By
LTCOL Tony Wallace
THREE
Air Force Golfers helped the ADF Golf Association (ADFGA) achieve
an impressive team victory against the Victorian Golf Association
(VGA) at Sorrento Golf Club on April 29-30.
They were Flight Lieutenant Justin Mangan, Sergeant Derek Brown
and Corporal Keith Wheeler. The ADFGA’s 12.5 to 11.5 matches win
is only the second time that the ADFGA had tasted success in the
event, held annually since 1991.
Sorrento Golf Club provided a good test of golf for both teams.
Each team consisted of 12 players and the competition involved
best ball, foursomes and singles matches.
In the first day of competition, the VGA took a four-two lead,
but the ADFGA team had been competitive in all matches and was
confident that the lead could be reduced in the foursomes.
Heavy skies and the prospect of difficult scoring conditions greeted
both teams at the start of the second day. A reshuffle in the
team pairs proved successful for Defence, with the ADFGA team
taking the foursomes 3.5 to 2.5 and cutting the VGA’s lead to
a single match.
The highlight of the foursomes was the number one pair of Sergeant
Pete Chambers and Gunner David Schwartz, who won the 18th to square
their match. This tied match proved pivotal in the overall result.
With the ADFGA trailing by a single match, it was definitely “game
on” for the singles matches. The VGA knew it had a match on their
hands and by midway through the round it was evident that the
match was going to be close.
With only two matches left on the course, the ADFGA had established
a narrow lead and needed one of these matches to win.
The final two matches were shared and this was enough to give
the ADFGA a narrow win.
