TEAM AUSTRALIA 2016 MANAGERŐS REPORT
August 15, 2016
World Deaf Golf Championships
2016
Royal
Golf Club
Copenhagen,
Denmark
TEAM
AUSTRALIA 2016 26-29 July 2016
Deaf Golf Australia (DGA) wish to congratulate nine (9) Australian Team golfers for participating in the challenging four rounds of the 2016 World Deaf Golf Golf Championships at Royal Golf Course in Copenhagen, Denmark, held on 26-29 July, 2016. The golf course was very well maintained and consisted of 75% hazards (water hazards, lateral and fairway hazards, rough sides with tall grass and flora) and 25% fairways. This really provided all golfers with an opportunity for precision and strategic golf play on this course with a slope rating of 144 (difficult level).
A total of 98 golfers from 16 international countries participated in the 2016 World Deaf Golf
Championships in Denmark.
AUSTRALIAN TEAM:
Men's Team: Jack Besley (Captain), Luke Ellis, Jack McLeod, and Phil Malm.
Senior's Team: Tony Klimek (Captain), Wayne
Parsons, Paul Hammond, and Paul Bourke
Ladies Individual: Therese Pierce
Team Manager: Therese Pierce
The weather throughout the Championship rounds were generally sunny with cloudy days and humid until the very last day when it rained heavily, thankfully after the final round had just completed! The Championship trophy awards were given to the men's and ladies champions on the greens outside the Royal Golf Clubhouse but it had to be stopped midway when the heavy rain downpour came and we all had to rush inside the building. The final presentation awards were given at the Farewell Party dinner later that evening.
Congratulations to our Australian Men's Senior Team for coming second place -- it was a wonderful achievement for these men after trying hard for the past two WDGC to get into the top three
placings (2014- 3rd in USA; 2012- 4th in Japan).
WDGC introduced two new categories:
1) Under 23 Champion:
The Under 23 (years) Champion will be a preliminary to the introduction of the Junior World Deaf Golf Championship category starting at the next World Deaf Golf Championship in Ireland 2018. This is a wonderful opportunity for junior golfers to compete. In Denmark's WDGC, we had an 11 year old golfer, Amelie Gonzalez Podbicanin, from Germany competed and certainly she will be a rising star in the near future. She came 5th place in the women's individual category.
2) Over 65 Champion:
The Over 65 (years) Champion is introduced to recognise the achievement award among the senior golfers in the over 65 years old category.
The final results were:
MEN'S INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Men's Champion: Allen JOHN (Germany)
Men's Runner Up: Paul WARING (England)
Men's Third: Brandon BABINEAUX (USA)
Under 23 Champion: Paul WARING (England)
LADIES INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Ladies Champion: Lydia INGMAN* (England). * 18yo first timer
Ladies Runner Up: Leonie WARRINGA (Netherlands)
Ladies Third: Andrea HJELLEGJERDE (Norway)
Under 23 Champion: Lydia INGMAN (England)
SENIOR'S (MEN) INDIVIDUAL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Seniors Champion: Mark LOTHIAN (Scotland)
Seniors Runner Up: Kenneth HOFFMAN (Canada)
Seniors Third: John RUSH (USA)
Over 65 Champion: Michael FINNERAN (USA)
MEN'S TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:
Men's Team Champion: USA
Men's Team Runner Up: GERMANY
Men's Team Third: DENMARK
LADIES' TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:
Ladies' Team Champion: ENGLAND
Ladies' Team Runner Up: USA
Note: There were only two countries that had a team of "4 ladies golfers" available for the Ladies Team Championship category award.
SENIORS (MEN'S) TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP:
Seniors Team Champion: USA
Seniors Team Runner up: AUSTRALIA
(Tony Klimek, Wayne Parsons, Paul
Hammond & Paul Bourke)
Seniors Team Third: SCOTLAND
Australian Team's
performance in 4 rounds:
Men's Team:
Jack Besley: 78, 78, 78, 85
Jack McLeod: 76, 78, 80, 86
Luke Ellis: 89, 88, 85, 105
Phil Malm: 97, 95, 98, 102
Senior's Men Team:
Tony Klimek: 90, 84, 101, 86
Paul Hammond: 96, 93, 88, 89
Paul Bourke: 89, 92, 87, 98
Wayne Parsons: 102, 106, 91, 89
Ladies Individual:
Therese Pierce: 114, 114, 112, 111
Results and more photos of the WDGC 2016 are available on the website: www.wdgc2016.com
It was a great experience to play at Denmark's tough golf course and we all have come away with knowledge and experience. The golf course offered incredible challenges and our team have tried our best in all four rounds of golf. Thanks to the team captains- Jack Besley and Tony Klimek- for their ongoing support during the championship rounds. Thanks also to the caddies-- Carol McLeod, Hugh Besley and Heather Bourke. Also Geoff and Jane Read (NSW) for their surprised visit towards the end of the championships. It was great to see them and we appreciated their encouragement and support to our team.
Arnold Palmer's quote sums up the team's efforts:
"Success in golf depends less on
strength of body, more on strength of mind and character".
The next World Deaf Golf Championships will take place in Dublin, Ireland in 2018.
Selections for the 2018 Australian Team will take place at the next 24th Australian Deaf Golf Championships in Wollongong, NSW, in 23-25 April 2017. For Entry Form and more information, please check the website: www.deafgolfaustralia.com.au
M. Therese Pierce
Team Manager (Australia)
WDGC 2016 – Denmark
Winners
–
Senior
MenŐs Team 2016
1st: USA
2nd: AUSTRALIA
3rd: SCOTLAND
Australian Senior MenŐs Team: L to R
Tony Klimek, Wayne Parsons, Paul Hammond & Paul Bourke
2016 AUSTRALIAN TEAM:
Standing L to R: Luke Ellis, Paul Bourke, Jack McLeod, Tony Klimek, Wayne Parsons, Phil Malm
Kneeling: Therese Pierce, Jack Besley, Paul Hammond