Events - The William Buckley Classic - A social golf event

November 21, 2024

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The William Buckley Classic

The WBC was the first weekend social golf event run by Bushranger Golf open to all golfers to enter. It was an opportunity for mates to get away and have a lash on some great golf courses, playing in a team competition for some fun prizes and a host of bragging rights. In a massive break from tradition, the first event was held on the Mornington Peninsula, far from the spiritual home of Bushranger Golf along the Murray. Thus the WBC began a great new tradition for bushranging in the deep south.

William Buckley Classic Champions

Year	Team	Day One	Day Two	Total	Score	Margin
2022	Michael O'Sullivan & Rob Fuleky	41 points	39 points	80 points	- 8	Playoff
2021	Kirk Hayward & Travis Graham	39 points	43 points	82 points	- 10	Playoff
2020	Ian Steer & Geoffrey Steer	44 points	37 points	81 points	- 9	1 shot
2019	Joe Amenta & Jason Pratt	41 points	36 points	77 points	- 5	1 shot
2018	Andrew Grant & Yvonne Grant	43 points	38 points	81 points	- 9	4 shots
2017	Paul Benson & John Coleman	45 points	41 points	86 points	- 14	4 shots
2016	Richard Fellner & Michael Van Raay	39 points	39 points	78 points	- 6	4 shots
2015	Adam McCaw & Steven Humphries	43 points	35 points	78 points	- 6	2 shots
2014	Nick Mouhtaropoulos & Paul Himarios	43 points	42 points	85 points	- 13	2 shots
2013	Neil Hocking & Gavan Doran	38 points	36 points	78 points	- 2	1 shot
2012	David Warwick & Matthew Pitt	42 points	35 points	77 points	- 5	2 shots
2011	David Warwick & Phil Peacock	44 points	41 points	85 points	- 13	4 shots
2010	Matthew Thomas & Rob Lugton	47 points	33 points	80 points	- 8	1 shot
2009	Michael Mileo & Michael Van Raay	38 points	41 points	79 points	- 7	1 shot
2008	Michael David & Roger Brown	41 points	42 points	83 points	- 11	1 shot
2007	Michael David & Roger Brown	40 points	38 points	78 points	- 6	1 shot
2006	Michael Mileo & Michael Van Raay	41 points	40 points	81 points	- 9	6 shots

The 2021 William Buckley Classic

The 2021 WBC will be held on the weekend of October 23 & 24 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at Barwon Heads Resort with golf on the Beach Course & The Creek Course at 13th Beach Golf Links. To read more about the event, check out the 2021 WBC Webpage. that includes a link to the 2021 WBC Online Booking Page. There will also be an SGA Tour event on with a 12:20 PM two-tee start on Friday October 22 in the afternoon at the superb Lonsdale Links for those who want to extend to a three-day luxury weekend of golf.

The 2020 William Buckley Classic

The 2020 WBC will be held on the weekend of October 24 & 25 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Moonah Links Golf Academy and playing The Legends and The Open Courses at Moonah Links. To read more about the event, check out the 2020 WBC Webpage. that includes a link to the 2020 WBC Online Booking Page. There will also be a BRG Handicap Day on Friday October 23 in the afternoon at The Dunes Golf Links for those who want to extend to a three-day luxury weekend of golf.

The 2019 William Buckley Classic

The 2019 WBC was held on the weekend of November 16 & 17 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at Peppers Resort in Torquay with golf at Anglesea Golf Club and The Sands Torquay. To read more about the event, check out the 2019 WBC Results page.

The 2018 William Buckley Classic

The 2018 WBC was held on the weekend of October 27 & 28 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Moonah Links Golf Academy and playing The Open and The Legends Courses at Moonah Links.To read more about the event, check out the 2018 WBC Results page.

The 2017 William Buckley Classic

The 2017 WBC was held on the weekend of October 21 & 22 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at Barwon Heads Resort with golf on the Beach Course & The Creek Course at 13th Beach Golf Links. To read more about the event, check out the 2017 WBC Results page.

The 2016 William Buckley Classic

The 2016 WBC was held on the weekend of October 22 & 23 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Moonah Links Golf Academy and playing Cape Schanck and Moonah Links (Open Course). To read more about the event, check out the 2016 WBC Results page.

The 2015 William Buckley Classic

The 2015 WBC was held on the weekend of October 24 & 25 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at Barwon Heads Resort with golf on the Beach Course & The Creek Courseat 13th Beach Golf Links. To read more about the event, check out the 2015 WBC Results page.

The 2014 William Buckley Classic

The 2014 WBC was held on the weekend of October 25 & 26 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Moonah Links Golf Academy and playing Moonah Links (Legends Course) and St. Andrews Beach. To read more about the event, check out the 2014 WBC Results page. There was also be an SGA Tour (Vic) event (co-sanctioned as a BRG Handicap Day) on Friday October 24 from 1:00pm at Wodlands Golf Club.

The 2013 William Buckley Classic

The 2013 WBC was held on the weekend of October 26 & 27 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at Peppers Resort in Torquay with golf on the Beach Course at 13th Beach and The Sands Torquay. To read more about the event, check out the 2013 WBC Results page. There was also be an SGA Tour (Vic) event on Friday October 25 from 1:00pm at the magnificent Barwon Heads Golf Club.

The 2012 William Buckley Classic

The 2012 WBC was held on the weekend of October 20 & 21 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Moonah Links Golf Academy. To read more about the event, check out the 2012 WBC Results page. There was also be an SGA Tour (Vic) event (co-sanctioned as a BRG Handicap Day) on Friday October 19 from 12:00pm at Moonah Links (Open Course).

The 2011 William Buckley Classic

The 2011 WBC was held on the weekend of October 22 & 23 on the Bellarine Peninsula and staying on-course at the wonderful Hawthorn Suites at 13th Beach Golf Links. To read more about the event, check out the the 2011 WBC Results page. There was also be an SGA Tour (Vic) event (co-sanctioned as a BRG Handicap Day) on Friday October 21 from 1:00pm at the magnificent Barwon Heads Golf Club.

The 2010 William Buckley Classic

The 2010 WBC was on the weekend of October 23 & 24 on the Mornington Peninsula and staying at the Nepean Country Club. 2010 saw a format change with one round played as Four Ball Better Ball. On Saturday we played 4BBB stableford at St. Andrews Beach Golf Links and on Sunday we played the traditional 2-Ball Ambrose Stableford at Cape Schanck. To read more about the event, check out the 2010 WBC Results page. There was also be an SGA Tour (Vic) event (co-sanctioned as a BRG Handicap Day) on Friday October 22 from midday at Moonah Links (Open Course).

The 2009 William Buckley Classic

The 2009 WBC was held on the weekend of October 24 & 25 at Murrangurk's spiritual home at Barwon Heads on the super courses at the 13th Beach Golf Links and staying on course at the lush Hawthorn Suites. A Handicap Day was held on Friday October 23 from 11:50am at 13th Beach for the early starters. To read more about the event, check out the 2009 WBC Results page. Below are the 2009 champions Kingo and Seve celebrating their win at the presentation.

The 2008 William Buckley Classic

The 2008 WBC was held on the weekend of October 25 & 26 on the Mornington Peninsula. We played Cape Schanck on Saturday and Moonah Links Legends Course on Sunday and stayed on-course at Cape Schanck at the wonderful Sunset Views Lodge. A Handicap Day was played on Friday October 24 from midday at The Dunes Golf Links. To read all about what happened, check out the 2008 WBC Results page. Below are the first ever back-to-back champions in BRG history: Arbeige & Mikey Dee - 2007 & 2008 WBC Champions - both times winning by a single shot.

The 2007 William Buckley Classic

The second WBC was held on the weekend of Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th of August 2007. The venue was the 36-hole 13th Beach Golf Links, a boomerang chuck from one of Buckley's regular hangouts in Barwon Heads. We stayed in on-course accommodation in the charming Hawthorn Suite apartments, each with two bedrooms and fully serviced kitchens. Click here for the 2007 William Buckley Classic results page with all the event details and links to the tournament program and the photo galleries. Below are the 2007 Champions, Arbeige & Mikey Dee.

The 2006 William Buckley Classic

The inaugural William Buckley Classic was held on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th of August 2006. The venues were the Open Course at Moonah Links and The Eagle Ridge Golf Course. Click here for the 2006 WBC Results page with all the details and links to the tournament program and the photo galleries. Below we see the 2006 Champions, Seve & Da King, proudly displaying the Murrangurk Perpetual Trophy.

Buckley's Beers sponsor the William Buckley Classic!

Bushranger Golf is proud to announce that Buckley's Beers, named after the indomitable William Buckley himself, has partnered with BRG to sponsor the William Buckley Classic. Buckley's Beers is a microbrewery based in Healesville that produces half a dozen boutique brews all bearing the Buckley name and they will be the exclusive beer supplier to the 2008 WBC.

To sample their beers, check out the list of over 100 outlets that stock Buckley's Beers or Contact Us to book your ticket now for what will be a ripping WBC in 2008.

Who was William Buckley?

William Buckley was born in Cheshire, England, in 1780. A bricklayer by trade, he joined the army and fought as one of the King's Own Regiment against Napoleon's forces in the Netherlands. He was convicted of receiving stolen cloth in 1802, was sentenced to transportation to Australia for 14 years and was among 300 prisoners sent out in 1803 to establish the first settlement on Victoria's Port Phillip near what is now Sorrento.

Buckley and five others escaped in late December 1803 with the aim of getting to Sydney. Alas, they went the wrong way, almost circled Port Phillip Bay and ended up at Clifton Springs on the Bellarine Peninsula. Due to the harsh terrain and lack of food, Buckley's companions decided to return to the settlement and give themselves up. But not the determined Buckley. It was the last time any white man would see of him for 32 years.

A powerful man standing nearly 6'6" (200 cm), Buckley pressed on along the coast to Breamlea, Torquay, Anglesea and Aireys Inlet. His first permanent resting place was near Mount Defiance (between Lorne & Apollo Bay) where he found an abundance of shellfish, edible vegetation and natural cover. It was here that his contact with the Aborigines began. Fortunately for Buckley, the tribe that he encountered believed that white people were Aborigines who had come back from the dead.

For the next three decades Buckley wandered extensively throughout the region, living much of the time with locals who took him in as one of their own and taught him to hunt and live as they did. Most of his years on the run were spent around what is now Geelong, through the Otway Ranges and along the coast near Barwon Heads. On 7 July 1835, Buckley wandered into a camp of John Batman’s party and reacquainted himself with European society.

The man who became known as “The Wild White Man" was the first European to walk the bush on both sides of Port Phillip Bay, living off the land and on the run from the law. The local tribes knew him as Murrangurk. On his travels he had picked up a spear from a grave site to use as a walking stick. This spear had belonged to the aboriginal Murrangurk. The locals believed Buckley to be their own Murrangurk, reincarnated as a white man. The name Murrrangurk has also come to mean 'back from the dead'.

Some places around the Geelong region now carry Buckley's name, including Buckley Falls on the Barwon River and a small settlement about 30km out of Geelong. Given that our determined Bushrangers regularly ingratiate themselves with the locals on our trips and that this tournament will be played on courses on both sides of the bay, we think it is fitting that the event be named after the classically enigmatic outlaw, William Buckley.

The Event Format

Given the story of William Buckley, the Classic is a two-man team event played on the great courses surrounding Port Phillip Bay along the route of Buckley's travels. The format of the event is two-man ambrose stableford. The teams of pairs play two-ball ambrose and accumulate stableford points for the the 36 holes over two days. The event format (combining the skills of two players together in a team) is intended to reflect the story of the two men, Buckley and Murrangurk, from two distinct cultures, drawn together by fate and having their identities and their stories intertwine. It was fitting that the inaugural Classic was held on the Mornington Peninsula near Sullivans Bay where Buckley escaped in 1803. In 2007, we will head west to some of the sultry layouts that lurk beyond Her Majesty's Barwon Prison.

The Murrangurk Perpetual Trophy

The winners of the William Buckley Classic have their names inscribed on, and get to keep, the magnificent Murrangurk Perpetual Trophy (below) until the next staging of the event.

The trophy was created by Bushranger Golf member Roger Brown (aka Arbeige). Roger also built The Bushranger Cup and The EO Melbourne Golf Challenge Perpetual Trophy. If you are interested in having a customised trophy built for your event, don't hesitate to Contact Us to discuss a unique Arbeige creation.