Fore! Meet the Balcatta dads representing WA at the Aus’/NZ indoor golf championship next week

With the Olympics done and dusted for another four years, it’s time to get around some new sporting heroes, and we think we’ve found just the fellas.

Four dads from Balcatta will be heading to Geelong next week for the 12th annual X-League Championship by X-Golf, representing Western Australia while vying for a chance at golfing glory.

Aged 45 to 61, Dave Ritchie, John Keery, Hurley Waterson and Hamish Boyce’s dedication to a weekly hit has paid off, as they vie for the title of the Pacific’s best after qualifying as finalists among 48 other WA teams.

“Let’s face it, at 60 there aren’t many national competitions we get to play in, so we really intend to make the best of this whole experience and above all, have fun!” says Ritchie.

“We’ve gone from never playing to finalists in the Championships, so we’re very excited and glad to be a part of it.”

They’ll be competing against teams from Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, Tasmania, Victoria and New Zealand at the championship over the weekend of August 24-25, with the winners scoring a major prize that includes a golf trip to Barnbougle Dunes in Tasmania, Ping golfing equipment and more.

The Balcatta blokes go by the team name Carpark Warriors, taking on the likes Dude Where’s My Par (Tasmania), The Three Stooges (NSW) and Chunky Monkeys from New Zealand.

They’ll also be following in the footsteps of last year’s champions, Team Schwifty, foom X-Golf Balcatta.

Over 3.5 million Aussies played some form of golf last year, and indoor golf’s popularity continues to rise, including the most recent opening of an X-Golf on Stirling Highway in Nedlands.

Australia’s eSports market is expected to reach a value of $294 billion this year.

Get all the latest at xgolf.com.au/x-league/national-championships.

Image Credit: L-R Dave Ritchie, John Keery, Hurley Waterson (we assume Hamish took the photo!)