SCGA Team Play
One of the most popular SCGA programs, SCGA Team Play began in 1900 and has grown to include more than 230 clubs and 8,000 participants each year. This competition is open only to regular member clubs maintaining at least one 18-hole golf course of at least 5,000 yards in length. Participating clubs may enter one 16-man team in a Thursday league, a Saturday league, or both, for each qualifying course they maintain. Clubs are arranged in groups of four, and their respective 16-man teams play a series of six home and away matches within their assigned group. All competition includes both single and four-ball match play. Group winners then meet in single elimination play-offs, culminating in an 18-hole championship.
2013 Results
Thurs. Bracket Sat. Bracket
Thurs. Standings Sat. Standings
Photos
After six weeks of regular season action and another month of playoffs, four teams met Sunday at Sandpiper GC in Goleta, Calif. to battle it out for the 2013 SCGA Team Play titles. Antelope Valley CC and Bear Creek GC advanced past 116 other Thursday league clubs to reach the finals, while Fullerton GC and Tijeras Creek GC beat out 175 SCGA clubs to reach the Saturday league finals.
Teams are made up of 16 club members, who each competed in teams of two in the final and also as individuals. Players earned two points for an individual match play win, and two more for a team victory.
Though it came down to the wire, Antelope Valley CC managed to pull out a 26-22 victory over the defending champs to claim the 2013 title. Winning for the first time since 2002, Antelope Valley managed to win just enough of their one-on-one matches to come out on top, winning nine of the 16 individual matches Sunday.
"This is just an incredible feeling," said Team Captain Mike Schafer Sr., who was competing with his two sons. "This is just a great group of guys we have on this team, and I'm so happy they get to enjoy this."
Schafer, who has participated in SCGA Team Play for nearly 40 years, secured two points for his squad by defeating Steve Fillingim of Bear Creek.
Three duos for Antelope Valley managed to sweep their opponents, with each pair picking up the maximum six points for their team. Those duos included John Pryor and Jimmie Jones, Chris Mozee and Thomas Harvey and Tyson Schafer and Jim Erdman.
Antelope Valley navigated its way to the finals by defeating Moorpark CC, Santa Maria CC, Rolling Hills CC and Brentwood CC.
Back in the finals for the second-straight year, Fullerton GC managed to defend its title, defeating Tijeras Creek GC 34-14. In a match-up that was never very close, Fullerton managed to win all eight team matches, making it hard for Tijeras Creek, which was in its first-ever SCGA Team Play final, to put up much of a fight.
Despite the lopsidded score, the duo of John Holt and Dave Skaien was the only Fullerton pairing to collect all six available points. Team Captain Mike Bailey managed to halve his individual match to earn a point for his team, while also teaming up with Brent Kanitra to win the two-point Four-Ball match.
Fullerton defeated Eagle Glen GC, Anaheim GA, Mountain Meadows and Birnam Wood to reach the finals.
The SCGA Rules Crew - Team Play
Addressing a common rules interpretation that often occurs in Team Play matches:
Looking for 2012 results? Click here.