The SGA Tour (Victoria) 

Due to our large group bookings, we are able to secure green fee discounts at some courses that will be passed on to you – the ‘Tour player’. Just like the professional golf tours, The SGA Tour (Vic) has its own Order of Merit (OOM) with a Tour Championship at the end of the season. After 19 events, the Order of Merit winner is determined and the final event of the year is the exclusive Tour Championship played on one of the top private courses in Melbourne’s sandbelt. Only the leading 20 players in the Order of Merit are eligible to compete for The Tour Championship at the Final on Tuesday December 14 at Kingston Heath Golf Club.

Anyone can play on the Tour and simply pay as you play in as many events as you like, but to be eligible to earn Order of Merit points and compete in the Tour Championship, you need to be a member of the Tour and hold an SGA Tour Card for the year. It is not expensive to join the Tour and being a member has a lot of great benefits (see below).

The Tour offers the opportunity to play golf in a social and competitive setting. If you are already a member of a golf club, the Tour can provide you with variety of other exciting courses to play in competitions for great prizes. If you are learning the game, are not a member of a club, don’t have a handicap, or are just an enthusiastic golfer simply wanting to expand your social circle, the SGA Tour is a place where you can come and enjoy the game with like-minded people. All enthusiastic golfers are welcome!

2010 Tour Schedule

* Entry for Tour members is $5 off these listed prices

** Entry in the VSGCC Qualifiers (pairs event) is an additional $10 on top of the Tour event entry price

*** Heathcote (Sunday June 13) price includes Sausage Sizzle after golf

* Kingston Heath includes lunch before golf, range balls, soft drinks on the course, presentation dinner and over $2000 of prizes and giveaways. We have the course to ourselves for a shotgun start and all golfers are welcome, so invite your pals along and treat yourself to a great day on the course rated # 1 in Australia. The top 20 OOM players will contest the Tour Championship and there will be a separate event with prizes for the rest of the field. 

The Tour Championship

The top 20 players (plus ties) in the Order of Merit at the completion of the Tour season qualify to compete for The Tour Championship in the final event of the year. In 2010, we have booked Kingston Heath for the Tour Championship on Tuesday December 14. If a player in the top 20 cannot take their place in the field, their place is offered to the first alternate (the 21st player in the OOM plus ties) and so on. The Tour Championship is a separate title to the Order of Merit and will be decided by the results over 18 holes at the Tour Championship Final. Besides qualification, all previous results for the year will not be relevant.

All Tour players (and guests who are not Tour members) are welcome to book in to play in the event at Kingston Heath on December 14, however, only the qualified players will contest The Tour Championship. All other players will compete in a separate competition for prizes and enjoy the fun of playing an official competition round at The Heath. Furthermore, the players who have qualified to compete for the Tour Championship will qualify for discount entry into the Tour Championship event. Prices tba.

The event will be our last event for the year and will include lunch before golf, free range balls, soft drinks on course, a meal after golf and our major presentation for the year with the presentation to the Order of Merit and the Tour Championship winners and the other Tour awards for the year. The 2010 Tour Championship winner will receive a new set of Ci9 OR Tour Irons thanks to Wilson Staff.

The Four Ball Better Ball (4BBB) Championship

The SGA Tour (Vic) Four Ball Better Ball (4BBB) Championship is an award for best cumulative score by individuals in the four events each year where we play 4BBB. These events are our Mini-Majors for the year as they carry extra importance. Firstly there are double the number of Order of Merit (OOM) points to be won as the 4BBB pairs each win the same points as we run OOM points down to 20th place, so 40 players can receive placing points as opposed to usual 20 per event.

For more info, see the Four Ball Better Ball Championship page.

SGA Tour Membership and Tour Card

Anyone can play on the SGA Tour and players with an official handicap can compete for the great prizes on offer at each event. However, to earn Order of Merit points, you need to be a card-carrying member of the Tour. It is not expensive and your membership entitles you to the following privileges:

Member Benefits

• SGA Tour cap
• Sleeve of golf balls
• $5 discount on event entry
• Eligibility for the Order of Merit
• Personalised membership card
• Free round of golf on your birthday (selected courses listed below and we will continue to add to this list)
  • Eynesbury Golf Course
  • Goonawarra Golf Club
  • Heathcote Golf Club

Cost 

Annual SGA Tour Membership (Optional) $ 50.00

How to Join

• Email info (at) socialgolfcc.com.au with:
• Your name
• Date of birth
• GOLF Link number (if you have one)
• Make your $50 payment via the details below
• Or complete an entry form and payment at an event

Notes:

• Membership is available to all golfers but is not compulsory. Should you have any further questions regarding SGA Tour Membership, please feel free to contact us (details below).
• An official handicap is required to compete for the major prizes at the events and to earn Order of Merit points.
• If you don’t have a handicap, we can help. Through our partnership with Bushranger Golf (BRG), we can arrange an official Golf Australia handicap.

How to Enter an Event

Email info (at) socialgolfcc.com.au and register your interest in playing. If it is your first event, please provide your GOLF Link number (if you have one) and your contact details. If you wish, you can nominate your preferred playing partners or, we can group you with other enthusiastic golfers. Note that by entering an event, players accept and agree to the Terms & Conditions of entry.

Confirm your attendance by making payment by EFT, cheque, direct deposit or credit card (attracts a 2% fee).

Bank:  Bendigo Bank
Account: Social Golf Australia
BSB:  633 000
Account No: 130 203 821

On the Thursday before the event, you will be emailed event details (including your starting time, group allocation, directions, etc).

Tour Event Sponsorship

We offer our participants who are business operators the opportunity to support individual Tour events and create some exposure for their business by sponsoring the prize pool for the day. Basic Tour Event sponsorship is a $250 contribution towards the costs of the Tour event prize pool. Premium sponsorship is $300 and includes event entry for one person in the sponsored event. For more information, see the Vic Tour Event Sponsorship page.

Contact Details

Matthew Pitt
Social Golf Australia
Phone:  03 5433 3213
Mobile: 0425 742 501
Email:  info (at) socialgolfcc.com.au

PO Box 261
HEATHCOTE
Vic. 3523

 
FAQs

Do I need to be a member to play?
No. Anyone can play – you just pay your competition fees as you play. Tour Memberships are available for those who want to compete for the Order of Merit. Tour Memberships represent wonderful value but are not compulsory.

Is it expensive to play and what do I get for my fees?
The costs to play depend on the venue for the competition. During 2010, the competition fees will range from $35 to $95. Your competition fee includes your round of golf, great quality prizes and, in some cases, a motorised cart and/or lunch. Most of our members enjoy a couple of drinks together after their round.

How often can I play?
Our 2010 schedule includes 20 events, about one every three weeks. You can play as many, or as few as you like. Some of our members play only the less expensive courses, some prefer the more glamorous venues and some like to play in every event.

Is the SGA Tour suitable for both men and women?
Most certainly. Men, women, couples and singles are all welcome.

Do I need to be a good golfer?
Our players are golfers of all abilities from ‘A’ graders to beginners, but you need to be aware of basic rules and golf etiquette and be able to play at the same pace as the group ahead of you.

Do I need an official golf handicap?
Most members of the SGA Tour have an official handicap or are in the process of getting one. We encourage our members to get one (which we can arrange, manage and maintain) but it is not compulsory.

What sort of people play golf with the SGA Tour?
The membership of the Tour is open to all age groups, abilities and walks of life. Our members enjoy their golf, the friendly competition and the social interaction after their round.

Does the Tour exclude anyone from participating?
We expect all our members to maintain high standards of dress and behaviour and comply with the standards set by the golf clubs we visit and to abide by  the Terms & Conditions of entry into SGA Tour events.

How can I get more information about the SGA Tour?
You can visit the website (more info on the Tour will be available here soon) or you can email, phone or SMS. Contact details are provided at the bottom of this page.

Competition Formats

Stroke - The stroke score of each hole is entered on the score card. The gross score is totalled and the player's handicap is deducted to calculate the nett score. The player who completes the round with the least nett strokes is the winner.

Stableford - The stroke index on the scorecard determines the calculated par on the hole and how many shots a player receives on the hole depending on their handicap.

• Players who exceed their calculated par by two strokes receive no points and wipe the hole.
• One stroke over the calculated par receives one point.
• If you make a calculated par, you score two points.
• A score of one stroke better than your calculated par is three points.
• A score two strokes better than your calculated par is four points (and so on).
• Scores are totalled and the player with the best (highest) stableford score is the winner.

Par - The stroke index on the scorecard determines the calculated par on the hole and how many shots a player receives on the hole depending on their handicap. A hole is either won, lost or halved depending on your your stroke score against the calculated par. Scoring a calculated par means you halve the hole and a zero or a small square is recorded on the card. If you score better than your calculated par, you win the hole and a plus (+) is recorded as the result. If you score worse than your calculated par, you lose the hole and a minus (-) is recorded as the result. The scores are totalled and the player with the highest plus (+) score is the winner.

Four Ball Best Ball Stableford (4BBB) - The SGA Tour Mini-Majors - 4BBB Stableford is played by two players competing as partners. Each golfer plays his own ball and plays a stableford round. On each hole, the better stableford score of the pair is recorded on the card as the team score (with the player's initials). When scores are equal, the ball holed first is recorded. On the SGA Tour, each team will keep three cards - the two individual rounds which will be entered on GOLF Link and the 4BBB round which will be used for the competition on the day to allocate prizes and Order of Merit points.

We will play four events per year that are 4BBB rounds. These rounds are our four Mini-Majors as the events effectively carry double points in the Order of Merit. As points will be awarded to both players in the team for the placing their team achieves, there will be twice as many Order of Merit points available than at a normal Tour event.

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