Golf Australia has launched its 2008 National Schedule, confirming their ongoing commitment to develop and promote the game at an elite level. The focus continues on uniting male and female golfers at major National Championships. For the second successive year the 2008 Australian Amateur Championships will be a joint male and female venture, held at the Royal Adelaide Golf Club in South Australia on 18 21 April. This Golf Australia initiative will see the men&aposs and women&aposs stroke play events held concurrently at Royal Adelaide and Glenelg Golf Clubs respectively, in the lead up to the Amateur Championships; a step that has been taken to better promote and showcase our nation&aposs and some of the world&aposs elite golfers at the same time, in the same city. In another first, the Men&aposs and Women&aposs Interstate Series will be held together in Sydney from 1 5 September, making this the seventh national event to merge. In announcing the schedule, Trevor Herden, Golf Australia Director of Championships said, “Golf Australia received positive feedback after amalgamating the men&aposs and women&aposs Amateur Championships. This is one of the key reasons why we are moving in the same direction with the Interstate Series events and building a more contemporary schedule. Importantly, the 2008 schedule includes a number of exciting international events providing Australia&aposs elite amateurs a global stage on which to shine. March sees the return of the Queen Sirikit Cup in Sri Lanka, followed by our Australian men and women heading over to New Zealand to defend the Trans Tasman Cup. Another highlight for the year includes the 2008 World Amateur Team Championship. Held for the first time in Australia since 1968 this biennial event will feature the best of the best amateurs. Over 100 teams will descend on Royal Adelaide and The Grange golf courses in October, putting their skills to the test in the ultimate worldwide teams&apos event. The 2008 National Schedule has been developed by the Golf Australia Championships department in conjunction with the Championships Committee. Click here to download the full schedule