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1. The Australian Defence Force Golf Assocation (ADFGA) exists as an approved Australian Defence Sports Council (ADSC) sporting association and operates under the auspices of Defence Instruction (General) Personnel - DI(G) PERS 14-2.
The ADFGA's objectives are to:
a. encourage and promote the sport of golf amongst members of the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Defence APS employees;
b. foster competition in the sport of golf within and between the three Services and the Departments APS employees;
c. manage, control and organise competitive events in the sport of golf between teams representing the ADFGA and civilian golfing organisations;
d. manage, control and organise competitive events in the sport of golf between teams representing the ADFGA and the Service teams of other nations; and
e. provide the opportunity for Service and APS personnel to become eligible for selection in representative teams.
2. For logistic convenience, the majority of the ADFGA Executive is Canberra-based with a smaller Management Committee comprising a President, Secretary, Captain and a Corporate Relations Officer are empowered to conduct the short notice affairs of the Association should a full Committee meeting not be convenient. The ADFGA Committee is responsible for the conduct and management of the ADFGA including all fiscal affairs.
3. The Executive has been concerned with the objectives listed above which have had leanings towards golf for "permanent" uniformed personnel RAN, ARA, PAF. However, in 1999 the Executive recognised the valuable and important contribution made to Defence by Reservists and Civilian APS employees. To this end, in 2000 the ADFGA introduced a Regional Handicap Competition that encouraged all Defence employees to compete in an ADFGA-sanctioned and sponsored competition - whether members were full or part time, uniformed or not.
4. As another major milestone in the ADFGA's short history (est. December 1986), the ADFGA National Championships held in Canberra in December 2001 was expanded to involve ADF Reservists, Defence Civilians and, in some specific cases, full-time civilian Defence Contractors. While the decision to include other than full-time uniformed personnel was a great step forward for the Association the implementation of the expanded competition has been necessarily restricted due to the availability of tee times. The Executive has "always" made every endeavour to secure additional tee times on a tournament-by-tournament basis.
5. The ADFGA has been an innovative leader in bringing Defence and civilian elements into ADF golf competitions since the ADSC reviewed its policies again in 2006. With effect of 1 July 2006, the ADSC declared .."all APS employees would be eligible for all standards of sporting competition within the ADF". These changes then empowered the ADFGA to set policy on regional matters, including local interservice and unit competitions. While this has placed an added responsibility on the ADFGA Executive, the foreseeable future will see regions left to self-manage with minimal policy guidance from the ADFGA Committee on an as required basis. Under revised DI arrangements, any APS employees wishing to compete in local interservice competitions will be required to form their own stand-alone team. This formation will facilitate a true four team, round robin competition and will alleviate any issues to which Service any APS employee should represent.
6. For the foreseeable future the ADFGA will continue to conduct the following regular events:
a. ADFGA National Championship Canberra (December)
b. Combined Services Match vs Victoria Golf Association Sorrento (April)
c. Combined Services Match vs NSW Golf Association Forster/Tuncurry Newcastle or Mollymook (rotates - September)
d. Combined Services Match vs Queensland Golf Union (QGU) Brisbane GC (June)
e. Arafura Games, Darwin (Biennially in odd years)
f. Overseas Trip - most recent held May 2008 (SE Asia) and June 2008 (UK). Next planned O/S trip is NZ in Mar 2009.
g. The ADFGA hosted overseas nations in early 2008. (eg. the NZDF).
h. Assist regional handicap competitions
7. The ADFGA commenced (and continues to) play in an annual Combined Services Match versus an Australian Seniors Team. This event is also played in conjunction with a QGU Match in May/June of each year. By agreement, this match will then rotate around NSW, VIC and QLD each successive year.
8. ADF players would be aware QANTAS withdrew its support for the Global Classic in 2002. However, the ADFGA Executive remained confident a replacement tournament, run on similar lines, could be established. After several years of negotiations, the ADFGA MINCOM Legacy Classic commenced (Nov 2006) as an inaugural event at Royal Canberra Golf Club. Wilson Corporate Golf will run this event and funds raised will be jointly shared by Legacy and the ADFGA. The success of this first event will determine whether an expansion will occur in following years at other major ADF locations (eg Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide).
9. With regard to matches of a Combined Services nature, team selection eligibility will remain confined to mostly uniformed personnel with suitably qualified and eligible APS employees and ADF Reservists augmenting teams for each event. The ADFGA Executive has given an undertaking to monitor this criterion and it will review the selection criteria (at least) annually.
The ADFGA Executive is always open to suggestions. This website offers members the ability to write comments and suggestions, any proposals for improvements to the Association however, must still be forwarded in writing to the ADFGA Secretary. The ADFGA membership is encouraged to show an interest in, and come forward with, what they would like to see for their Association.
Be sure to keep checking back for updates on www.adfga.com. Thanks for visitng and ...Good golfing ! 
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