planning stages, and will be available for booking soon!)
| Pos | Team | R1 | R2 | Total |
| 1 | The Point Addis Bashers | 39 | 43 | 82 |
| 2 | The Barwon Heads Sir Robbins | 40 | 42 | 82 |
| 3 | The Torquay Hookers | 40 | 42 | 82 |
| 4 | The Coonewarre Revivors | 39 | 39 | 78 |
| 5 | The Corio Bay Fugitives | 38 | 40 | 78 |
| 6 | The Sullivan Bay Ginger Bread Men | 32 | 45 | 77 |
| 7 | The Mount Defiance Alliance | 40 | 37 | 77 |
| 8 | The Swan Island Hackers | 34 | 41 | 75 |
| 9 | The Murrangurk Masters | 34 | 39 | 73 |
| 10 | The Aireys Inlet Slicers | 30 | 41 | 71 |
| 11 | The Pointless Impossibles | 33 | 38 | 71 |
| 12 | The Point Lonsdale Caveman | 36 | 35 | 71 |
| 13 | The Otway Rangers | 35 | 35 | 70 |
| 14 | The Port Phillip Procrastinators | 31 | 38 | 69 |
| 15 | The Bream Creek Freaks | 31 | 37 | 68 |
| 16 | The Indented Heads | 27 | 32 | 59 |
Long Drive: Saturday (Hole 14): Jason Pratt. Sunday: (Hole 10): Andrew Grant
NTP: Saturday (Hole 7): Andrew Grant. Sunday (Hole 6): Joe Amenta
|
The Murrangurk Masters Ian Steer Cameron Thompson |
||
|
Sullivan Bay Ginger Bread Men Graham Ball Mark McNamee |
The Corio Bay Fugitives Lisa Saunders Peter Calverley |
The Swan Island Hackers Aileen Armour Darren Hansen |
|
The Point Lonsdale Cavemen Andrew Grant Dennis Williams |
The Barwon Heads Sir Robins
Jason Pratt Joe Amenta |
The Bream Creek Freaks Ben Glass James Smith |
|
The Aireys Inlet Slicers Mark Henderson Aaron Henderson |
The Torquay Hookers
Dean Connell Gav Doran |
The Mount Defiance Alliance Mick David Matthew Pitt |
|
The Indented Heads Rob Darcangelo Andre Georgiou |
The Coonewarre Revivors
Leon Doyle Shane Lawlor |
The Point Addis Bashers Kirk Hayward Travis Graham |
|
The Port Phillip Procrastinators Jerry Nguyen Tan Nguyen |
The Otway Rangers
Jodene Tuau Yvonne Grant |
The Pointless Impossibles Dean Mitchell Lindsay Pyke |
Set on the stunning Bellarine Peninsula, 13th Beach Golf Links is the home of the Vic Open, and famously known for its two award-winning courses. With a modern Clubhouse and great facilities, whether you’re a golfer, or simply want to admire the views, visiting 13th Beach is a must.
The stylish One and Two-Bedroom apartments at Barwon Heads Resort rooms are equipped with dining tables which view either terraces or private balconies. Completely, fully self-contained suites feature a separate bedroom with ensuite, separate lounge & kitchenette with iron and tea & coffee making facilities, free wifi.
| Friday | December 3 | From 1:08pm | 1-Tee Start | (Optional Warm-up Game) | Lonsdale Links | |
| Saturday | December 4 | From 12:20pm | 1-tee | Round 1 | 13th Beach - Beach Course | 2-Person Ambrose |
| Sunday | December 5 | From 10:44am | 1-tee | Round 2 | 13th Beach - Creek Course | 2-Person Ambrose |
Battle for Bushranger Glory in the 2022 William Buckley Classic!
Play 36 holes of two-person Ambrose at the spectacular Moonah Links Resort on the Mornington Peninsula. Enjoy high-quality on-course accommodation and win great prizes.
Most importantly...have heaps of fun! ALL GOLFERS ARE WELCOME!
2022 is the 17th running of the William Buckley Classic, with the event returning to the magnificent Mornington Peninsula to play the courses near where the infamous convict, William Buckley, first escaped in 1803. Golfers will play on both the Moonah Open and Moonah Legends courses, and stay on course at the Moonah Links Golf Academy. The format for the weekend is an exciting 2-ball ambrose for stableford points.
Set on the stunning Mornington Peninsula, Moonah Links is famously known for its two award-winning courses, the Open course (designed to host the Australian Open) and the Legends Course (a more forgiving and friendly layout, with still a bit of bite). With a modern Clubhouse and great facilities, Moonah Links is a must-play facility.
The Moonah Links Golf Academy is an ideal set-up for a golfing weekend with mates. Featuring three separate buildings, the facility can accommodate groups both large and small, and even features use of private practice facilities, including pitching green and putting green. The Main House offers accommodation for up to 11 guests, and serves as the weekend's Focal Point of fun. Meals can be prepared and served from the fully-equipped kitchen, while the house also includes a pool table, BBQ, and flat screen TV with Foxtel. Meanwhile the academy also features two separate villas, each housing multiple bedrooms and a kitchenette, dining table, lounge and TV.
(Note: SGA have arranged a "Golf Only" option this year, giving golfers the opportunity to arrange their own accommodation. In addition, we have arranged a discount code with the Peppers Resort for golfers who wish to stay at the resort. Contact us for details)
| Friday | October 14 | 12:15pm | 1-Tee Start | (Optional Warm-up Game) | The Dunes | Stableford |
| Saturday | October 15 | 10:30am | 1-tee | Round 1 | Moonah Links Open | 2-Person Ambrose |
| Sunday | October 16 | 8:30am | 1-tee | Round 2 | Moonah Links Legends | 2-Person Ambrose |
While there is still uncertainty in the market, especially regarding the potential re-opening of borders and travel, etc, we would like to re-assure all of our golfers that we have coordinated with our event partners to arrange flexible refund policies. Thus, you can enter with confidence, knowing you can access FULL REFUNDS if required in the case of outside agencies forcing a cancellation or postponement.
Call or e-mail one of our team members or fill out the form below.
Battle for Bushranger Glory in the 2021 William Buckley Classic!
Play 36 holes of two-person Ambrose at the spectacular 13th Beach Golf Links. Enjoy high-quality on-course accommodation and win great prizes.
Most importantly...have heaps of fun!
Set on the stunning Bellarine Peninsula, 13th Beach Golf Links is the home of the Vic Open, and famously known for its two award-winning courses. With a modern Clubhouse and great facilities, whether you’re a golfer, or simply want to admire the views, visiting 13th Beach is a must.
The stylish One and Two-Bedroom apartments at Barwon Heads Resort rooms are equipped with dining tables which view either terraces or private balconies. Completely, fully self-contained suites feature a separate bedroom with ensuite, separate lounge & kitchenette with iron and tea & coffee making facilities, free wifi.
| Friday | December 3 | From 1:08pm | 1-Tee Start | (Optional Warm-up Game) | Lonsdale Links | |
| Saturday | December 4 | From 12:20pm | 1-tee | Round 1 | 13th Beach - Beach Course | 2-Person Ambrose |
| Sunday | December 5 | From 10:44am | 1-tee | Round 2 | 13th Beach - Creek Course | 2-Person Ambrose |
While there is still uncertainty in the market, especially regarding the potential re-opening of borders and travel, etc, we would like to re-assure all of our golfers that we have coordinated with our event partners to arrange flexible refund policies. Thus, you can enter with confidence, knowing you can access FULL REFUNDS if required in the case of outside agencies forcing a cancellation or postponement.
Call or e-mail one of our team members or fill out the form below.
