RAF-ACC Challenge Trophy
A SHORT ACCOUNT OF THE 25 YEAR HISTORY OF THE RAF v ACC CHALLENGE TROPHY (1979-2004)
Dating back to 1978, the original idea for the RAF v Tactical Air Combat (TAC) Challenge Cup – later to become the RAF v Air Combat Command (ACC) Challenge Cup - was the brainchild of Gp Capt Harry Archer, the then Chairman of the RAFGA. He had enjoyed a “hardship” exchange tour in the USA and, as a consequence, when it was proposed that the RAFGA should undertake an overseas tour, he immediately suggested that the States was the ideal place to go. There followed numerous correspondence between the RAFGA President, Air Chief Marshal Sir Peter Terry, and General Wilbur ‘Bill’ Creech, the then Tactical Air Command (TAC) commander. Creech AFB on the outskirts of Las Vegas is named after General Creech who is considered the Father of the Thunderbirds for his early support of the programme. It was agreed that a 14-man RAFGA side would conduct a 2-week tour in 1979, with Macdill AFB (Tampa, Florida), being chosen as the first venue. Macdill was to become a fine example of many memorable visits either side of the Atlantic.
Air Cdre Peter Scott led the first RAF team with General Bob Russ, later to become TAC commander, heading the USAF team. As becoming their status, the RAF team arrived in style as their President had arranged for a personal VC-10 aircraft to transport the side, leaving RAF Brize Norton with snow on the ground, flagging Bermuda for gin and tonics and finally arriving in the glorious Florida sunshine. The TAC team produced not only an excellent golf team but also a conjuror of amazing skill called Tom Portanova whose name is part of the folklore of this event. Colonel Tom retired from the USAF and sadly died in 1998 but not before he generously donated the Portanova Trophy to the RAFGA. The Portanova Trophy continues to be competed for at every RAF Championships and is awarded to the best placed Under 25-year old. Not only did Tom levitate an attractive Protocol Officer at a banquet at Kingsmill, he also broke the windscreen of an innocent passer-by at Langley who, by chance, was twice the size of Mike Tyson and just as menacing! The RAF contribution to affairs was to introduce the TAC team to 3 crates of Glenfiddich they had brought with them and to demonstrate that drink can be enjoyed without ice. The Glenfiddich Trophy was introduced as a fundamental part of proceedings thereafter. The next 25 years saw annual tours alternating on either side of the pond which resulted in some very strong friendships being forged within an intensely competitive golf arena.
It should be noted that between 1979 and 1992 the American team was generated from personnel within the Tactical Air Command (TAC), a Major USAF Command (one level down from the highest Command, HQ Air Force), which was based in Langley AFB, Virginia. After no competition in 1993, the team became the Air Combat Command (ACC) team in 1994 after the TAC’s personnel and function were subsumed within the ACC in 1992.
The format of the 2-week tour became standardised with 3 main scratch competitions being played for. These were:
The RAF-ACC Challenge Trophy
The ‘Main Event’ – the RAF-ACC Challenge Trophy was played over 3 separate days, not necessarily consecutively, at the same venue. Each team had a squad of 14 x golfers, with 12 nominated for each 18-hole match.
This format generated an available total of 42 points from which 21½ represented the lowest winning score possible.
Between 1979 and 1992 the format of the RAF-TAC Challenge Trophy was 72-hole team Medal. Upon resumption of the competition in 1994 (following the missed 1993 competition when the TAC was otherwise occupied transitioning to the ACC), the format changed to a ‘Ryder Cup’ style matchplay event.
The Serco Cup
The Serco Cup is was a single round event at a different venue than that of the RAF-ACC Challenge with each team fielding all 14 of its nominated players in a 4-Ball Better-Ball. Of the 7 pairs in each team, only the best 5 scores were counted.
- Between 1984 and 1999 (inclusive) it was known as the Anheuser Cup.
- Between 2000 and 2002 (inclusive) it was known as the Allied Domecq Cup.
Archer-Portanova Cup
The Archer-Portanova Cup was the same format as the Serco Cup and was played at a different course to the ones where the RAF-ACC Challenge and the Anheuser/Famous Grouse/Allied Domecq were played.
The other days of the 2-week tour incorporated a number of friendly matches between the RAF and USAF and also the host golf clubs. Inevitably some amount of sight-seeing was also accommodated into the programme.
All the Venues & Full Results from the Competition....
Points of Note:
- 1986 was the first year in which a visiting team (TAC) won on away soil, which they did on 3 occasions (1986, 1992 and 1995) compared to the RAF’s one successful away victory in 1994 at Langley.
- 1988 was the first year in which a team (RAF) won a clean-sweep of all 3 major trophies which they repeated in 1990, 1999 and 2001. Despite having the better overall record for RAF-ACC Challenge victories (ACC 15, RAF 10), the TAC/ACC achieved only one white-wash (2004).
Unfortunately following the 2004 tour to Nellis AFB, unlike the RAF which maintained good sponsorship links, the ACC came under severe financial pressures. Their funding came through their welfare department and, following a review of what that welfare pot supported, it was decided that the money spent of sending 14 golfers to the UK for 2 weeks could be better spent on more deserving causes and therefore funding support for the competition was withdrawn. For both the USAF and the RAF, operational commitments to Iraq were peaking, Afghansitan was an increasingly large burden and, for both sides, it was very difficult to get players off work for 2-weeks to play golf. As a consequence, the competition was not held in 2005 and has never resumed and, unfortunately, this situation is unlikely to change in the immediate future given the complete dependency on obtaining sponsorship to finance the event.
The RAF-ACC Challenge saw a phenomenal number of excellent golf courses being played – including Kingsmill, Doral & Ocean Reef, Deer Run and Cypress Creek in the States and St Andrews, Carnoustie, Gleneagles, Royal Troon, Nairn West, Moray, Formby, Royal Liverpool, Royal Lytham & St Annes, Fulford, Moortown and Woodhall Spa in the UK. Over the years, many lasting friendships developed and the golf always proved to be highly competitive. Great sportsmanship was fundamental to the event, thousands of stories and great camaraderie were formed. The memories of the RAF-ACC Challenges through the 80’s, 90’s and into the 21st Century almost certainly form the best golfing memories of all the players privileged enough to be able to participate.
PHOTOS TO FOLLOW....
Words: Neil Flather