THE NSW Veteran Golfers Association Matchplay Championship has long been a popular tournament for older golfers and the 2014 edition will now go ahead in the Newcastle area after fears it may not find a home this year.
The week long event for over 55’s will take place at the top rated Newcastle (Stockton) Golf Club, Waratah Golf Club, Belmont Golf Club and Charlestown Golf Club from Monday November 3rd
to Friday November 7th.
For the quite modest entry fee of $120 male and female golfers get four days of competitive golf at four great courses plus a presentation lunch on the Friday.
Entries for both men and women are divided into groups of 16 determined by handicap order for the tournament, which has a rest day on the Wednesday.
The top 16 male golfers with the lowest handicaps play off scratch in a premier grouping that competes for the overall championship and the Bob Coulson Shield.
Along with everyone else, players who lose matches in the first three rounds aren’t eliminated and everyone entering gets a full week of golf.
No matter what a golfer’s results are during the week they will still be competing for a trophy on the Friday at Charlestown Golf Club against a player with exactly the same set of results in the first three rounds.
Every winner on Friday will receive a voucher, the value of which will reflect the number of wins that player has had during the week.
Apart from the top men’s group all other golfers play off their handicaps. Maximum handicaps are 36 for men and 45 for women so no matter the level of golfing skill, everyone can have a fun, challenging time in the always enjoyable matchplay format.
Competition in the top men’s group is expected to be fierce with an early favourite no doubt being local Charlestown member Greg Kent, who won the NSW Veteran Golfers Association Strokeplay Championship in Western Sydney in April.
That was the 61 year old’s second straight win in the strokeplay and Kent also demonstrated his matchplay ability when he won the Veterans Matchplay Championship in 2011 when it was held in the Illawarra.
For visitors there is a wide variety of accommodation options in the area and lots to see and do outside the golfing arena.
For more information contact Tournament Director John Mason at
kiwee2(at)optusnet.com.au or visit the NSW Veteran Golfers Association website