History

What Defines A Duck Hooker?

Let’s be clear it ain’t golf…

It’s almost impossible to recognise with the naked eye unless you too are naked.

So we turn to the PGA for their definition of duck hook and I quote.

Duck Hook: A shot that flies sharply from right to left for right-handed players. It is usually hit unintentionally, since it is difficult to control.

For example: “Kelly hit a duck hook from the tee and the ball flew out of bounds”.

Also Known As: Snap Hook – a particular severe hook.

Duck Hook Tour History

The Duck Hook Professional Golf Association Tour (DH PGA Tour) was founded in 2007 by a group of tear away golfing amateurs with a common desire to form the greatest golfing tour known to man. After putting each other through a rigorous selection process, they all qualified as touring professionals and soon after became the first members of the DH PGA Tour.

Immediately, the tour became a worldwide success with members traveling to all parts of the earth to compete in tournament play. The inaugural tour culminated with the “Open Championship” played at Barnbougle Dunes Tasmania. In a tightly contested tournament, Mr Steven Drew prevailed as the first Open Champion. He was presented with the purple jacket and the coveted Open trophy – “The Claret Cup”.

The Open Championship has traditionally determined who has the right to be crowned The World’s Best Duck Hook Golfer.

In 2008, the tour become a world-wide phenomenon.

The standard of golf combined with the physical prowess of those players on tour lead to a golden era that has not been seen since. As usual, the season culminated in the “Open Championship”at Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania, Australia. In what was to prove to be a nail-biting finish, Mr Greg Sterling prevailed narrowly over his much more fancied rivals to clinch his first coveted ‘Purple Jacket’ and Claret Cup.

Dark days, however, were to follow.

2009 was a very low year for the Duck Hook PGA Tour. Sex scandals and early retirements rocked the tour, and the lack of sponsorship that followed led briefly to its demise. There were many who thought that the tour, and dare I say golf, was dead.

In 2010, the tour reinvented itself.

Under the astute commissionership of Mr Greg Sterling, upon the rolling dunes of the Mornington Peninsula, a tightly contested tournament unfolded. Kelly Macgroarty, the somewhat unorthodox “Craig Stadler” lookalike took out the trophy in what was to be a 17 hole count back. He challenged the victory, but nevertheless was forced to accept his win unopposed! Much discussion was had back in the locker rooms between all travelling professionals after the 2010 Open, which led to a change in rules for the 2011 tour, held at the historical home of the duck hook, Barnbougle Dunes.

Back to the Boug for 2011.

For the first time in touring history, it was decreed that the last runner up was to organise the next year’s tour. At the historical home of the Duck Hook, Steven “Shanks” Drew excelled in difficult conditions to take over as (“The Commish”) commissioner. Matty Kelso, off an “honest 24″, stormed to victory to travel home with the Purple Jacket and Claret Cup.

2012 saw the prestigious tournament return to the Mornington Peninsular.

After a thrilling 4 days of golf, it all came down to the final round, played on “The National”  – a first for the Duck Hook. At the head of the pack, Phil “the pencil” Melksham streaked away, no doubt assisted by some “quirks” in the handicapping system. Steven “sure-shank” Drew had the last runner up position in the bag, admitting defeat after a quadruple bogey on the par 3 11th.

Amid a storm  of controversy, he declared his commissioner’s exemption card, sending a shiver throughout the field. Things were tight with the final four heading down the last fairway. Kelly ‘the walrus” Macgroarty looked to be returning to coveted position after shanking his second,  until Price ‘the iceman” Gallie melted into a puddle of humiliation with a 5 putt from just off the green to finish one shot behind and take over as commissioner for 2013.

2013 brought a new chapter to the tour with a move away from the east coast.

Commish Price Gallie took the bull by the horns and commissioned a new venue and course layout much to the astonishment of some disgruntled club members.

To be continued…