The annual Golf Australia-Victoria v Australian Defence Forces match will be contested once again at Sorrento Golf Club from 18-19 March.

The match is played in a Ryder/Presidents Cup-style format however 2021 sees a gender neutral format.

GA events and operations general manager Therese Magdulski said this demonstrates that golf has no gender barriers.

“Men and women can be paired together, and men can play women in any of the matches,” Magdulski said.

“This change further promotes GA’s advocacy of a sport that has no gender boundaries,” she said.

The match is also a valuable way to encourage golf amongst members of the defence forces and the friendly competitive experience is a small way GA can acknowledge and give back to our defence force personnel.

There are sure to be some returning faces in the Vic team and some new faces, with the selection criteria the same as previous years:

i.  Leading 8 available players from the 2020 Doug Bachli Trophy;

ii.  Leading 1 available player from the 2020 Victorian Women’s Senior Rankings;

iii. *Leading 1 Vic player (to a cap of 5th position) from the 2020 Vic Men’s Mid Amateur;

iv.  *Leading 1 Vic player (to a cap of 3rd position) from the 2020 Vic Women’s Mid Amateur;

v.  One GA selection.

Although there were fewer events than normal on the 2020 Vic Senior OOM schedule, it was determined there were enough not to require a re-jig of the selection criteria. In saying that, the 2020 Vic Mid Amateur will be used given the 2021 Vic Mid Amateur is being held the day after the match in the Gippsland region to support the fire-affected communities.

The Vic ADF match is played immediately prior to a similar match comprising a national GA team which will be played for the first time at Flinders Golf Club.