SA Team
David Cherry (Capt) (Royal Adelaide) SA Golf Hall of Fame Member
Phil Chapman (Mt Barker-Hahndorf) 2013 SA Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion
Tony Timmins (Kooyonga) Golf SA Board Member
Sudeera Botejue (The Grange) 2014 SA Men’s Mid-Amateur Champion
Chris Whitford (Glenelg) Past Chair Golf SA
Rod Phillips (Royal Adelaide) Golf SA Match Committee
Ben Hook (Mount Osmond) Media, Captain Mt Osmond
Lachlan Barker (Glenelg) 2017 Men’s State Team
Ben Layton (Glenelg) 2016 Boys and Men’s State Team
Nigel Turner (Links Lady Bay) Runner Up SASOOM
David Brand (Glenelg) Men’s State Team Manager
Tim Baker (Kooyonga) 2012/13 Men's State Team
The Golf SA versus Australian Defence Force (ADF) Match was played on Mon 1st and Tue 2nd May at Glenelg Golf Club with the SA Invitational team winning 13 matches to 11.
The ADF Golf Team, a Combined Services team (with representatives of the three Services – Army, Navy and Air Force), has been conducting matches against Golf NSW since 1988, Golf Victoria since 1989 and the Australia Seniors Order of Merit Team since 2006.
In 2013 Golf SA was asked to fill the void left by Golf Queensland who played the ADF between 2005 – 2012. In the inaugural year the Golf SA side won 15 matches to 9, but the ADF squared the ledger the following year winning 14 matches to 10. In 2015 SA went 2-1 up winning 16 – 8 but the ADF hit back again last year winning comprehensively 16-2.
The South Australian team, which is an invitational side managed and captained by SA Golf Industry Hall of Fame Member David Cherry, consisted of 12 invited players. There were 7 changes to last year’s team with additions being; Rod Phillips, Ben Hook, Lachlan Barker, Ben Layton, Nigel Turner, David Brand and Tim Baker.
Players selected in the SA team (with a handicap up to 6) were commensurate to those selected by ADF who select their team from the previous year 72hole National Championship, which is held at Federal Golf Club in Canberra each December.
Players faced drizzle on day one and after the Four-ball better ball matches played in the morning the ADF held a 4.5 – 1.5 lead. In the afternoon SA won the Foursomes Matches 4-2 but still trailed the ADF 6.5-5.5 overall.
The final day consisted of each player competing head to head in singles match play. Although there were many close matches the SA Team proved too strong winning the singles 7.5 – 4.5 to claim the series overall 13-11.
By winning the fifth encounter SA now moves ahead 3-2, before the sides meet again at Royal Adelaide in May 2018.
Once again all players competed in the right spirit, with plenty of new friendships formed.
A dinner was held post series in the Glenelg Clubrooms with all players attending and representatives from Golf SA and Nathan Clinge, CEO of RSL Care SA the event sponsor in attendance.
Final Results
RESULT: Golf SA def AGFGA 13-11