Welcome to our first 2022 Southern Golf Group newsletter. We will be covering many topics of interest to our Clubs and members, and hope you will join our direct mail subscription list by emailing under the subject SUBSCRIBE at SGG.Direct@gmail.com.

X-Golfing the SGG to SIMPSON CUP glory?

This first issue features our SIMPSON CUP team, managed by the ultra-capable Norm Slator and enthusiastically assisted by Jamie Burt. The Board considers our continued Simpson Cup participation as a great honour and opportunity to showcase our best players and deserves more recognition by our members..

Southern were first invited to form a composite team in the 2008 Simpson Cup season to help GolfSA expand the competition into 2 grades. Southern won the A2 final in 2016 which earned our promotion to A1 and have retained our place since. Combined with the strong SGG Pennant competition, participation in the Simpson Cup can only strengthen our top players’ competitive spirit and abilities under pressure.

A team bonding and motivational night was held at the X-Golfing venue on Marion Road, Marion :- https://www.xgolf.com.au/locations/marion-sa/
Unfortunately not all players were able to attend due to work and family commitments, however those present enjoyed the evening, discussions and chance to compare techniques. The players chose to play the difficult Pebble Beach course, sacrificing many virtual balls to a watery grave on the way.

To begin our coverage a short discussion with the ‘Legend’, Phil Chapman.

As an outstanding golfer and long term Simpson Cup and Pennant competitor it is difficult to go past Phil Chapman from Aston Hills Golf Club.  Chappy began his Pennant career in his youthful days at Kooyonga.   Of course he has played Simpson Cup many times for Southern since then, as well as regular A1 Pennant appearances for Aston Hills squeezed between work and family commitments.

“In early 1987 I was at a State junior development program at Glenelg GC and was invited to play in a 9 hole Ambrose competition over at Kooyonga afterwards with a mate of mine who had recently joined Kooyonga. I was introduced to the junior coordinator as being interested in joining the club.  Our group shot 7 under off the stick for the 9 holes, so I was asked to try out for the Kooyonga Pennant team. I had just turned 17 years old, playing on about a four handicap. The first trial match I beat an old stalwart Vern Kingshot 6 and 5, then won my second match and third matches. On the back of this result I was selected straight into the Kooyonga Simpson Cup team.

Back then you played home and away games and after 5 matches I had won my 2 home games but lost my 3 away games when a break from pennants happened with the May long weekend. That weekend was the Royal Adelaide Invitational which was a National Trial Event so Kooyonga’s best 2 or 3 players were away playing that tournament, missing out on Kooyonga’s Club Championship.

The Championship was a 36 hole Stroke qualifying event on the Saturday, with quarter and semi Matchplay finals on the Sunday. The 36 hole Matchplay final would have been on the holiday Monday. I won my quarter final and came up against Bruce Kingshot who I lost to on the 22^nd. Interestingly if I had won that match I would have had to come with a cheque on Monday to pay the junior membership ship fees which I hadn’t been invoiced for at that stage.

With that result, Bruce got asked to play pennants and I was pushed out of the Simpson Cup team.

In my second season, 1988, I played a mixture of games for the A1 and Bonner Cup teams, but from 1989 to 1994 I played every Simpson Cup match usually in the No.3 or 2 position behind Neil Crafter at 1 and Andrew Schleiker at 2 and in my last year behind Justin Cooper at 1.

1989 was my first Simpson Cup final so it was one of my most memorable games, where I can still remember almost every shot. We were up against Grange at Glenelg GC, Grange had a strong team and were favourites going into the match. I was playing at number 3 and surprisingly drawn to play against Shane Roberson who had just returned back from representing Australia in the Eisenhower Cup Team (top 4 amateurs in Australia).

We hadn’t even teed off the 1^st and I had a member walk up and say ‘commiserations’. Anyway after 11 holes I was only 1 down and then the 12^th was the uphill par 3. Shane hit the bunker on the right and he took 4 shots for the hole. My tee shot was left of the green but I got up and down in regulation, so all square.

The 13th was a par 5, I hit a three iron approach shot and sank a 3 foot putt for an eagle and the win, so was then 1 up. The par 4 14th, I holed a 40 footer for the birdie and another win, so 2 up. On the 15th I was on the green close to the hole for another 3 while Shane went from greenside bunker to bunker and conceded the hole. So 3 up and dormie.

On the 16th, a par 3, I hit onto the green and 2 putted, Shane also made a 3 and conceded so I won 3 and 2. Our number 1 and 2 lost that day but my match was the pivotal match and Kooyonga won 4 and 3.

The following year we backed it up and won the Simpson Cup again:

Briefly, Phil’s career as a youth
1987 – State Schoolboy team
1988 to 1990 – State Junior team
1990-1996 – State Amateur team

Phil considers himself as unlucky not to make the 1989 State Amateur team (a team of 8). That year he won the SA Medal and came 6th in the Vardon Trophy and finished high up in the Royal Adelaide Invitational and SA’s second best player at the event.

“I can understand why I didn’t make the team as I would have been the youngest player, and I did come from the clouds with my Vardon Trophy position. Because I played most of the Vardon events, my overall score was readjusted to ignore my worst scores. Anyway, it was the first and possibly the only time they announced a reserve for the State team!

 TEAM SELECTION for the first A1 Simpson Cup  match, this Sunday, 8th May – our opponent is The Vines club, to be played at Flagstaff Hill Golf Course – 10th Tee, 11:15am.

All are welcome to come along and cheer our players on.

1 David Ling (Captain) (McCracken)
2 Phil Chapman (Aston Hills)
3 Matt McDonald (South Lakes)
4 Jackson Arthur (Oakbank)
5 Hayden Massie (Aston Hills)
6 Steve Williams (Willunga)
7 Jamie Burt (Echunga)

Reserve Chris Barker (McCracken)

JUNIOR COUNTRY CHAMPIONSHIPS (Boys and Girls)

The SGG is interested in receiving nominations for selection in this team.
( SGG.Juniorcoordinator@gmail.com )

Juniors need to be 17 and under on the 18^th July 2022 and are available to travel (accompanied by responsible adult) to the Riverland for four days of golf from Monday 18^th to Thursday 21^st July. The SGG will subsidise some travel costs.

Players must have a Golflink number and be able to travel with a parent or approved responsible adult.  Ideally, GA handicaps will be under 20 and have some Matchplay experience.

LOXTON GC :- https://www.golf.org.au/events#/competition/3167645/info

• Sunday 17^th – practice round
• Monday 18^th and Tuesday 19^th – 18 holes of Stroke Play each day

BARMERA GC – BRETT OGLE CUP :- https://www.golf.org.au/events#/competition/3167660/info

• Wednesday 20^th – The top 40 players from Loxton play two rounds of Matchplay
• Thursday 21^st – 18 holes Matchplay, Presentation and prizes

JUNIOR PENNANT – Sharp Cup and Junior Division 2 – GolfSA Country Districts team.  This year 7 players from SGG clubs are participating in the two Country Districts combined teams. The Division 2 team is playing against Kooyonga at Sandy Creek this Sunday, May 8th. The Sharp Cup team’s first game is at Grange on Sunday the 22nd May, also against Kooyonga. Helen Schulz (Willunga) is helping Alan Telford from GolfSA manage this team.

JUNIOR SAND GREEN CHAMPIONSHIPS – Peterborough 11th and 12th June This is a GolfSA event for individuals.  Refer https://www.golf.org.au/events#/competition/3200815/info for entry details