Survivor Golf

Dave Cameron CEO of Survivor Golf caught up with first-ever female qualifiers Sam Duck and Alisha English after their history-making round at Atherton Golf Club (Qld) to become the first-ever female qualifiers of the event. Sam and Alicia are now off to the finals at the Mirage Country Club Port Douglas on Dec 4^th.

The Drummond Golf Survivor Golf Series is the fastest-growing 2-person Ambrose golf tournament in Australia. Their mission? To make amateur golfers feel like professionals while putting a playful twist on traditional golf. Each year the lucky winning teams from each qualifying event across Australia score their place in the major final in Far North Queensland.

Tell me why you got into Survivor Golf?

Sam

When I first got into Survivor Golf, I was a fairly new player and it presented an exciting opportunity and a different format from any other that I had played so far. I was pretty nervous attending my first event and didn't think I was good enough to be there however Dave and the Survivor Golf team helped settle all those nerves and supported me from start to finish. As Survivor Golf transitioned into the current Ambrose format it turned into an opportunity for me to play in a team with my dad, something that does not occur very often due to a lack of mixed events Australia-wide.

Survivor Golf was an exciting new format that made you want to be a part of something big and take golf to a new level. I knew I wanted to be a part of what Survivor Golf was bringing to the game of golf and have played in numerous events trying to earn a spot in the much sought-after grand final. Survivor Golf makes you want to be the best golfer you can be and brings out the best of you in an event. 

Alicia

The format encourages golfers of all levels to be a part of something special and unique. It brings a different level of excitement to golf in the region. It gives experiences a common interest the opportunity to connect with others and share their experience with like-minded people. While we all want to get out there and play our best golf, we also want to have a laugh with our mates and enjoy the experience. Survivor gives you that opportunity.  

What do you like about the format:

Sam

The Survivor Golf format is open to all amateur golfers with a Golf Australia Handicap which means that you could be playing against anyone from anywhere in Australia, and of any amateur ability. For this reason, it is proving to be the most inclusive golfing event in Australia.   

Alicia

Being a handicapped event and the ability to play from the women’s tees, the format of the event is very inclusive to all genders and skill levels. We wanted to be the first all-female team to qualify for the event and I believe our determination got us over the line. 

As female golfers, do you feel the format and layout of the day is fair and inclusive:

Sam

Absolutely. Survivor Golf takes into account the difference between the red and the white par and adjusts the tee's to reflect this as all players regardless of what tee they play off will be scored the same way.

Alicia

I have played in several Survivor events and first-tee nerves are always present but that makes make the experience so real. You can feed off your nerves and play your heart out. Our tactic going in was to have Sam hit the first shot each time and to make the most of whatever opportunities came our way while still playing smart where we needed to. The highlight of the day was playing in the playoff at our home course, to have the chance at making the grand final. 

Tell us about your Atherton Round with Alicia (tactics, nerves, highlights). 

Alicia and I are Atherton locals and felt confident playing on our home course although, being our home course there was also a lot of pressure for us to do well. As Alicia has more golfing experience than I do, our strategy was that I would go first every time which gave us a great pre-shot routine to follow, something that every golfer knows is a must. Playing in a team is a different kind of pressure as you want to do well not only for yourself but also for your teammate my highlight from the day was when the winning putt dropped in the playoff, and I got to celebrate with Alicia.

How was the Playoff (did it make you feel like professionals)?

Sam

The playoff was one of the most nerve-racking experiences I have ever had. To know what was on the line and to have so many golfers watching your every move truly gave an insight into what the professionals experience on a day-to-day basis. Survivor Golf really does make you feel like a professional!

Alicia

Having to play off against other teams in front of our home crowd was a big thrill. You could feel the support from the crowd barracking for the hometown girls to take the win. We tried our best to focus and stay cool, calm, and collected to stake our claim in the grand final. 

Why should people play survivor golf?

Sam

All golfers should play Survivor Golf if given the opportunity to help narrow the divide between genders on the golf course.

Alicia

Survivor golf is a unique experience for the everyday golfer to feel like a professional for the day. Lasting friendships and memories are made with the opportunity to win awesome prizes and get that all-important spot in the grand final. 

Can you guys win the final?

Sam

Hell yeah, we can! up the Dirty Birdies – The first all-female team to qualify for the Survivor Golf Grand Final. 

Alicia

Our nerves of steel combined with our ability to want to perform under pressure make us hot contenders to take out this year’s Survivor Final. We've had plenty of experience now with Survivor events and want to show the crowd what the Dirty Birdies are made of!