senior golf tour australia

senior tour

Langer hoping for extended goodbye at Augusta

Cabrera welcome at Augusta if he can obtain visa

Pampling ends marathon day with Champions Tour title

Six straight birdies deliver dream debut for Hend

Cejka wins play-off to claim Senior Open

Jimenez leads Senior Open

Aussie McKenzie four back at Senior Players

Langer breaks Champions Tour win record at U.S Senior Open

Karrie third in Senior LPGA defence

Pampling makes hot start to lead U.S Senior Open

The Thing About Golf Podcast #93 – Tomas Mezera

Birdie blitz puts Pampling in Champions Tour contention

Aussie Hensby breaks through on Champions Tour

Aussie Hensby among Champions Tour co-leaders

Champions Tour teams event confirmed

Hensby and Green on the podium as Ames wins in Morocco

Morri: Game for the ages

Aussies Green and McKenzie earn PGA Tour Champions status

Green surges then stumbles to Australian PGA Seniors title

McKenzie goes from stop-start to second

Clarke joins exclusive Open/Senior Open club

Latest News

Playing From The Tips Ep.60: LIV Adelaide, Zurich Classic & more

Winner’s Bag: Nelly Korda – Chevron Championship

Second-place finish for Aussie at Saudi Open

RANKING: Australia's Top-100 Courses for 2024

RANKING: Australia's Top-100 Public Access Courses for 2023

Review: Cobram Barooga Golf Club

Huggan: LIV update… or downdate

• Język polski

• Pennants Hub
• Partnership Opportunities
• Crunch&Sip Junior Tour
• Results Archive
• Join a Club
• Club Directory
• Junior Golf Programs
• Golf in Schools
• Crunch&Sip Regional Roadshows
• All Abilities
• Senior’s Programs
• Women’s Programs
• Men’s Programs
• Golf Simulators
• Community Instructor Program
• Latest News
• Media information
• GolfWA High Performance Program
• GolfWA High Performance Athletes
• GolfWA Interstate Series Squads
• GolfWA Talent Development Program
• Mixed Rankings
• Paxton and Temperley Scoring Averages
• WA golf professionals on tour
• Policy Manual & Code of Conduct
• Staff Profiles
• Board & Committees
• Become an Affiliate
• Rules & Handicapping
• Club Support
• Get In Touch
• GolfWA Events & Tournaments
• Host a GolfWA regional event

Senior Golf Programs

• Mens Programs
• Latest golf news
• High Performance Pathways
• State Rankings
• Seniors Rankings
• Crunch&Sip Junior Stroke Averages

GolfWA prides itself on providing the best experience it can for senior golfers, while welcoming new senior players to the game.

Get Into Golf

Golf Australia’s ‘Get into Golf’ program is a nationwide initiative, offering opportunities for men and women of all ages to learn the game of golf in a safe, friendly environment. Many WA clubs support the program with some running sessions specifically for senior golfers.

Senior Pennants

GolfWA has a proud tradition of supporting senior pennants competitions, which are hotly contested in by clubs from across Perth. Visit our Pennants Hub for more details.

Senior Rankings

The GolfWA Senior Rankings ranks players based on their performances through tournaments that are ranked in three tiers with Tier 1 being the highest.

Other Golf Programs

Find out more about options for getting into golf for family members and friends of all ages.

5 Major Tournaments of The Senior Golf Tour | Tour Champions

Our website is supported by our readers. We may receive commissions when you click our links and make purchases. For more details see our disclaimers page .

Table of Contents

The PGA Tour Champions (commonly known as the Champions Tour) is a senior golf tour specifically made for golfers above the age of 50. The Professional Golfers Association officially founded the tour over 40 years ago in 1980.

The beauty of golf is that it ages like fine wine. You’re never too old to play golf! Even if you want to play in a USGA Senior Amateur Championship .

This article goes in-depth about the senior golf tour five major tournaments. It highlights renowned championships, golfer stats, and a few fun facts.  However, for a more detailed review of the PGA TOUR Champions, you’ll want to read our ultimate guide .

Origin & History of the Senior Golf Tour

The Senior PGA Championship has been unofficially active since 1937 as a high-profile tournament. It was exclusive for golfers above the age of 50. 

However, in 1978, a profitable tournament between teams of the best senior golfers called the ‘Legends of Golf’ gave birth to the idea of an official senior golf tour.

The PGA formally established the ‘Senior PGA Tour’ in 1980. This senior tour was designed for golfers aged 50 and above to showcase their talent. 

The 1980 tour consisted of only four events. For comparison, the 2021 tour consisted of 25 events. A lot has changed over the years!

The total prize money in 1980 was $475,000, which would be worth $1,707,901 today.

The next ten years, from 1980-1990, saw a considerable increase in the popularity of the senior tournament. The 1990 season consisted of thirty-eight official events with four major tournaments. 

The entire prize money for the 1990 season was a whopping $17.8 million. In 2022, this prize money would be worth around $40,349,753.63 ! 

Fun Fact: Lee Trevino won 7 tournaments in the 1990 senior golf tour season. The most during the season.

Evolution of the PGA Tour Champions Name

In 2002, the tour was renamed the ‘Champions Tour’ till the 2015 season. The name PGA Tour Champions was adopted for the 2016 tour and onwards. 

Qualifying & Playing on the Senior Golf Tour

Competitors in the senior golf tour have to play multiple tournaments throughout the season. These events are usually played over three rounds or 54 holes. 

However, the five major championships of the tour are played over four rounds (72 holes) and have a 36-hole cut. Playing an additional round ensures bringing the best talent to the top of the standings.

Fun Fact: The average male golfer is estimated to hit a 219-yard drive. While the Senior Golf Tour’s average driving distance in 2022 was 282.0 yards . The longest drive of the tour was 308.8 yards by Padraig Harrington.

Senior Tour Age

With age comes wisdom. And the opportunity to qualify for the senior golf tour!

Here are a few requirements to qualify for the PGA Tour Champions:

• The Senior Tour age requirement is 50 years old minimum.
• Compete and qualify in the 72-hole Regional Qualifying Stage.
• All successful qualifiers and exempt players must come in the top 12 of the Final Qualifying Stage between 78 golfers.

Spots in the Senior Golf Tour

Understanding the qualification system of the PGA Tour Champions is complicated, and hardly anyone understands it, according to Bobby Clampett , a professional Golf player, and analyst.

PGA Champions from previous years make up 30 of the 81 players on the field. Another 30 spots are given to players in the top 70 of the PGA Tour and Tour Champions.

The rest of the players include the World Golf Hall of Fame members and winners of previous PGA tours. 

Players competing in the qualifying sessions also have a few spots reserved for them.

The 5 Senior Major Golf Championships & Their Winners

The Senior Major championships are a big deal in the tour. The best of the best golfers participate in Majors. Meaning that only players that meet certain criteria are given a spot in the Major tournament.

Major champions have their names go down in history books. This is one of the reasons why golfers praise Major events.  

There are five major championships in the PGA Tour Champions. These championships differ from the other tours as they are played over four rounds (as opposed to 3 in the standard events). 

Here are the five majors of the PGA Tour Champions, along with their relevant winners.

Read Next: The 34 Best Arnold Palmer Quotes on Golf, Life, & Success

1. Senior PGA Championship 

The Senior PGA Championship is the oldest of the five senior major championships. The Championship was established in 1937. 

It was first played at the Augusta National Golf Course in Georgia, United States. 

The event was one of the four events in the inaugural of the PGA Tours Championship in 1980. The Championship event was played in Florida in 1980. Over the next 42 years, the event has taken place on 17 different courses in various cities.

The eligibility criteria for the Senior PGA Championship are slightly different. The criterion includes:

• The previous winners of the Senior PGA Championship. 
• Winners of other major tournaments are also eligible.  
• Members of the Ryders Cup team and top European and Japanese Senior Tour players can also qualify.

2022 Senior PGA Championship Winner: Steven Alker won the 2022 Championship held in Michigan.

Most wins in the Senior PGA Championship: Since 1980, the record number of wins in this championship is held by Hale Irwin . Irwin claimed the trophy in 1996, 1997, 1998, and 2004. 

2. The Tradition

The Tradition, or the Regions Tradition , is one of the five senior major championships. This championship was established in 1989 in Arizona. In 2003 the event relocated to Oregon and has since moved to Alabama. 

The event is now hosted at the Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama. where players complete four rounds on the course and play 72 holes. 

The most recent event was held in 2022, marking its 30th year of play.

2022 Regions Tradition Winner: Steve Stricker took the trophy for the 2022 Tradition championship. The winner earned $375,000 for his victory in the tour. 

Most wins in the Regions Tradition: The record for the most number of wins in the Tradition is held by Jack Nicklaus . Nicklaus won the championship four times: in 1990, 1991, 1995, and 1996. 

3. U.S. Senior Open

The U.S. Senior Open is one of the most renowned five major championships in the PGA Tour Champions. The championship is administered by the United St ates Go lf Association . The PGA has recognized it as a major championship since its establishment.  

The championship was introduced in 1980 and was one of the four events in the first PGA Tour Champions in New York. It is currently played at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Pennsylvania.

The US Senior Open is open for both amateurs and professionals. However, experienced players tend to dominate the championship, like any other. 

2022 U.S. Senior Open Winner: The most recent champion is Padraig Harrington . He received  $720,000 for his winning share.

Most wins in the U.S. Senior Open: The record for most wins in the event is held by Mille r Barber , who won 3 events in 1982, 1984, and 1985. 

Read Next: The 10 Best & Craziest Animal Golf Head Covers for Gifts

4. Senior Players Championship

The Senior Players Championship is currently known as the Kaulig Companies Championship. It is also recognized as a major championship in the PGA Tour Champions. 

The Championship was first held in 1983, 3 years after the establishment of the PGA Senior Golf Tour. It was most recently held at the Firestone Country Club in Ohio. 

2022 Senior Players Championship Winner: The 2022 champion was Jerry Kelly , who received $450,000 for his victory in the event. 

Most wins in the Senior Players Championship: Bernhard Langer holds the record for winning the most trophies in the Senior Players Championship. He won the majors consecutively in 2014, 2015, and 2016.

5. The Senior Open Championship

The Senior Open Championship was recognized as a major in the PGA Tour Champions much later in 2003. 

The Championship was established in 1987 in the United Kingdom. Currently, it’s known as the Senior Open Championship by Rolex for sponsorship reasons.

Fun Fact: The Senior Open Championship i s the only senior major championship in the PGA seniors tour held outside the United States.

2022 Senior Open Championship by Rolex Winner: The 2022 champion for the Senior Open Championship is Darren Clarke. He earned $432,080 for winning the major title.

Most wins in the Senior Open Championship by Rolex: Bernhard Langer also holds the title for most wins in Senior Open Championship. He won the tournaments in 2010, 2014, 2017, and 2019.

Other Noteworthy Senior Tours

Everyone deserves to play competitive golf. At every stage and age. 

Let’s have a look at some well-known senior tours. 

Legends of the LPGA (Women’s Senior Golf Tour)

Legends of the LPGA is a women’s senior golf tour. It’s a tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) for women over the age of 45.

The tour was established in 2000 by 25 retired LPGA players who modeled it after the men’s senior tour. 

From its initial days, the tour grew from two annual events to eleven events in 2013. 

In 2017, the Senior LPGA Championship was also inaugurated. This tournament is an annual tour event alongside the Senior Women’s Open. 

2022 Senior LPGA Winner: Karrie Webb won the 2022 Senior LPGA championship. She got prize money of $60,000 for her win.

Most wins in the Senior LPGA Championship: Trish Johnson holds the most wins in the Senior LPGA Championship. She won the championship twice in 2017 and 2021.

⛳️ Related: Top 25 PGA Tour Champions to Watch This Year

Senior Amateur Golf Tour

The Senior Amateur Golf Tour was established in 1999 for amateur players above the age of 50. 

It’s open to play for golfers of all skill levels. The only requirement is to be above the age of 50 and get a membership.

Players can get a membership to play in their local flights. Membership cards cost between $85 to $100 annually. The price variation depends on your location.

Moreover, you’ll need to pay a tournament fee to enter each tournament. The price again varies on your location but ranges from $65 to $100. 

Note: This price includes your green fee, golf cart, and range balls. The winning prize is also calculated from the tournament fee.

Players earn points by regularly playing in their local flights. 

Players can then compete in stroke-play tournaments locally. The tour concludes with a National Tour Championship. 

Top amateur players from across the country can compete with each other for the title. The golfers need a set number of points to qualify for the National Championship.

The Sunbelt Senior Golf Tour

The Sunbelt Senior Golf Tour was one of the most recognized golf tours to prepare yourself for the PGA Tour Champions or the European Senior Tour. Although no longer active, this Senior Golf Tour allowed golfers ages 49 and above to experience a competitive senior golf tournament beforehand.

⛳️ Read Next: The Amazing Ben Hogan Golf Story: 5 Lessons to Inspire You

Senior Golf Tour Final Thoughts

So that’s a wrap on Senior Golf Tour Major Tournaments. This series of tournaments is truly an incredible offering for golfers above 50.

If you enjoy reading about the senior golf tour events, you may also enjoy reading some of our “what’s in the bag” articles listed below.

What are the 5 senior majors?

The five senior majors on the PGA Tour Champions are the Senior PGA Championship, The Tradition (Regions Tradition), U.S. Senior Open, The Senior Players Championship, and the Senior Open Championship.

What Age for the Senior PGA Tour?

The Senior Tour age requirement is to be at least 50 years old.

What age is senior LPGA?

Legends of the LPGA is the official senior tour of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. You must be 45 years old at a minimum to be eligible.

Related Senior Golf Articles

Mike Weir WITB 2023 | The 2003 Masters Champion’s Clubs

The 10 Best Golf Clubs for Senior Women [Expert Review]

The 58 Greatest Golf Quotes of All Time

Who is Bernhard Langer? Remarkable Rags to Riches Golf Story

8 Best Tips for Speeding up Your Pace of Play in Golf

Trish Johnson: The Long Bumpy Road to Golf Success

Erin has spent over 17 years as a healthcare executive working with seniors in nursing homes, skilled nursing, assisted living, and independent living communities. She also holds a Masters Degree in Social Work and other advanced degrees related to seniors.

Erin grew up playing golf in a family of golf fanatics. She started this site to help others add more enjoyment to the game of life through golf.

X (Twitter) | LinkedIn | Facebook | YouTube | Pinterest

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

© 2024 Senior Golf Source

Upcoming Golf Tours

Explore our escorted golf tour packages to find your next golfing holiday. Our tours are designed for senior golfers over 50, and are escorted by our experienced tour leader. We take care of everything, so you can focus on enjoying your golf holiday.

28th April - 4th May 2024

Gold Coast Golf Escape

From $2,180 AUD per person

7th - 16th July 2024

Sunshine Coast Tour One

Fully booked (waitlist only)

17th - 26th July 2024

Sunshine Coast Tour Two

22nd - 28th September 2024

Nelson Bay, Port Stephens

From $1,699 AUD per person

17th - 26th November 2024

Adelaide Tour

If you want to see where we've been and express interest in a future trip, check out our past tours below.

24th - 30th September 2023

Canberra in Springtime

Express interest for the next tour

12th - 21st November 2023

Western Australia

10th - 17th February 2024

Queenstown, New Zealand

19th - 26th March 2024

Mornington Peninsula, VIC

Want to recieve exclusive news, videos, tournament highlights, golf important tips and more ?

I understand and agree that my personal information will be collected, stored and used, in accordance with the PGA of Australia's privacy policy .

Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia PGA Legends Tour adidas PGA Pro-Am Series MPP Tournaments PGA Professionals Championship Major Tournaments {{tourFullName}}

• Leaderboard
• Order of Merit

Upcoming Tournaments

{{uptourn.dates}}

Filter by Year

Filter by State / Country

Filter by Month

Find a Tournament

Defending Champion

Prize money, tournament schedule listings.

• Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia
• PGA Legends Tour
• adidas PGA Pro-Am Series
• MPP Tournaments
• PGA Professionals Championship
• Qualifying School
• Latest News
• PGA Professionals
• PGA Membership Pathway Program
• PGA Institute
• PGA Academy
• Community Instructor Program
• Benefits of hiring a PGA Professional
• Recruitment Services
• ACE Program
• Challenger PGA Tour Of Australasia
• Where can i play?
• The Scramble
• All Abilities Coaches
• First Tee Australia
• Women’s Golf Network
• Southern Comfort Twilight Rounds
• Official PGA App

• Larry Canning
• Photo Galleries
• A Guide To Veteran Golf Around Australia
• Veteran Golf News & Events
• AVGU: A Proud History
• PGA Legends Tour
• Travel & Courses

• All the News
• Latest Golf News

2021 Australian Senior Amateur Golf: How, When and Where to Play

Go to the updated 2022 version of this article

2021 A GREAT YEAR AHEAD FOR AUSTRALIA’S SENIOR GOLFERS

2020 or the COVID-19 year was a dismal year for senior golf in Australia with many states in lockdown, borders closed and yet we managed to get some events played even though the state championships were mostly closed events. Many order of merits were cancelled and many events in most states were cancelled. Our national championship was not played due to the WA borders being closed for so long. It was meant to be played at Lake Karrinyup in October.

Here’s hoping that with vaccines starting to roll out across the world we can restart senior events around Australia. For overseas travel that is someway off, let’s hope we can get to play the Trans-Tasman trophy in July in Queensland. This maybe a big ask due to the tight border restrictions that regularly occur in Queensland.  We are all hoping for a fantastic golfing year ahead and this report is written assuming all OOM will commence in 2021.

Again in 2021 there is a jam-packed calendar of events and courses available for Australia’s senior amateur golfers. Many of Australia’s top courses are included providing Australian senior golfers with the enviable task of choosing just which great course and event they will play.

The Australian Senior Order of Merit Competition

Now entering its sixteenth year, the Golf Australia Senior Order of Merit (GA OOM) will commence again for the 2021 calendar year.

The Golf Australia SOOM is primarily aimed at Australian based golfers who contest Australian events. It encourages participation among low-handicapped golfers and allows them to monitor their own development and form.

It is a competition that provides top-level golf for seniors who are ready to travel across the country to compete at the highest level. The 2021 calendar will include 18 events across every state and territory. As well as catering for the low handicapped golfers, Nett events are also run in conjunction with all events. It normally starts with the ACT championships in November 2020 but this event was cancelled in 2020. So the first event on the calendar will be the two Tasmanian events in February.

The 2021 Australian Senior Order of Merit Competition

In 2021, a ranking table based on averages will be calculated. Extract from GA Playing conditions.

“3.1 A player’s ranking will be determined by totalling all points gained from GA OOM events and dividing them by the total number of events played (points average per event).“

“3.2 The player with the highest points average; who has played in a minimum of 5 events, between 1 November 2020 and 31 October 2021 will be the winner of the 2021 GA OOM.”  

For each event, it will be weighted according to the quality of the field entering the event. The Australian Senior Amateur Championship attracts a minimum weighting of Level 6 while all state events are a minimum of Level 3. Again, this level may be higher depending on the quality of the field entering the event.

Who can play in Senior Order of Merit Events?

You need to be 55 years or older on the first day of the event being played. While some of the events have handicap restrictions, most events are open to all senior golfers and with a generous handicap limit. All entry forms contain this information.

The Australian Senior Amateur at Glenelg SA, The National Masters (this event has moved from March 2021 to October 2021), The Victorian Seniors and the NSW Senior Classic are popular events and a handicap ballot may be required. The best policy for these events is to enter and wait to see if a ballot is needed. As many state associations have joined up with Golf Australia (TAS, VIC, QLD, NT, SA) the 2021 calendar of all events is: https://www.golf.org.au/events#/customer/1090/schedule/2021/10643,10656,10669,10682,10695,10708,10721,11349

NSW and WA senior events are located at the state association sites.

https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/wxhrpu/customerdirectory/5886879086491515594?season_id=6642833820552837717

https://www.golfwa.org.au/cms/events/fixtures/

How does the Senior Order of Merit work?

The Golf Australia website has full details on the Senior Order of Merit. While each SOOM event stands alone with prizes awarded in scratch, age and handicap divisions, SOOM points are also awarded to all players after the tournament.  

The number of competitors from inside the top 20 and top 100 on the GA SOOM is used to calculate a tournament rating. A higher rating event means a higher number of points. The highest rated event is the Australian Senior Amateur with an automatic Level 6 rating with other events achieving a level 2, 3, 4 or 5.

A table of SOOM positions and current points is available on the AUSOOM website (http://www.bluesoom.com/) and Golf Australia website ( https://www.dropbox.com/s/trfjjmyquhjxrai/GA%20National%20OOM%20%28Senior%29%20-%202021%20Terms.pdf?dl=0 )

A list of documents explaining Golf Australia’s OOM conditions and selection criteria are located at https://www.golf.org.au/orderofmeritinfo/

When are the Senior Order of Merit ranking points used?

At the end of each SOOM year Golf Australia medals are awarded to those seniors in the top three positions in the overall scratch and the over 65 sections.

At different times during the year various national senior teams are selected using current and past rankings from the 2020 GA SOOM and 2021 GA SOOM as a basis for this selection. This may change for 2021, as the 2020 GA SOOM was cancelled. Selection criteria for all senior teams is located at:

https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/DhWljjenid91Xnwc0JlK1/662a298580af94995cb47a23cee8d532/Senior_Selection_Events___Funding_Policy_16.pdf

https://assets.ctfassets.net/3urhge2ecl20/6LTncEcSbwzuFPYf8JvDjA/cd1820c66001a9863419419ab2228e1c/Senior_Selection_Committee_Charter.pdf

The Sanctuary Cove Trophy

A 12-man Australian Senior team is selected every second year to play New Zealand for the Sanctuary Cove Trophy. This trophy will next be contested in July 2021 in Australia. Dates and venue are yet to be confirmed. The top 8 players from the current GA OOM are automatic while the next 4 players of the 12-man team will be selected by the GA Senior Selection committee.

Golf Australia covers the cost of a return economy airfare, twin-share accommodation, official functions, and other costs determined by Golf Australia. Minor costs are at the expense of the players (i.e. local transport, breakfasts and lunches.) 

The Asia Pacific Seniors Championship

A six-man team to represent Australia in the 2021 Asia Pacific Championships will be selected 8 weeks before the 2021 Asia Pacific Championships. The date and venue is to be confirmed. Based on previous championships it should be in October or November 2021.This is dependant on overseas travel restrictions in 2021 due to the pandemic.

Golf Australia covers the following costs: return economy airfare, official accommodation, entry fee, and official functions. Other small costs are at the expense of the player (i.e. breakfasts, lunches, etc) 

Golf Australia vs the Australian Defence Force

A 12-person Golf Australia Senior team will be selected for a match against the Australian Defence Forces Golf Association. The date and venue it to be confirmed by GA. Previously, selection in the team was based on the previous years GA OOM and selection should occur at the end of January 2021 (this may change due to the GA OOM 2020 being cancelled.)

Any senior who has represented in the previous Sanctuary Cove or Asia Pacific teams is ineligible. This policy ensures a wider range of senior golfers are rewarded with major team selection each year.

The selection criteria for 2021 are explained on the Golf Australia web site. In summary, the team will now include two mid amateurs (male and female), the leading senior female and nine senior males.

Golf Australia covers the cost of a return economy airfare for interstate players (TBC for 2021), two nights’ accommodation, official functions, and carts. Other minor costs are at the expense of the players (i.e. local transport, breakfasts and lunches.) Local players may choose to stay with the team. The date and location of the event is TBC.

  How do I enter a National Ranking event?

Entry forms are always available on the AUSOOM website ( www.bluesoom.com ) and can also be found on Golf Australia and various state golf organisation’s web sites. 

Although many of Australia’s best senior golfers will be competing you do not have to be a low marker to play and enjoy the competition and the friendships that will soon be made.

If you have thought about playing in one or more of these senior events, then why not make 2021 the year to put the plan into action.

What events are on in 2021?

The Golf Australia Senior 2021 calendar (QLD, VIC, SA, NT and TAS) can be found at: https://www.golf.org.au/events#/customer/1090/schedule/2021/10643,10656,10669,10682,10695,10708,10721,11349

and www.bluesoom.com

and WA : https://www.golfwa.org.au/cms/events/fixtures/

GOLF NEW SOUTH WALES – Men’s Senior Order of Merit

Currently there is over 50 senior men’s events in the 2021 Golf NSW calendar. The Men’s Senior Order of Merit (SOOM) is open to male amateur golfers, aged 55 years and over, who hold a current Australian or overseas equivalent handicap. A selected number of nominated events make up the Men’s Senior Order of Merit. Each Men’s Senior Order of Merit event will have points allocated to participants, depending on their scratch and nett score and place in the event. There is also an over 65’s scratch and nett competition. The winner of the annual Men’s Senior Order of Merit will be the player who has accumulated the highest number of points from their best 14 results (points awarded) from the Men’s Senior Order of Merit listed events. The events are run by the individual host Clubs. The NSW 2021 calendar can be found at: https://www.golfgenius.com/ggid/wxhrpu/customerdirectory/5886879086491515594?season_id=6642833820552837717

Stinson shoots sub 60 at Links Shell Cove

Grahame Stinson (Links Shell Cove) is well known in the NSW senior amateur ranks as he plays in a few of the qualifying events for the NSW Senior Open which are held in in conjunction with several NSW SOOM events.

Playing off a GA of +2.4 and daily handicap of +4 at Links Shell Cove during his competition round at Links Shell Cove on Tuesday 22nd December 2020, Grahame fired an amazing round of 59 on the par 71 layout.

After talking to Grahame about his round this is what I found out. His previous best was 8 under at Links Shell Cove and he describes the course as quite gettable when there is no wind but when it blows across the coastal layout, you can easily shoot 90.

Grahame’s round of 59 is the lowest score recorded on the course and the course record does change a bit as the course is continually tweaked. Here are some stats on his round, Grahame hit 16 out of 18 greens and the two greens he missed the ball ended up on the fringe. In all of his 8 birdies and the one eagle he had putts all within 8 feet. His other eagle on the hardest hole on the course, 16, a par four, Grahame hit a drive into the fairway bunker which cuts across the dogleg leaving him with a shot of 127 m in which Grahame holed his 9 iron for his other eagle.

I asked Grahame how were the nerves during the round and he said he didn’t think too much about it until he was playing the 12 th hole.  At that stage he thought “I am 6 under I have a chance to shoot 60 and beat my best which was 63.”

His first nine of 30, 5 under, was composed of 5 birdies and a run from the 5th hole to the 8th hole of consecutive birdies. So in his turn for home on the back nine he made 3 birdies and then finished off his round in style by going eagle on the par 4 16th after holing his 9 iron from 127m from the fairway pot.

I then said what happened on 17. Links Shell Cove has two par 5’s to finish and when you have a round like this going par 5’s generally offer chances of birdies. On 17 Grahame said “I hit a four iron for his second into a tight pin just behind the bunker. He was thinking well even from the bunker short I have a good chance of getting up and down for a birdie but his ball ended up plugged under the lip, so he had to settle for par 5 on 17.  The 18th is a tough finishing par 5 but after a good drive Grahame managed to hit driver, gap wedge onto the green. At this stage Grahame said to his partner I can two putt here to break 60. Grahame’s partner then corrected him and said no, you need to 1 putt to break 60 so the nerves really kicked in here and Grahame managed to hole the putt for an eagle 3 and record his score of 59. 

Grahame also told me in his next round on Saturday 26th December 2020, he shot 5 under and could not make any putts. What a strange game we play when things can change so much from one day to the next.

I also asked Grahame about the long drive championship that people talk about. “Well this happened in the 90’s when the golf show was run by Toyota and Grahame won the amateur section of this 3 years running. The event was run out of the old Homebush driving range” which now is the home of the AFL Giants team. “I won these events with a drive around 260 metres.” 260 metres is not that far compared to modern day standards but back then the ball and club technology was vastly inferior to today’s technology, so 260m possibly compares with around 300m plus these days.

I also asked Grahame how does the distance that he hits the ball now compare with the 80’s and 90’s and as expected he said “I hit the ball just as far now, so technology definitely helps.”

Grahame now joins the elite club of 2 players in our senior amateur ranks to break 60 and all in this COVID-19 year. The other player was Shane Floyd (Cromer) who shot 58 at Cromer in April 2020.

Watch out for Grahame Stinson when he turns 55 in May 2022 and he cannot wait to play some senior events.

GOLF VICTORIA – Men’s Senior Order of Merit

Doug bachli trophy (gross).

The player that accrues the highest total of points for stroke performances in their best 12 senior events throughout the course of the year will win the Doug Bachli Trophy.

Paul Lulofs Trophy (Nett)

The player that accrues the highest total of points for nett performances in their best 12 senior events throughout the course of the year will win the Paul Lulofs Trophy.

The Victoria 2021 calendar can be found at: https://www.golf.org.au/events#/customer/1090/schedule/2021/10669

GOLF VICTORIA

Lavender and wall win the victorian senior amateur championship.

James Lavender and Jane Wall have been crowned the 2020 Victorian Senior Amateur champions at Horsham Golf Club.

A separate report written by Kim Burke on the women’s championship will be included in Inside Golf.

The men’s championship went to a 6-hole playoff with James Lavender making a birdie on the fifth playoff hole to clinch the title. The pair were tied at the start of the day and as they turned for the back nine, Naismith led by four shots from Lavender and had victory in is sights.

A remarkable stretch of golf from Lavender was to come as he holed out of the greenside bunker on 13 for birdie, followed up by an 8-iron hole out for eagle on 15. The pair were level on the 18th tee and after two pars, they finished on one-under par after 54 holes and were set for a playoff.

It wasn’t until the fifth playoff hole that Lavender holed a 20-foot putt for a remarkable victory. “It is a great honour to win this event. After such a tough year it is such a great way to finish”, Lavender exclaimed. “Kevin deserved to win this just as much as I did. It was a fantastic battle”.

Shayne Walker finished the event strongly to round out the top three, eight shots behind the pair. Robert Richards triumphed over Peter Doyle on a countback after they finished on 211 to win the nett event.

A big thank you to Horsham Golf Club for hosting the event. The course was presented beautifully, and the players thoroughly enjoyed a fantastic event to round out the year.

Final Men’s results

212 James Lavender (70-69-73) and Kevin Naismith (68-71-73)

220 Shayne Walker (76-71-73), Greg Orvis (72-74-74) and Gordon Claney (72-74-74)

222 Greg Rhodes (73-75-74)

223 Gary Craco (76-74-73) and Kevin Sims (73-74-76)

Report from Golf Victoria  

GOLF SOUTH AUSTRALIA – Men’s Senior Order of Merit

The South Australian SOOM events are open to all male golfers who are aged  55 years or above as at 8th February 2021 and who hold an official Golf Australia handicap (some handicap limits may apply). The SA SOOM events are stroke rounds divided into (over 55 years) and super seniors (over 65 years). The winner of both the over 55 years and over 65 years will be determined by aggregate points awarded over thirteen events. A players   best eight  events count towards the SA SOOM trophies. A points loading applies depending on if the event is a one, two or three round event. A minimum of eight events must be contested to be eligible to win either SA SOOM. All events have gross and nett winners and other prizes (depending on event) with a strong emphasis on the enjoyment of golf with fellow senior players. A nett stroke SA SOOM trophy will also be awarded. This to be awarded to the player accumulating the most points over the seasons thirteen events. The nett event will have a handicap limit of GA 24.4.

  Blackwood bridesmaids no more!

At their 5th attempt in the final, Blackwood ended Tea Tree Gully’s 13-year winning streak in Division 1 of SA Senior Pennant. But it wasn’t easy and no-one with any knowledge of the long term rivalry between these two clubs would have expected it to be. A number of other clubs have also made it to a final against Tea Tree Gully and all have failed at the last hurdle; generally being in the contest for the first nine until the class and depth of the champions would prevail.

 An inkling that this year might be different came when Blackwood beat Tea Tree Gully at Royal Adelaide in the minor round to finish on top but with Covid delaying the final until mid-December it was far from clear if  finals would even go ahead.

Tea Tree Gully were without the services of their number one player in John Davey all – season (out with injury) whilst Blackwood were in similar circumstances without Chis Claxton, who stabilised their lower order. Tea Tre Gully were, however, still strong and had depth, so pundits identified that for Blackwood to prevail, their top 3 had to win and find one win somewhere else in their order.

This was the scenario that did eventuate but until after a titanic struggle. Craig Gordan established an early point for Tea Tree Gully and, in an indicator of what was to follow, Ken Brown beat Karri Heikkonen 1-up in a battle of the experienced campaigners. Andy Munn (1-up) got the first point for Blackwood before Mike Richards (1-up) grabbed another for the defending champions. Blackwood then made it 3-all with wins to Glen McGough and Nick Wake leaving Norm Cordina with a 2-up lead over Nigel Turner playing the par-3 16th.  It was back to 1-up when Norm‘s effort to get up-and-down from the greenside bunker narrowly missed and back to square when Nigel took the 17 th , yet another match being decided on the 18 th .

Norm was in a greenside bunker in two and Nigel on the back of the green but facing a very slick downhill, down grain putt. Norm’s par attempt again just missed leaving Nigel with a 6-footer for the win which he started to celebrate half-way on its journey and history was made and Blackwood eventually had the big win they’ve chased for 14 years. It came down to a game of inches with, perhaps, neither player, or side, deserving to lose, it was a great contest.

 Mention must be made of the amazing efforts of Tea Tree Gully since the inception of Senior Pennant in SA, 14 years of competition and 14 finals, a great sporting achievement indeed.

In Division 2, Glenelg defeated the semi-final giant-killers, South Lakes 6 & 1 and in Division 3, the strong Kooyonga side which only lost 1 game out of 49 for the season defeated Mt Osmond (6.5 to 0.5). Both these sides will now be promoted to their next respective Divisions in 2021.

Thanks must go to West Lakes Golf Club for hosting the final; in a (Covid) curtailed presentation, the winners of the SA Senior Order of Merit were given their awards:

Senior Gross and Combined Nett went to Steve Ross (South Lakes). To win both with a low handicap shows both not only great play but also great consistency.

Super Senior Gross winner was Mike Richards (Tea Tree Gully) – a 3-peat for this highly credentialed player.

SA report by John  Anderson

The SA 2021 calendar can be found at: https://www.golf.org.au/events#/customer/1090/schedule/2021/10695

GOLF QUEENSLAND – Men’s Senior Order of Merit

The Queensland Senior Order of Merit will recognise performances for both scratch and nett (handicap reduced) scoring. A player’s final Queensland Senior Order of Merit points total for both scratch and nett will comprise all points accrued from his best eight performances in designated events during that calendar year. Once a player plays more than eight designated events, his worst performance (e.g. lowest points total from a designated event) drops off for each additional event he plays. The player that accrues the highest total of points for scratch performances in the designated events over the calendar year will win the Queensland Senior Order of Merit Trophy and shall also receive an individual trophy. The player that accrues the highest total of points for nett performances in designated events over the calendar year will win the Queensland Senior Order of Merit Handicap Trophy and shall also receive an individual trophy.

The 65 and over player that accrues the highest total of points for scratch performances in designated events over the calendar year will win the Queensland Senior Order of Merit 65 and over Trophy and shall also receive an individual trophy.

The QLD 2021 calendar can be found at: https://www.golf.org.au/events#/customer/1090/schedule/2021/10643

GOLF WESTERN AUSTRALIA – Men’s Senior Order of Merit

Thirteen events are included in the Senior Men’s Ranking System and players will receive ranking points for gross finishing positions in these events. Points allocated for each event will vary according to the category of the event. Most events are category three. The Western Australia Seniors and The Hartfield Seniors both are classified as category one events, which attract higher ranking points. Ranking points will only be allocated to the section of the event that is played as a stroke play competition.

The WA 2021 calendar can be found at: http://www.golfwa.org.au/cms/events/fixtures/

COMING SENIOR EVENTS

January 09                                           Glenmore Seniors (NSW)

January 11                                           Forster – Tuncurry Seniors (NSW)

January 11                                           Keysborough Senior Amateur (VIC)

January 12                                           Harrington Waters Seniors (NSW)

January 15                                           Palmer Colonial QSOOM (QLD)

January 18                                           Lake Macquarie Seniors (NSW)

January 19                                           The Coast Seniors (NSW)

January 20                                           St.Michaels Seniors (NSW)

January 25                                           Yarra Courses Senior Amateur (VIC)

February 01                          Wynnum Seniors (QLD)

February 01                          Wollongong Seniors (NSW)

February 03-05                     Men’s Tasmanian Seniors – Mowbray GC (TAS)*

February 4-6                         New Zealand Seniors – Christchurch GC (NZ)

February 08                          Stonecutters Ridge Seniors (NSW)

February 08                          South Australian SOOM Blackwood (SA)

February 15                          Links Hope Island QSOOM (QLD)

February 16-17                     Kooringal Senior Amateur (M&W – VIC)

February 22                          South Australian SOOM South Lakes (SA)

February 22                          Concord Seniors (NSW)

February 22                          Arundel Hills QSOOM (QLD)

February 22-23                     Cranbourne Senior Amateur (M&W – VIC)

February 25-27                     Tasmanian Senior Open Amateur – Kingston Beach GC (M&W – TAS)*

March 01                              South Australian SOOM Mt Osmond (SA)

March 01                              Castle Hill Seniors (NSW)

March 02                              Pennant Hills Seniors (NSW)

March 04-05                          Eureka Senior Amateur (M&W – VIC)

March 05                              Mt. Lawley Men’s Senior Open (WA)

March 08                              Royal Sydney Invitational (NSW)

March 08-09                          State Seniors 4BBB Championship (WA)

March 11-12                          Alpine Senior Masters (M&W – VIC)

March (TBC)                         * Golf Australia vs ADFGA – (TBC)

March 15                              Redcliffe QSOOM (QLD)

March 15                              South Australian SOOM Tea Tree Gully (SA)

March 22                              South Australian SOOM Thaxted (SA)

March 22                              Royal Queensland QSOOM (QLD)

March 23                              Sun City Senior Amateur Open (WA)

March 25-26                          Hartfield Senior Open (WA) *

March 26                              Lang Lang Senior Amateur (M&W – VIC)      

March 27- 28                         Laidley Mens Classic QSOOM (QLD)

March 29-31                          Western Australian Senior Amateur (WA) TBC *

* events in the Australian Senior Men’s Order of Merit 2020

(M&W) Men and Women’s fields

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

© Copyright - Australian Senior Golfer