The Masters has come and gone.
Jon Rahm from Spain prevailed in what is the first of four major championships in the world of men’s golf.
The next three majors are in the upcoming three months.
The second major is the PGA Championship in New York from May 15-21 followed by the United States Open in Los Angeles from June 15-18.
Then it’s across the Atlantic Ocean to England for the last of the majors, The Open Championship from July 17-23.
These four tournaments are considered the mosts presti-
gious in men’s golf mainly because of the great history behind them.
But, oddly enough, they are not the richest.
The Masters last month carried a total purse of $US18 million but there are at least 11 other tournaments on the PGA Tour that have more prizemoney.
This year’s richest event is the Players’ Championship which is sometimes referred to as the fifth major.
The Players’ was held in Florida in March and was worth $US25 million. The winner was Scottie Scheffler and he earned $US4.5 million. That’s about $NZ7.3 million.
The remaining three majors
will probably all be worth $US15 million each. The purses for those tournaments are usually not confirmed until the week of each event.
So while the four majors are not the richest tournaments in the world they are the ones that are the most desired by the players and the fans. Players dream of winning a major. Fans plan their golf trips around them. With that in mind, imagine how Rahm must have felt after his win at Augusta National last month. It was his second major win following victory in the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines in California.
Little wonder that among Rahm’s opening comments afterwards was: “Hard to put it
into words.”
The emotion was ramped up by the fact that Rahm became the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters. The previous are Seve Ballesteros (who won in 1980 and 1983), Jose Maria Olazabal (1994 and 1999) and Sergio Garcia (2017).
Ballesteros is the most famous of Spanish golfers and this was not lost on Rahm.
“This one was for Seve,’’ Rahm said. “He was up there helping, and help he did.”
From a New Zealand angle, Ryan Fox did not disappointment. He finished 26th despite not being in his best health. He earned $US147,000 ($NZ239,000) and nearly got a hole in one.
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Sam Jones posted his second win on the Charles Tour when taking out the Muriwai Open in Auckland in a playoff last month.
Jones beat Josh Geary on the second extra hole after starting the final day of the Autex-sponsored event two shots behind him.
Jones, from the Manaia Golf Club in south Taranaki, knew he needed to hang tough on the final day that presented the same easterly gusts that challenged the players all week.
The 26-year-old amateur opened with even par on the front nine, making a bogey at the tough par four fourth and a birdie at the par three eighth.
Jones was clinical during his closing nine, making seven pars and two birdies to catch Geary after regulation play at nine under par, meaning a playoff was needed to separate the pair.
Both bogeyed the first extra hole, but it was Jones who was able to shake that off and make a solid par on the second playoff hole to get the job done.
He said it was incredible to get over the line a second time on New Zealand’s professional tour after his first win in the Carrus Open in Tauranga last year.
“I was thinking this morning about how well the Golf New Zealand national academy has performed in these
events over the last couple of years and I wanted to be the first to win two of these,’’ Jones said.
“Obviously, Kazuma (Kobori), Mako (Thompson), and Jimmy (Hydes) have won one, but to get two is just incredible.”
Jones stood on the 16th hole two shots behind Geary with three holes to play but never stopped believing as the closing stretch at Muriwai Golf Links could trip up anyone.
Jones calmly rolled in a 10 foot birdie
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but on 16 to reduce the deficit to one and parred the final two to tie the lead.
Prior to the tournament, Jones had not broken 70 around the tough Muriwai Links. He believed he was a much better player now and said sticking to his solid game plan was the key to putting himself in the mix once again.
“With these finishing holes, anything can happen,’’ he said.
“I just stuck to my game plan and hit irons on both the par fives on the back
nine and laid my second up on 14 as I have the entire week. I just tried to keep the ball in front of me and avoid trouble where I could.
“I made a great par on 15, rolled in a nice birdie on 16, and unfortunately, Geary missed a couple coming in. That’s the reality of it -- it was tough putting in the wind but thankfully, I was able to get the job done.”
Jones also says the winning feeling this time feels a lot different to his first, although both victories had their own weather challenges.
“The first one, I was three clear playing the last, so I felt as though I had that one sealed. This one was a lot closer but I feel like I stole it a bit because I was a couple back with three holes to play. I just told myself that I had nothing to lose; that was my mindset in the playoff. I’m stoked to get it done.”
Geary still takes home the winners cheque as he finished as the leading professional. Momoka Kobori finished as the leading woman two shots back at seven under, tied with James Tauariki.
The Charles Tour, sponsored by Jennian Homes, takes a break over winter. The Christies Floorings Mount Open in Tauranga is the next event at the end of September.
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Zack Swanwick has become just the third New Zealander to hold the titles of the New Zealand Age Group Championship and the Australian Junior Amateur Championship at the same time.
Swanwick took out the New Zealand event at the Pukekohe Golf Club in Auckland last September and completed the trans-Tasman double in Tasmania last month.
The previous two golfers to achieve the same double were Tyler Hodge from Levin and Daniel Hillier from Wellington.
Swanwick, 17, from Napier Golf Club, began the final round in Tasmania with a three-shot lead and closed with a two-under par 70 to win by four shots. He was never headed on the final day.
The bonus of the win was that it earned Swanwick a start on the big stage against professionals in the Australian Open in Sydney in December.
That achievement probably had not sunk in when it was mentioned to Swanwick.
“I’ve been told that. I’m pretty happy about it,” Swanwick told Martin Blake of Golf Australia.
Looking further ahead, Swanwick is going to the United States next year for a golf scholarship at the University of Florida.
Swanwick admitted to great relief
after the Tasmania win even though he was not seriously challenged in his final round.
“All the stress has gone now,” he said. “I can finally breathe.”
Swanwick’s only challenger was Kai Komulainen of Queensland who was playing in the same group, both boys making eagle at the par five 13th hole to separate themselves from the rest
of the field.
At one point on the back nine the margin was just two shots, but the New Zealander proved steadier down the stretch, and when he saw a leaderboard on the 18th tee, he realised that he was four shots ahead of Komulainen. A tee shot inside two-metres at the par three 18th helped his nerves.
“That kind of sealed the deal,” he
said.
“I was just out there having fun this week. If I’m not having fun, I get too stressed. So I think the key for me was that I was able to enjoy it and take in the nice weather.”
Swanwick had scores of 72, 67, 65 and 70 which were enough for an emphatic win from Western Australia’s Joseph Buttress, who flew home with a 69 to finish second at 10 under par. Komulainen finished third at nine under par.
Meanwhile in the women’s competition, Eunseo Choi from New Zealand finished second to 15-year-old AnnJang from Sydney, who emigrated from South Korea with her family when she was 11.
Jang’s scores of 71, 67, 73 and 72 put her at nine under par overall but it was not until the final hole, the par three 18th, that she knew she had the championship in her keeping. Choi was four shots adrift at five under par after bogeying the 18th.
Said Jang: “I knew that I had the lead, but I was nervous right to the last hole.
“It feels unreal. It’s so exciting. I’m so happy. There was a bit of pressure because she (Choi) is so good. But I tried to do what I needed to do, stay focussed on my ball and not on the score.”
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going to have a review and it remains to be seen if we go to 24 or even 36 holes.
“The feedback I received from the Australians was very positive and they had a terrific time. They have a lot of events in Australia although I haven’t played in any.
“We went a little overboard. We had a nine-year-old piper and as he was piping the beginning of the opening ceremony all the Australians arrived in virtually 100 year old cars. We had three American cars. One was a Dodge.”
Who actually runs the event?
“The original committee was three of us but we have now expanded it to five. The original mover and shaker was Stu Upton, a member at Rawhiti. He actually has more than 40 sets of hickory clubs which he supplied for the event and will supply to anyone who wants to rent them.
By Neville IdourSir Bob Charles will never die wondering.
This remarkable New Zealander won the 2023 Golf Warehouse New Zealand Hickory Open at the Christchurch Golf Club last month just before his 87th birthday.
Just a month earlier he had landed his first hole in one at his home Shirley Links course in Christchurch.
Charles was happy to talk about the event, its origins and how the New Zealand event came about.
How many played in the event?
“We had over 50 but it was somewhat disappointing. We were catering for 80, but Golf New Zealand let us down.”
How?
“They did not provide all the clubs in New Zealand information on the event and date. I am personally disappointed in Golf NZ not advertising it. These days it is very easy to advertise on the internet I believe.’’
Did they not send a poster out to clubs?
“They were supposed to but it didn’t happen. When I was at Millbrook for the New Zealand Open I was speaking with the general manager of Hokowhitu Golf Club in Palmerston North and he knew nothing about it. All clubs should have known about it before the NZ Open.
“It is going to become an annual event at a similar date around midMarch. It has now become a three-day event beginning on Friday. The main 12 hole event was on the Sunday afternoon. The first event last year was a nine hole event. We were able to play the 12 holes this year without crossing the road which worked out very well.”
Charles then explained the origins of the event.
“This actually goes back to the first ever Open Championship at Prestwick in Scotland which was a 12 hole course. This was 150 years ago and they played three times round the 12 hole course in one day.
“So the first Open was 36 holes with eight players. We are giving it the original Scottish flair with the 12 holes. Next year it will be at least 12 holes but we are
“Now we have Peter Van Ecklund, a committee member at the Christchurch Golf Club who has set himself up parttime with a workshop where he works on hickory clubs which he imports from all over the world. So we now have these two talented clubmakers.”
So these clubs are available for the event?
“Yes, you don’t need your own clubs. We hire them out although the Australians brought their own clubs as can anyone who has a set.”
What about the hole names at St Andrews?
“All the holes on the old course have names. One of them, I think four is called the Ginger Beer hole. The reason it was called that was in old Tom Morris’ day there was a cart on the hole which dispensed ginger beer which was visible. But hidden away underneath was whisky and milk. So we replicated the ginger beer cart and put it on top of the hill at the pagoda where the third, ninth and 17th tees are.
“So the ginger beer and milk were dispensed and I suspect (chuckle) the whisky as well. So going back 150 years
to Scotland is really the theme of the event.
“What we did impressed the Australians so much that all the visitors have said they will be back next year. Not only themselves but they will be spreading the word around Australia. So we are hoping for a bigger and brighter future for hickory golf here at the Christchurch Golf Club.
“It is all very exciting and when I was at St Andrews for The Open last year I went into St Andrews Golf and they manufacture replicas of wooden shafted clubs so I ordered a set. Peter Ecklund modified the irons for me so I have a cleek, special mashie, a mashie and a niblick and a putter. I also have a driver which I enjoy (see photo), meaning I only play with six clubs and this is the great thing about hickory golf … you don’t need 14 clubs. You invent shots, you play half shots and three quarter shots.
“The interesting thing is the club I use as a driver is actually a brassie which has a little bit more loft than a driver and I would say I hit it within 10 yards of my graphite shafted driver (see photo).
“One hundred and fifty years ago the caddies carried the few clubs under his arm. Today the members at Christ-
church have a pencil bag and carry the clubs which may include a spoon (fairway wood). I didn’t use one.”
Charles backed up his words with his win. Even more so as the oldest player in the field. Sandy Lyle is the only other major champion to win a hickory open making an exclusive pair. The field was a strong one including several experienced hickory players from Australia and around New Zealand. Alan Grieve from Brisbane was a former US Hickory Open champion.
Charles won the title from 51-yearold Mark Lawson, the Christchurch club course superintendant. Charles was one shot ahead playing the final hole. Charles struck a long drive followed by a pin point mashie to three feet from the flag. Lawson also played two good shots to leave a two metre birdie putt he knew had to be made to apply any pressure on Charles. He narrowly missed then surprisingly Charles missed his birdie putt for the one shot win.
The New Zealand Hickory Foursomes Championship was played in the morning before the singles. Richard Reid and the youngest player in the field Canterbury representative Catherine Bell won with a score of 51. Charles and Geoff Saunders finished third with 53.
It was a wonderful and spectacular day with players dressed for the occasion. There was even a large gallery watching the action. Players looked resplendent in plus fours, ties and caps while many of the spectators were in keeping with their tweed, waistcoats and the flat caps typical of the hickory era. The women likewise looked quite the part in their flowing ankle length skirts and bonnets. There were even kilts to be seen at the prizegiving.
Hickory golf is all about golf’s beginnings where technology was a thing of the future and shotmaking was inventive and adaptive. Many people today believe the reliance on technology has reduced the traditional skills of golf and Bob Charles is the perfect example of a golfer who highlights that with his superb skill undiminished.
Golfer Pacific was privileged to spend some considerable time with Sir Bob Charles discussing all things golf and we hope readers enjoy the results of that discussion.
We kicked off discussing his pre-covid comments that golf numbers were falling. However that is now not the case with numbers growing significantly since covid began.
Charles agreed: “That is mainly a result of covid anyway. People were shut up inside. They couldn’t get outside and realised what they were missing and now they are making up for lost time.”
Charles has said he would like to rejuvenate the game of golf because of the problems he sees. It is too costly, takes too long and is too difficult.
He then adds: “While we can’t control the cost we can control the speed of play. A huge majority of golfers are using tees which do not complement their ability. They should be using forward tees, therefore shorter golf courses, so will play a round more quickly. I would like to see three to three and a half hour rounds of golf rather than four to four and a half hour rounds.”
Charles then told of a South African friend who flew to the United States on a trip of a lifetime to play the iconic Pebble Beach.
“By the time he reached the 14th or 15th holes the round had taken six hours. So fed up he never even played the last few holes. What a sad situation for the game of golf.
“People these days are time poor and don’t have enough time for some activities. A case in point is the Christchurch Golf Club where many women are using the white tees and many men the blue tees.
“The average male player should be using the white tees. Some should also be using the red tees. As for the women, only the long hitters or low handicappers should be using the white tees. The rest should be using the red tees. Of course it is not happening.”
Charles next came up with something very game changing.
“I would like to see six sets of tees on most golf courses although for some shorter courses that may not be possible or necessary. But for six tees you could have tees at 6500 metres, 6100, 5630, 5170, 4600 and 3900 metres. So this is a formula or guideline I have worked out that
could be used not only in New Zealand but throughout the world. However, I am not suggesting it to be specific but as a guideline.”
Charles then talked about simplifying the game.
“The world is too complicated compared to when I started playing so shorter tees will simplify the game as also will ready golf. I am a great believer if you are ready then play your shot. The rule book and some of the rules of golf are a turnoff. They are time consuming.
“My other pet peeve is I don’t believe you should be able to play a provisional ball. If you hit it into a water hazard you should take a drop next to it. Out of bounds I don’t believe in going back to the tee. You should be able to take a drop adjacent to where it went out of bounds for a one shot penalty not two. If you are not a good bunker player you could have the choice to drop out of the bunker for a one shot penalty. All of these things would save time.
“When I went to St Andrews in 1958 they had a course marshal and you were expected to finish within three and a half hours. What is happening now? The Open Championship at St Andrews last year, on the first two days, it took six hours for the final group to finish.
“On the LPGA Tour they are taking five and a half hours to play. I think it is inexcusable. We need more marshals and more severe penalties for slow play. First a warning then a shot or shots penalty. Finally disqualification. The officials are not tough enough with slow play. So, we need to simplify the game for the future which will make the game more attractive.”
We next talked about the length of courses and holes. We mentioned the driveable par fours in recent tournaments which seemed to provide a variety of outcomes and were not necessarily easy.
Charles responds: “My philosophy in course design and the end result should be that all golf courses should have a driveable par four on each nine which would be ideal. The same with par fives. If there are four par fives, two should be unreachable if possible and two reachable. The same with par threes. One at 180 metres, 165, 145 and 130 metres and that is off the back tees.”
It is pertinent to mention that the metre distances quoted here are at odds with Charles as they have been converted
reasonably closely from his use of yards in all of the foregoing measurements. Charles points out that when you watch television, the United States and the United Kingdom still use yards.
“All my calculations are done in yards. Metres are a foreign language I know nothing about (much laughter).”
With the par three measurements varied, a variety of clubs can be used.
“My other concern, and I am glad to see the USGA (United States Golf Association) and Royal and Ancient are looking at the distance the golf ball goes now. I have been saying for quite a while now they have to restrict the performance of the golf ball.
“Not only myself but some of my contemporaries like Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player are saying the same thing. A ball could be produced that will not go further than 260 metres even for Tiger Woods or Bryson de Chambeau. Even 240 metres would be better. Do that and you don’t need to lengthen holes with longer tees. You can even have shorter tees and even in championships you may be looking at a maximum of four hour rounds.”
Charles then put me on the spot when asking me what the average club used on a par four for the second shot was on the PGA Tour. I suggested a nine iron and got it right.
Then Charles offered some real insights into his clear thinking on the game for every golfer.
“How would you enjoy your golf, and I know I would enjoy my golf, if my average second shot on a par four was a nine iron. Wouldn’t the whole world of golfers enjoy that? It doesn’t happen because most people are using the wrong tees, the golf courses are too long.
“In my opinion technology and the manufacturers are destroying the game of golf.”
Charles makes the point: “The cricket ball hasn’t changed over the years nor has the tennis ball. In 1968 Nicklaus was the longest hitter at 250 metres and I was always about 30 metres less than Jack, whereas today the average is 280 metres.”
Of course the longest hitters are frequently over 300 metres and sometimes up to 350 metres.
“St Andrews would be a much better course played with a reduced performance ball. When I first went there the tees were beside or in front of the greens. You didn’t have to walk far. Now you might go back 50 to 100
yards.”
“I have strong views having been in the game for over 70 years and my contemporaries would back me up. The performance of the ball is destroying the game that I know, knew and loved so much in my younger days.”
What courses in New Zealand does Charles prefer?
“Links style golf with no trees and no rough. That is what I love. You have waste areas which take over the rough …. and with waste areas you don’t lose your golf ball because you can see it. You shouldn’t need rough to make a golf course difficult. The courses at Tara Iti are a good example.
“Here at Clearwater (where he lives) there is not too much rough but a predominance of water which is the challenge. Losing your ball in rough is a turnoff in golf. Narrow fairways are another turnoff. Also, in bunkers grounding the club should be okay as long as you don’t improve the lie.”
We asked Charles about his own game now.
“I reluctantly play the blue tees at Christchurch Golf Club (Shirley) but I play the white tees at Clearwater. I will play a course at around 5650 metres maximum where I can reach par
fours in two shots. I struggle to reach a hole of 400 metres. Anything longer is a par five for me. My drives now go around 180 metres.”
He also revealed the ball he now uses. He said he used to use the Titleist ProV1 but now uses the Titleist Tru Soft. I asked why and he held both balls at waist height then dropped them on hard floor. Hey presto the soft ball bounced considerably higher. I have tried another brand of soft ball and it bounced even higher. The point? The soft ball should give more distance on a firm fairway.
Ego plays a part in many people’s games today?
“I accept that a game today is going to take four hours or so, but that is because most players are using the wrong tees which are not compatible with their game. Some are happy hitting three shots to par fours and two shots to par threes. Doesn’t make sense. However, my ideal world with six tees may be too expense and work time.”
Finally we talked about the changing face of golf today with the advent of LIV Golf. Charles was certainly concerned and saddened by developments and would like to see an end to the ongoing friction — and who would disagree?
Star Canterbury amateur golfer Kazuma Kobori stunned a strong field at the Moonah Links Open Course, Melbourne, in winning the Q school final in a playoff with Chris Crabtree (Queensland).
With his win Kobori now has a best category card for the Australasian Tour in the 2023/2024 season along with four other Kiwis.
Playing together in the final round, Crabtree had a one shot lead. It was toe for toe until Crabtree had a handy two shot lead with three holes to play. However there was a two shot swing on the 16th where Crabtree bogeyed and Kobori birdied. They both finished par, birdie and 11 under par.
They headed back to the 18th hole for the playoff and the 21-year-old Kobori, the Australian Amateur champion, again birdied the par five to
take the win. However as Kobori is an amateur the $10,000 winner’s cheque went to Crabtree.
Big opportunities lie ahead for Kobori who will head to the United States in June where he will compete in the
major amateur events there. Following that he will represent New Zealand at the Eisenhower Trophy in mid-October then return to Australia for the Asia Pacific Amateur Championships at Royal Melbourne.
A win would open the door for a start at both The Masters and The Open which he would find hard to pass up if he turned professional after these events, which he will do if those opportunities do not eventuate. Following in
the footsteps of older sister Momoka, he feels he will be ready for the professional ranks when the time comes, especially given his success in professional events to date.
A winner of the 2019 New Zealand PGA Championship, when just 17, a sixth placing at the recent New Zealand Open, fourth at the New Zealand PGA Championship and a Charles Tour win under his belt, a successful professional golf career appears to be beckoning.
It was an outstanding week for the Kiwi contingent. The four other Kiwis who finished in the top 30 and earned their cards were ;
Kazuma Kobori’s scores 69, 69, 70 and 69 for -11.
Sung Jin Yeo third with 76, 70, 64 and 68. -10. nWon $A4000.
Kit Bittle fourth with 68, 69, 70 and 74. -7. Won $A3000. Rhys Thomas sixth with 70, 70, 71 and 72. -5. Won $A500. Tyler Wood 27th.
an
walk with just a few short uphill walks to some elevated tees. The “Cliffs” form the back drop to teeing off on hole number two, ten, and eleven and the area around the 14th Hole is one of the most picturesque on the course.We have a booking system usually used by large groups but for anybody else
member or casual golfer), just turn up, pay and play.
Fox nearly made his hole-in-one. I walked all the holes, and believe me, there are a lot of ups and downs -overall, it’s a long walk. I also walked nine holes with Fox on the Friday morning when he wasn’t feeling well. What a roller coaster. I caught up with quite a few Kiwis doing the same thing and we were all wowed as Ryan made some great pars.
hour, $16k a minute and $277 every second. I believe every patron visits the golf shops and not one person sticks to their budget.
By Andrew Whiley President of the New Zealand PGA
What is the greatest sporting event in the world to attend?
If you are a golfer, it must be the Masters.
Why? It’s about the course, the tradition, the visual beauty and the stories of the past champions and the near misses from some of the best players in history, as they strived to win the legendary green jacket.
A ticket to the Masters is also one of the hardest tickets in sport to purchase, as there are limited numbers and many have been on the ticket ballot for more than 30 years.
Travelling to the Masters and walking the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia was a dream come true for me. As the president of the New Zealand PGA, I was fortunate to receive a pass to attend the tournament this year. Beyond having access to walk the course all week and to attend a pre-tournament event in the clubhouse on the Wednesday evening, I was also invited to be present for the green jacket ceremony on the Sunday evening.
From sweating in 28C humid conditions, to feeling very cold and wet at only 4C the following day, just being at the tournament was magical. I really did have a tear in my eye as I stood behind the 10th green in the late afternoon sun on Wednesday afternoon on my first day when there was no one around. I remembered the special moments that I had watched on television over the last 40 or more years. However, nothing prepared me for the visual beauty, the greenness of the freshly cut grass or the scent of the pine trees. Amen Corner is simply gorgeous and a great amphitheatre from which to watch golf. The 16th hole was my favourite place to watch the play and I was there when New Zealander Ryan
Being able to drive down Magnolia Lane (a few friends came along for the ride) and getting dropped-off at the clubhouse was another wow moment for me. Standing on the terrace, watching the sun go down across the golf course was stunning but watching the green jacket being placed on Jon Rahm’s shoulders as the sun was setting on Sunday afternoon, was extremely special. It was such a serene moment and a perfect way to finish my five days at the Masters. I would rate my Augusta experience as 25 out of 10 and even if you are not a golfer, watching the Masters is some of the best sports television every year. Ten key takeaways from attending the Masters were:-
1. Augusta is probably the steepest golf course in professional golf and it is a big workout when you walk the course. For Dunedin readers, walking up the 18th fairway is a bit like walking up Stuart Street past the Fortune Theatre. This is why I doubt Tiger Woods will ever play another Masters tournament.
2. The greens are half the size you think they are and twice as undulating and faster than they look on television.
3. The merchandise stores at the Masters are very busy places with approximately $US70 million in sales for the week, $10m a day, $1m an
4. The Masters must be the best place to buy a beer and everyone has to try their famous pimento cheese sandwiches which are only $US1.50 each. The beers are $5, Coke is $2, and you get to keep the huge plastic cup. A sausage and egg muffin breakfast sandwich and a large coffee will cost you $5. Don’t bother carrying any cash as everything is card only.
5. Everything is green. The food wrappers, the rubbish bags, the beer cups, the sand for the divots and heck, even the pea gravel they dumped all over the muddy areas, so when you see the visuals on television, everything looks perfect and green.
6. Seat runners are the first people to head out on the golf course every morning. These individuals each carry 8-10 fold-up chairs for patrons and place them where they are requested. When these chairs are not in use by the patron that paid for their placement, then any patron can enjoy the viewing spot until the owner returns to claim their seat.
7. The Masters has a very experienced team involved with the course. Just 24 hours after some trees fell down in bad weather, you saw no evidence of any tree damage (I was nearby when it happened). Spectator areas affected by the rain were quickly treated with sand and grit so there was no negative impact on the viewing experience at all. Every green had “wand” people (experienced greenkeepers brandishing
long rubber wand sweepers) that ensured that greens were pristine for the next group of players coming through. So, if a player splashed sand out onto the green while playing a bunker shot, then it was brushed away by the wand people. The course was always perfect.
8. The tournament is well organised and everything flows very well as much of the tournament infrastructure is permanent. One important thing to remember when you arrive at the tournament is where you parked your car. It is a huge car park and when we would arrive at the golf course in the morning, it was still semi-dark, so at the end of the day locating your vehicle could be a challenge.
9. The Masters is a phone-free and camera-free area. It is old school in that you have to plan when and where you are going to meet people without texts and mobile contact. Sitting in the grandstands you start chatting with your neighbours. You meet people from all over the world and, yes, even a few fellow Kiwis. Security is quite extensive and I saw many people returning to the bag check area to check-in their phones, air buds, cameras and range finders. Tickets were closely checked and folks taken away for interviews if there was any question about from where or from whom they had accessed their tickets.
10. The Masters’ patrons did not discriminate between PGA Tour and LIV golfers. All golfers received strong support and were cheered equally.
Popular New Zealand
Open golf ambassador
Stephen Fleming spent some time with Golfer Pacific talking about life, golf, cricket and other things.
Fleming has forged a career in cricket as one of New Zealand’s best captains and batsmen and post retirement has proven to be one of the very best coaches in the T20 Indian Premier League.
So how did sport come to be a big part of life for him. Fleming was raised in Christchurch by his mother in a single parent family.
“I have a big family whose influence was strong for me growing up.”
Was your mother into sport?
“Yes. Mum loved sport. She encouraged me to participate in rugby in the winter, cricket in the summer and sports in between. But she is a sports fan as well and was very willing to dedicate time to do the parental thing, taking me to practices and so forth.”
How about your family?
“Yes. Married with three children Taylor 17, Cooper 14 and Addison 11 years old. Girl, boy, girl so I am now in the throes of experimenting with sports for them. They are great ages so I am having a lot of fun.
“For the girls there is a bit of basketball, a bit of netball and other sports. My son tried cricket early and didn’t like it, but now is absolutely mad on it and trying to catch up. So I am trying to coach him as best as I can. They are all active which is great.”
What sports did you first play?
“I was pretty traditional with rugby and cricket, then going through high school a bit of basketball.’’ Golf?
“Played a bit of golf with mum’s right handed clubs with friends. In my teenage years I played a lot more socially. (Fleming was a left handed cricketer). Mum played quite a bit so travelled around and I pushed her buggy a few times which was always good fun.”
When did cricket become number one?
“Quite late. I went to Cashmere High School which had a nice cricket programme without being too serious. I played
the game because I enjoyed being with my mates. However, I wasn’t overly serious about the game although I enjoyed it.
``But by the age of 17 and 18 I was making the representative sides. I then committed to having a good crack at it. However I am pleased about the late-ish start because sometimes you can over commit too early so the game really chose me to have a crack.”
So golf was never a serious contender with cricket number one?
“No, cricket was telling me cricket, not golf, so it was an easy choice, but … the social aspect of golf was something I enjoyed … and the challenge of golf which is a challenging game.”
“The great thing is cricket and golf work hand in hand so on (a cricket) tour we would play a lot of golf. That was my way of relaxing and not thinking about cricket. Jeff Crowe was manager for a while and he had a golf touring company where he would send people to destinations for golf. So we could go and play under the guise of his work. It was a good relationship.”
When did you first play as an ambassador in the New Zealand Open?
“In 2014. I didn’t know what to expect. I played with Mark Brown and had a wonderful four days where we played
well enough to get through to Saturday. Mark was playing well and we had a great Saturday afternoon at The Hills.
“Next thing I am teeing up in the last group of the New Zealand Open on Sunday. It was like wow, how good is this? To this day it is one of my fondest sporting memories because I love golf and I love tradition.
“So to be at a national golf tournament and have me inside the ropes was something else … a wonderful experience I will never forget. We didn’t get across the line but to watch these guys work at the sharp end of a competition was great.”
As for the golf courses in the Queenstown area. Your thoughts?
“I am very fond of this area for the golf courses but also the lifestyle and the feeling you get when you come down here and I come down here a lot with friends. As soon as you get off the plane or drive down it is a wonderful relaxed feeling. I think it is one of the best places in the world to stay and have fun.”
Any favourite courses in New Zealand you want to mention?
“I love Wairakei. It is a beautiful course. Clearwater I enjoy. Naturally these courses in Queenstown. Millbrook is probably my favourite as I love the area around there and think it is magnificent. I have
T20 tournaments as well. So I feel lucky as it has been like a cricket drug for 20 years.
“Sometimes when people stop they struggle because it is a big change to go from being a cricket player and tourist to having nothing. To have the ability for three or four months a year to still be doing what I love … very lucky.”
Does the family have a share?
“The family comes over. They have had a lot of years in India at the tournament. They get looked after beautifully. It is a professional tournament that has taken cricket to a new level. For players now and the money, the opportunities through these franchises are very high.”
So for the future. Is it more of the same?
no style or design preference. I enjoy any good course.”
Coming back to the challenge of golf what particularly spins your wheels?
“From one day to another for the amateur player, somedays you can feel you are unbeatable and on other days you feel like you have new arms. It is just an incredibly difficult game, so playing regularly is important because it seems like muscle memory loss with golf is incredible. If I don’t hit a ball for a week I am nowhere. So I need repetition to be any good and getting better every time is a great goal.”
Fleming is on a 7.5 handicap.
Coming back to cricket and your coaching?
“I have been coaching Chennai in the Indian Premier League since 2008.’’
The response to that is wow. How many coaches last 15 years with the same team in top sport?
“When I finished my playing career I was bought by Chennai so it has been a big part of my life. I am very fortunate. Some people don’t like the format of 20-20 but for me as a past player to stay involved with cricket and the best players in the world, this tournament is fantastic.
“You have got millions of fans everywhere. It is quite intoxicating to be involved and there are a couple of other
“Results permitting yes. I feel like I am always learning as a coach and getting better.’’ Kiwis in your team?
“Devon Conway, Mitchell Santner. We also had Kyle Jamieson. All the way through we have had a number of good Kiwis in the side like Brendan McCullum and Jacob Oram.”
How about coaching the New Zealand cricket team. Is that a possibility?
“We have had discussions. I am specialised now in the T20 format. When you look at their schedule there are not many T20 games so from a coaching point of view it still makes sense to have a white ball coach and a red ball coach.
“The time frame around that is still pretty time prohibitive, especially with my family. So up until now the time I am away doing stuff in India is perfect, so re-committing to another whole year’s programme is going to be a wee bit tough. I’m passionate about the Black Caps and a big fan and have good relationships with the players. So even though I haven’t got an official role I love helping them out and working with them.”
What if New Zealand Cricket came to you and said we would like you to apply for the Black Caps job?
“No, that’s not something for me at the moment.”
On that note we thanked Stephen for sharing his sporting life with us.
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Golf Club offers players a picturesque course with some testing fairways and challenging greens, providing a great game of golf for golfers of all levels. Fitzroy golf course is a coastal course, (par 68 mens & 70 ladies) close to the city. It has panoramic views of the North Taranaki coastline, New Plymouth city and Mount Taranaki. It is a challenging course of 4977 metres with easy walking undulations and slopes. Green fees are only $20.00 for all players for as much golf (up to 18 holes) as you wish to play for
the clubhouse.
“I can honestly say this is the number one golf course in New Zealand,” says the 1963 Open Championship winner.
“For those unable to play the great links courses of Scotland, Kinloch compares with the best of them. A true links experience with Jack Nicklaus at his best.”
One of our regular golfers, Andrew Joyce, was a late withdrawal. My father Richard was more than happy to come down from Auckland and “meet us in the middle”.
The teams were me and my old man taking on good mates Simon ‘Blocka’ Roche and Daniel ‘Little D’ Markham. The stage was set.
“IT’LL
As we hit Desert Road in the Tongariro National Park, the driving rain on our windshield was deafening.
There is no place quite like Taupō. No trip to the region is complete without a visit to take in the Huka Falls. Witnessing the phenomenal hydro power of more than 220,000 litres of water passing over an 11 metre high waterfall per second is a sight to behold.
The town centre is packed with great places to dine and head out for a few drinks. The lake is an endless playground and offers world class trout fishing year-round.
Perhaps the best way to see the region is from the air. Taking in the stunning views of the country’s biggest lake, the Huka Falls, Mount Ruapehu in the distance and the expanse that is the central plateau is simply breathtaking.
It all came down to this. Once a month in Wellington, three mates and I get out for an early morning hit at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club or Karori Golf Club.
The format is simple. Matchplay in teams, the best score (minus strokes given for handicap) wins the hole. The losers pay for the winners’ beers and toasties and the winners get bragging rights until the next time. The golf is usually fairly average, but the banter can be world class.
And now the championship decider had arrived. It consisted of all the lads (somehow) getting sign off from their better halves to head north to take on two of New Zealand’s best championship courses in Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary and The Kinloch Club.
This was our Masters. Our Open Championship. Our Ryder Cup. You get the idea.
They were fitting locations – Wairakei shares the same designers (John Harris and Michael Wolveridge) as Karori and parallels many of the trademark elements.
The picturesque views from elevated tees, the gentle sound of the creek which runs throughout the course and a layout full of signature holes (at a championship standard at Wairakei).
Wairakei was designed by Harris, Wolveridge and Australian legend Peter Thomson, the five-time winner of The Open Championship.
Kinloch has the feeling of a links course. It overlooks Lake Taupō and shares many qualities with the iconic Paraparaumu Beach. It is the only course in New Zealand to be designed by arguably the greatest golfer, Jack Nicklaus.
The words of Sir Bob Charles are on
We were only a few hours away from tee off and we couldn’t see 20 metres in front of us.
Our weekend of golf and other activities was in jeopardy, but like most golfers the optimism inside the car remained off the charts.
“It’ll clear up,” was the hourly catchcry from the lads even though there was no evidence of any clear weather coming our way. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
When it’s tipping it down outside, you don’t have much choice but to change plans. On Friday afternoon we visited The Deck in town for some burgers, beers, and a pool competition.
We made our debut at the Wairakei Thermal Terraces and took in Top Gun – Maverick at the local cinema. It was brilliant.
When we emerged from the theatre at 8pm, the relief was palpable when we looked up to see a clear, starry night. Things were looking up for our
This place is also a mecca of golf. Yes, Queenstown lays claim to that title, but Taupō is unique. Being able to pack up the car with your mates and get on the road for a golf weekend, Taupō scores huge points for accessibility, affordability and awesome layouts.
The championship courses at Kinloch and Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary rightfully claim the spotlight.
The Tūrangi Golf Club is a hidden gem and there are 36 holes at Taupō Centennial. The region offers something for golfers of all abilities.
I don’t think many would argue that The Kinloch Club is the toughest course in New Zealand. You come here for the challenge, and you never leave disappointed.
With the endless sprawling, unkept bunkers, unbelievable green complexes and risk-and-reward on every hole, it’s unlike any course in our golfing
Peter Thornton is an experienced journalist and media manager. He first worked in the golf industry producing Phillip Leishman’s television golf shows for Sky Sport. He went onto be the media and communications manager for Golf New Zealand and has worked as a journalist in all forms for the past 20 years. Following is his what he described as the perfect golf weekend away in Taupō for the season-ending matchplay championship.From left to right are Simon Roche, Daniel Markham and Pete and Richard Thornton at Wairakei golf course on their golf trip to Taupo. The scenic par five 18th at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary to finish on a high note. Photo credit: Love Taupo. The par four sixth at Wairakei Golf and Sanctuary is one of the best holes of the front nine. Credit: LoveTaupō.
landscape.
Nicklaus came to New Zealand around 50 years ago and according to legend, fell in love with the land of the long white cloud. He held the ambition to design a course here and what he created is a masterpiece.
The Golden Bear visited the course in March, 2008, for the opening and was pleased with his work. He’d be delighted to see how his layout has matured.
We were greeted at the pro shop by the always-affable Tom Long.
The director of golf at Kinloch is a top man who always has a yarn up his sleeve. He let us know that, with the inclement weather, we had the course to ourselves.
After a walk down memory lane, where Tom relived his past glories as a youth footballer – he was part of the Arsenal academy and played on the famed turf of Highbury – it was time to get going.
Tom offered some sound advice on how to take on The Kinloch Club.
“With your approach shots into the greens, make sure you take an extra club. Jack has created an intimidating course with the extensive bunkering, and most of the trouble is at the front of the greens.
“It’s a thinking man’s golf course so it will really test your strategy on how you play each hole. There’s a good chance you’ll come off mentally exhausted.”
With those thoughts ringing in our ears, there were nerves on the first tee.
But the lads soon warmed into our work and looked to make it a memorable round. For 20-handicappers Blocka, dad and myself any par around here was worth celebrating.
We played off the blue tees, while Daniel who hits it short and straight all day, played from the whites. We gave “Little D’’ 18 strokes and with his tee advantage he was a genuine threat. One
of his highlights came early when he almost holed a pitch shot from 70m to win the fifth hole.
As well as the beers and toasties on the line, we added a side-bet on the par threes. Everyone chucked $5 into the hat and the closest to the pin claimed the pot. This finished with some great shot-making and plenty of near misses.
Early in the back nine dad and I held a handy two up lead -- and when the old man hit the notorious par three 15th with a three wood (his shot of the day) -- we started to get pretty cocky.
Blocka led a mighty comeback to win 16 and 17 and it was all square going down the last.
And what a hole to decide the opening match. The par five 18th – with a huge lake down the left and a plethora of trouble to find.
We managed to get up and down from the rough on the final hole for bogey to secure a one up win. The beers were definitely going down a bit easier.
Even if you didn’t want to talk about it, we replayed every brilliant shot and every missed putt soaking in the Wairakei Thermal Terraces. Over our three days in Taupō, this place was our second home.
The pools range from lukewarm to piping hot. It’s a great meeting place for people from all walks of life. After five hours and more strokes than we all had hoped for at The Kinloch Club, this place was the perfect tonic to soothe the aches and pains, and relax.
During our time in Taupō we stayed at the luxurious Riverside Apartments. This place is ideal for a golf trip. Modern with heaps of space and an endless view of the Taupo Harbour and the river to Huka Falls, these apartments are tailormade for a stress-free weekend.
Sipping on an ice-cold Hazy IPA we looked out from our balcony to hear
the humdrum of town getting ready for a night out. It was about an hour until the All Blacks were going to take on Ireland in the second test in Dunedin.
That night didn’t pan out as we’d hoped. Meanwhile, Blocka and Little D were already plotting their own comeback the following morning at Wairakei.
While Kinloch slaps you in the face and can pull your pants down in front of the whole school, Wairakei welcomes you with a big, warm hug and makes you feel right at home.
Playing golf at Wairakei Golf + Sanctuary is a world class experience.
Coming through the gates, it was a sight for sore eyes to see the balls neatly staked in pyramids on the range and the course in great condition. Most importantly, the rain looked like it was going to stay away.
Before we teed off, we were met by Love Taupō team who were up early on their Sunday morning to drop down bacon and egg rolls for breakfast from Baked with Love. It’s the little things that make for a great experience and that sort of effort made a huge difference.
Wairakei has a special atmosphere. After years of working on Phil Leishman’s television golf shows, I have great memories of covering The Charles Tour events here. During those times, I’d always dream of coming back here with my mates. And here we were.
The feeling on the first tee was special. Looking around to see two great mates who I have known most of my life, and my old man. You have to treasure these moments.
During the round I hit some of the best golf shots I have hit all year. A wellhit rescue from 200m on the first to 20 feet, a perfectly struck six iron to 10 feet on the third, and a drive down The
Rogue Hole that went for miles.
Unfortunately, I also hit some of my worst. It only means that I have to come back and give this course another crack.
The birdlife in the sanctuary of Wairakei just adds to the place. One of the highlights for all of us came early in the round. Standing on the fourth tee, my old man, who had a reliable weekend with the driver, skied his tee shot.
In a moment that felt like slow motion the ball came down sweetly on the head of an unsuspecting goose. He got in quite a flap. I hope that poor fella is resting up.
Blocka and Little D turned it on during the final round and we were three down at the turn. We got one back with a good par on the 10th. We found our voice and were talking about the greatest comeback golf had ever seen. It never eventuated.
We went down in a pretty convincing four and two loss. Taking off the cap and shaking hands on the 16th green is never a good feeling.
But the back nine at Wairakei is something to savour. The magical short par fours at 11 and 12, the incomparable par five 14th, the quintessential-Wairakei par three 15th to name a few.
Every hole is like a postcard.
Almost on cue, three deer ran out and frolicked on the fairway behind us on 14.
Coming down the last I made sure my final memory was a good one. I played the 18th perfectly to record my only birdie of the round. There would be another day.
As we made the long journey home, we were knackered but happy. There was no better place for the season ending matchplay championship. And the end result was a fitting one.
Fintan Cooper is sitting on top of a ride-on lawnmower with a big smile on his face.
The apprentice greenkeeper at the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club has overcome plenty of adversity to get back here. Back on the tools. Back with his mates. He wants to savour this moment.
“That first day back was wicked,” said the 21-yearold.
“I was just so happy. I mowed fairways all day. It put no pressure on my knee at all and it felt so good to be back on the golf course. To be back around the boys and doing a job that I love.”
It had been seven months since Cooper ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) playing football.
In that time, he’s had surgery and learnt how to walk again. He has completed countless hours of physiotherapy, gym and pool sessions. He’s had occupational therapy guidance.
At the heart of his rehabilitation was his Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) recovery at work programme.
“ACC have been awesome,” Cooper said.
“From day one, they gave my recovery a blueprint. It’s been great to have a plan which was tailored to my injury and my role.
“When I got back on the mower and looked around, I knew all of the hard work was worth it.”
Cooper was new to living on the Kāpiti Coast. He moved there from Waikato to take up his apprenticeship at the golf club that has hosted the New Zealand Open 12 times.
He signed up to play for the Kāpiti Coast United Football Club to make some mates. In the second game of the season, the winger pushed off his left leg and his knee buckled.
“I fell over and realised that I couldn’t get up. I couldn’t put any weight on it,” he recalled.
“The pain was excruciating.”
He saw a local physiotherapist who told him straight away he had ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
“When he said that I need to start preparing for surgery it hit me,” he says. “I realised I’d suffered a major injury.”
Sitting on the bed at the physio clinic, Cooper’s first thought was work.
He had a million worries running through his mind. He was nervous about doing it alone.
“I’d just started my greenkeeper’s apprenticeship,” he said. “I’m trying to start a career and I had no idea where I was going to go to from here.
“I had all of these things running through my head. Where am I going to have the surgery? What’s the impact going to be on my job? How was I going to cope on crutches post-surgery?”
Leo Barber is the general manager of the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club. Barber said when he heard Cooper was going to be out for a considerable amount of time, he had two emotions.
“One was thinking of Fintan and making sure that he was okay,” Barber said.
“Then the selfish aspect kicks in. We are a small team. We are going to be one person down and who is going to pick up that extra work.
“Then you work through those processes. What is it going to look like, how long is he going to be off and how do we get him back to work?”
Cooper suffered his ACL rupture in April last year. He opted to have the surgery in August.
Cooper says being back in the work environment was good for his physical and mental wellbeing.
“I love my job so it’s not just missing out on your daily routine, it is missing out on a part of your life that you really enjoy,” he said.
“I couldn’t wait to get back into work and into routine because I was starting to get pretty low.
“It was also important to get back on track with my apprenticeship and not lose valuable time.”
ACC coordinated his recovery at work plan with an occupational therapist and physiotherapist.
He opted to have his surgery in Hamilton where he had the support of his family. When he got back to Kāpiti he had a session with his physio to assess his knee’s strength and stability.
The occupational therapist came to the club. She talked with Cooper, his supervisor Harry Middleton and Barber about the steps of getting back to work.
They decided that after six weeks, Cooper could return to work. If his knee was okay, he would gradually build up his hours and work.
“It was important there was no risk of re-tearing my ACL while it was still healing and quite vulnerable,” he said. “It was so good to be back with the boys and in the banter again.”
Middleton added: “We worked out a plan to slowly
build him back up to full time hours. That would be useful for him and his knee, and useful for us to get some more work done.”
He said it was great having Cooper back at work at 10 weeks following his surgery rather than 15 weeks.
“The benefits were huge,” Middleton said.
“Being a small crew, losing workers during spring is quite crucial. Having him back to do some mowing and general maintenance was awesome. He’s enjoyed coming back sooner than expected. It worked out well for both parties.”
The communication from Barber and Middleton was constant throughout.
“Communication is key for all parties in that situation,” Barber said. “Not only checking in with Fintan but ACC were really good with checking in with us. They would let us know where Fintan’s recovery was at and what the future steps would look like.”
ACC played a leading role in Cooper’s rehabilitation. They covered his surgery, physio and occupational therapist appointments, provided equipment and weekly compensation for any lost wages.
The privilege of working at Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club is not lost on Cooper.
It’s widely regarded as one the best golf courses in New Zealand. It’s the only course that Tiger Woods has competed on. It has a storied history of some of New Zealand’s finest golf moments.
“It’s an honour to work here,” Cooper said. “There isn’t a day I take it for granted. This place is awesome. I’m learning from two of the best in the business as well so I know I’m lucky.”
Cooper has always had a love for sport. He sees sports turf management as a good way to be involved on a daily basis.
“I’ve gained a real passion for working with sports turf and I’m learning,” said Cooper, who wants to work on the world stage.
“I want to experience as much as I can in this industry.”
He will always remember his recovery. He was appreciative to keep his apprenticeship on track.
“I’m hugely grateful to the team here for their support and helping me every step of the way.”
The Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club team recommend a recovery at work plan for anyone in the golf industry.
“Trust the process,” Barber said. “Communicate with your staff. Communicate with ACC. Take the best advice that is available and work through things.”
Cooper added: “Be proactive about getting in contact with ACC. The recovery to work programme has been great for me. It’s helped get my knee strong again and get me back into the workplace sooner than what was otherwise possible.”
For more: Supporting your employee’s recovery at work (acc.co.nz)
The 2023 United States Masters was one of the most eagerly awaited golf tournaments in recent memory.
For genuine fans it was for the right reasons. However for some, including certain sections of the news media, it was possibly for the wrong reasons. Some may have been looking for explosive situations between the LIV golfers and their detractors at the dinner and on course.
They and the LIV detractors would have been disappointed. The final pairing for the third and fourth rounds was appropriate. Jon Rahm, one of the most sensible and healing voices on the PGA Tour, and Brooks Koepka clearly enjoyed playing together. Their warm embrace on the final green said it all.
Koepka had looked bullet-
proof on the first two days and for the first 11 holes on the third day maintained a healthy four stroke lead until play was stopped early. The key moment was on the resumption on the 12th green on the final day when Koepka missed his par putt and Rahm holed his birdie putt. Suddenly the lead was two shots.
From that moment the vibe changed. Koepka’s approaches were not quite as sharp and his putter went cold. He even missed shortish putts he didn’t miss previously.
On the other hand, Rahm’s game was rock solid and in the end he was a both deserved and popular winner. Koepka lost no fans at the Masters, in fact he may have gained a few as he was gracious in defeat.
“I didn’t play good enough to win” and complimented Rahm on his play describing him as
“pretty impressive.”
For Rahm it was sheer delight to be the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters. Of course Sergio Garcia, a good friend of Rahm, who won in 2017 was effusive.
“Amazing display from my friend and fellow Spaniard. Can’t wait for next year’s champions dinner. Welcome to our very special club.”
The other delight for Rahm was that the Sunday of his win marked the 40th anniversary of Seve Ballesteros’ last Masters win as well as his birthday.
Phil Mickelson provided one of the highlights with his sensational final round 65, the best final round score and also the oldest player in history to finish in the top five.
He said: “I’m very appreciative to be able to play. It was exciting that the tournament rose above it all to have the
best players in the world here and lost all the pettiness.”
So Mickelson would finish tied second with Koepka while favourite bad boy Patrick Reed completed a very strong tournament in fourth place and seeing three LIV golfers in the top four places.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox was paired with Reed on the last day and said he enjoys playing with him. Reed said: “Congratulations to Jon Rahm. Well played. I’m already looking forward to next year’s champions dinner. Special thanks to the fans for sticking with us through all the weather as well as all the tournament staff.”
For New Zealand golf fans the play of Fox was eagerly followed and the TV coverage of certain holes allowed a decent look at his play. For Fox it was so near to a top 10 finish. Sitting in seventh place ironical-
ly it was the par three 16th in the third round that undid him with a double bogey and then a bogey on 17 really hurt. Ironically because he birdied the 16th from a foot in the second round then just missed a hole in one in the fourth round.
However as he said if you had given him 26th place and $US144,000 before play began he would have taken it. His form in the USA has been very encouraging as he faces some challenging decisions and choices. Will he go all out on the PGA Tour with temporary status to gain exemption for 2024 or still maintain his status on the DP World Tour and gain his PGA Tour card by a top 10 finish at the end of the year?
We can now look forward to the other three majors and in particular Fox’s fortunes in them.
There is little sympathy for Rory McIlroy after his early exit from the Masters and subsequent decision to flag a second designated event for this season, the RBC Heritage.
Fellow PGA Tour players, such as Zander Schauffele, said McIlroy knows the rules and ironically he was the first player to break the rules he helped set up and didn’t front.
Joel Dahmen joined the criticism: “He knew the rules having led the changes, but he has so much money he doesn’t care about $US3 million.”
Justin Thomas also said he knew what would happen. Scottie Scheffler wanted to know the outcome because the PGA Tour never comments on disciplinary matters. He said it is a big deal and a lot of people want to know. Rickie Fowler called for transparency between the tour’s commissioner and players and also included the media.
Tiger Woods said it was “just a matter of time” before McIlroy completed the grand slam of majors. The big question is how much time. Woods may have forgotten how long it is since his last major victory.
McIlroy was a sad figure during the Masters after his microphoned chat early in the first round. Nick Faldo said he should never have done it as it would affect his game. Many have done the same without any affect though. Horses for courses?
As McIlroy’s game disintegrated so did his demeanour. A bunker felt his wrath after a shot he didn’t like and his face understandably reflected his inner feelings of devastation. He clearly seems to be in the wrong space at the Masters. His former long time agent Chubby Chandler seemed to sum up McIlroy’s problem accurately.
“He has made winning the grand slam a bigger thing in his head than it actually is. His huge desire to achieve it is exactly why he can’t. It is a massive mental block and it is getting harder and harder.
“Every time he has pressure from others but also from himself. He has too much clutter as a PGA figurehead, TV, six big sponsors. They take up time and the clutter manifests itself on course.
“To me he has got carried away as mouthpiece for the PGA Tour. He is doing things he shouldn’t be and opening his mouth too often.”
Perhaps the time has come for McIlroy to leave all the talk to the one whose job it is — PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. But then that is another story.
Patrick Cantlay came in for much criticism for his pedantic and slow play when it was his turn to play a shot, particularly in the final round at the Masters.
Brookes Koepka called the twosome ahead brutally slow. “Jon (Rahm) went to the bathroom seven times during the round and we were still waiting.”
Cantlay’s partner Viktor Hovland was
clearly frustrated as he was seen playing shots out of turn with Cantlay behind him. Cantlay defended himself saying he was waiting on the group ahead several times.
“We waited on the 15th and 18th fairways. I imagine it was slow for everyone.”
Cantlay seems to miss the point. Even if the field is slow you are still required to play your shot according to the rules when it is your turn.
Tellingly, though, he came in for much more justified criticism at the next event the RBC Heritage playing with Jordan Spieth and Matthew Fitzpatrick. On the par three 14th hole his ball ended on the board above the water against the grass verge.
It was agonising watching him dilly dally over what was really a relatively simple shot for a tour professional. The flag was only about 12 feet away so a gentle wedge was needed. After three minutes he finally decided on a wedge which ended near the hole. He then proceeded on the next hole a par four to miss the green and take another age over a chip shot.
Meanwhile his playing partners were pacing around looking frustrated. The looks on Spieth’s face on those two holes said it all. Nonplussed to the nth degree. Fitzpatrick was scathing about the slow play issue after the event. We will look at the slow play problem in a later issue.
Brooks Koepka can appear like a toughie from the outside, but according to his wife Jena Sims he is really a softie. She says he is emotionally intelligent and emotionally vulnerable. An incident involving a youngster in the final round when he was struggling, probably backed up those comments.
Nine-year-old Edwin Platt from South Carolina waved at Koepka who noticed the lad. He made eye contact then walked over and tossed his game ball to him. The boy caught it and the interaction made for a special and memorable experience.
The results are in. The many PGA Tour critics of LIV players only playing exhibition golf over three rounds and therefore would not be able to compete over four rounds in a major, should be eating their words. Not only did three of LIV’s players finish in the top four but several more made the top 30 and 12 of the 18 made the cut.
A column in the Washington Post newspaper by a Sally Jenkins almost bordered on the libellous with its nastiness towards Greg Norman and several players. I’m sure if Norman read her statement about “the militant fruitcakery of Greg Norman, whose emanations from his empty luminescent head never quite form into actual substance” he would either laugh or maybe dismiss it with a wry smile.
That had to be tall poppy target shooting with a machine gun. You can almost feel the hate. Why? His portfolio of accomplishments in so many fields are significant and undeniable. No one has to
like Norman but really? As several players are saying, some of the media has much to answer for by driving the nasty “war” narrative.
The so called battle between PGA Tour players and LIV was one of the more anticipated aspects of the Masters and it did not disappoint fans in the quality of play and the good relations between players. One of the best memories of the event was the reception and applause for all players. There appeared to be no difference in response between the LIV players and the PGA Tour players. Several LIV players expressed delight with atmosphere and their reception.
So who gained the upper hand? A statistical report from a reliable source came up with surprising results. LIV players’ rounds averaged 72.63 whereas the non LIV players averaged 73.09 per round. While that may not seem much it is almost two shots over four rounds. No question this result explodes the myth once and for all that LIV players are not capable over 72 holes.
The perfect example of this is second placed 52-year-old Phil Mickelson. At 40 years of age he was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis which was very much career threatening. However, with much help from his team, controlling his diet and following good routines his health was restored. He lost 25 pounds before the Masters and says he is healthier than ever. He puts most of it down to his For Wellness Company’s products. Mickelson’s return was clearly welcomed by the fans.
The ability of LIV golfers to improve their world rankings in the tournament starkly illustrated the need for some compromise regarding their ability to earn world ranking points. Koepka leaped from 118 to 39. Mickelson from 425 to 72 and Reed 70 to 45.
Jon Rahm was a popular winner of the Masters for good reasons. He is the first European to have won both the Masters and United States Open. He is also the fourth Spaniard to win the Masters. He now has 20 wins and two majors on his curriculum vitae at the age of 29.
For Rahm the timing of his win was significant and emotional marking the 40th anniversary of Seve Ballesteros’ last Masters win on the Sunday. He said: “The support was incredible on the final nine. I kept hearing Seve, Seve, Seve. Do it for Seve. The hardest thing to control was the emotions.”
However control them he did, as his focus was clear for all to see coming down the home straight. His talent and skill were more evident than ever and he has earned the admiration and respect someone of his standing should have. All the more so given his attitude throughout the past turbulent year in the war on LIV. He has exhibited a reasonable and peacemaking approach in his comments and always looked at the issue positively. No wonder the genuine fans are so loud in their support.
As he said when fellow Spaniard Sergio
Garcia (who isn’t always sensible when he opens his mouth) copped so much antagonism when he joined LIV.
“I understand why golfers have joined LIV Golf and it is a shame they have to relinquish their PGA Tour and DP World Tour status. Sergio has dedicated his life to the European Tour for 25 years. We should respect his decision. That they turn their backs on him doesn’t seem right to me but it is what it is and it hurts me.”
Following his win, Rahm had a special request about where he would like his locker in the Masters locker room assigned. While he surveyed all the names on the doors of each locker he asked if he could share his with one of his fellow Spaniards. He asked to be able to share with Seve who shares with Schwartzel and made a reasonable point.
“Surely they could put Schwartzel with another South African.”
Failing that he would be happy sharing with Garcia and Olazabal. Apparently that would be quite the normal outcome although we do not know at this stage.
Rahm could have been forgiven for passing on the elevated RBC Heritage the following week given his stated fatigue but no, he made it clear “I won’t disappoint the fans.” He wanted to fulfil his obligations to the event and sponsors. It was in stark contrast to McIlroy who did not play or give any reason.
We are in for a great ride in the remaining majors — if all of the best golfers are there.
RBC Heritage. An elevated must play event. Prizemoney $US20 million.
The Masters. An iconic major with revered history. A must if you qualify. Prizemoney $US15 million.
The difference in prizemoney has left the golf world puzzled and wondering how can one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments pay less than the RBC Heritage. Thankfully the majors are not owned by or conducted by the PGA Tour — and that is the problem. The PGA Tour does what it thinks is best for it, period. Hence it elevates the RBC to a must play event the week following the Masters and has rightly come in for much criticism. Fans throughout the world have taken to social media in droves suggesting the Masters was undermined. Because of the Masters’ standing in the golf world and the desire to be there the organisers have less incentive to hike the prizemoney which is already substantial enough.
Jordan Spieth won the RBC in 2022 when the prizemoney was $US8 million and he banked $US1.44 million. This year’s winner banked $US3.6 million whereas Rahm won $US3.24 million. Spieth expressed his concerns with the programming saying there were too many must play big events early in the year and fatigue definitely affected him after the Masters, yet like Rahm he fronted to defend his title at the RBC.
Wow, wow and wow seemed to be the reaction of so many people on the ground at The Grange Golf Club in Adelaide to LIV Golf’s latest event for 2023.
Senz Radio media man at the event seemed to sum it up when talking with Ian Smith on Senz radio. He said in every aspect the event could not be faulted. It matched or bettered any event he had ever covered anywhere.
Whether we like it, or as some seem to loathe it, the time has come to realise it is not going away and it has without doubt grown the game already, not only with it’s reach to many countries and the publicity generated, but in the dramatic way it has caused the PGA Tour and DP World Tour to open their coffers and copy so much of what LIV has done well.
Adelaide embraced the event wholeheartedly with 90,000 spectators over the three days of the sellout. Apparently they could have sold many more tickets but wanted to limit the numbers to manageable proportions — and so it proved. The interactions of many of the players with spectators who were fully involved in the atmosphere was almost intoxicating and completely free of inhibitions.
As one scribe remarked it brought professional golf into the 21st century. I must admit although I had only watched an occasional snippet of television coverage previously I was able to watch the last four or five holes on the last two days and highlights on day one. The coverage was non stop, lively and in tune with the whole vibe.
I was able to catch one of
the shots of the year to date when Cameron Smith was left in a bunker on the par five eighth hole. With 258 metres to the green his fairway wood ended just 10 feet from the pin and he sank the eagle putt producing a huge roar from the large gallery. The other massive reaction on the par three stadium style party hole more than matched anything Houston comes up with when Chase Koepka made a hole in one.
These were just two of the many brilliant shots played throughout the three days. The winner Talor Gooch, with his first two rounds of 62, was quite superb as he played pinpoint shot after shot. While the pressure did get to him in the third round and his 10 shot lead was quickly reduced he held it together nicely with great support from his Australian caddie and finished with a three shot margin on 19 under
par after a one over par final round. Anirbahn Lahiri finished second after a fine final round 65.
Pat Perez, Patrick Reed, Cameron Tringale and, much to the galleries delight, Cameron Smith all tied third on 15 under par. Smith commanded huge galleries all three days and his 66s on days two and three kept the mood very upbeat. The other two high flyer US Masters finishers were upstaged. Brooks Koepka and Phil Mickelson finished tied 12th while New Zealand’s Danny Lee, after being close to the lead after round one, battled to finish 24th.
The unbridled success of the event has guaranteed Adelaide’s place on the LIV schedule for the foreseeable future and there is talk of wanting a second event in Australia. Hardly surprising as Australia has been starved of a consistent high level of professional
golf for many years.
Marc Leishman and playing partner Carlos Ortiz compared the atmosphere and feel to a major championship. Leishman described the week as a “highlight’’ of his career along with his wins despite finishing 21st, adding: “This week was really special and something I will remember forever. Everyone on the tour is talking about two Aussie events on the schedule next year and not just the Aussie guys.” Smith is also very keen and said if they did, with the travel, it would have to be back to back weeks.
“It is the perfect time to play golf in Australia and the weather is also perfect,’’ Smith said.
Of course this leads to the not unreasonable thought of making it a real southern swing with an event in New Zealand. A course in the Queenstown area could be an
ideal venue.
Maybe it would be appropriate to finish with a few comments from a Grange club member Warren Rankine as reported: “It was no surprise that when Greg Norman announced The Grange as host for LIV’s first event in Australia that tickets would sell out and fast. This place is a golfer’s golf club with superb practice and training facilities. While the members did not really understand what was going to happen, being able to observe the LIV team arrive, set up and implement a golfing revolution at our club was a joyful experience.
“While it may have seemed to be a takeover of the club by LIV, nothing could be further from the truth. From the very start they have been warm, friendly, engaged with the members and appreciated that we had to remain a working golf club through the setup process.
“As for the event itself, wow. Hard to describe in words. Massive galleries watching 48 of the world’s best golfers. Staff rubbing shoulders with players and their caddies … a reward for all their work at our club. Greg Norman gathering our greenkeeping staff in the middle of the party hole for a selfie. Phil Mickelson throwing a $50 note to one of our young baristas for `the best coffee I’ve ever had.’
“These are the things that make me smile and I will remember them long after the stands have been packed away …. and I’d have laughed if someone said the week would start with me spending an hour in a range clinic with Bubba Watson, then snaring a place carrying a bag in Cam Smith and Pat Perez’s pro-am group. It has been an insane and special week.”
home course with rounds of 70 in 31 minutes 59 seconds and 70 in 32 minutes 51 seconds for a cumulative score of 204.10 Only half a shot/minute separated the next three placegetters.
Second was Robin Smith on 213.03, third was Brad Hayward on 213.39 and fourth was Sam Jones on 213.52. Jones easily recorded the best rounds of 67, 65 but being over 16 minutes slower than Jones it was never enough. The next best golf score was Ethan Jones’ 67 and 69 but he was over 26 minutes slower.
Reid, a high school teacher, said: “To back up last year’s performance like this on my home course is great. I’m proud of my effort.”
Liz McKinnon, who is unbeaten at speedgolf, was impressive yet again beating the strongest ever field in the event.
By Neville IdourJamie Reid and Liz McKinnon continued their unbeaten domination on the New Zealand speedgolf scene with their fifth wins of their respective New Zealand Open titles at the Fitzroy Golf Club in New Plymouth. However, they had plenty of competition with the biggest ever field in it’s history. There were 59 men, including eight internationals, and seven women with one international Colette Blacklock (New South Wales) who finished fourth. A woman in her 50s she just loves the event and performs to a high level.
Reid was a reasonably comfortable winner on his
The University of St Andrews has made an important commitment to gender equality in golf by signing The R&A women in golf charter, which aims to increase the number of women and girls playing golf and working in the industry.
The charter was launched in 2018 by The R&A, the governing body for golf outside of the United States and Mexico, which is based in St Andrews. The university shares this historic connection
Her rounds of 80 and 75 were one shot better than first timer Penny Smith’s 80, 76. However, McKinnon was 12 minutes 30 seconds faster. Amy Linton, another first timer, was third with scores of 79 and 79 and only a couple of minutes slower than Smith. These two players can only improve with time.
McKinnon hopes the game continues to grow.
“It is fantastic even though the golf course is tough. The support from the community has been amazing. The atmosphere when Jamie was coming down the 18th was awesome. Golf carts, runners, mountain bikes, e-bikes, scooters, children everywhere trying to keep up and seeing the bank full of spectators was
with golf and has a long and proud tradition of golf scholarship and research.
The charter has several key principles, including strengthening the focus on gender balance and diversity within the golf industry; promoting the recruitment, retention and progression of women in golf; encouraging more girls to take up golf as a sport; and ensuring that golf clubs are inclusive and welcoming to all.
By signing the charter, the University of St Andrews is showing its commitment to
so cool.
“The noise and the music created such a great atmosphere with so many people there. Everyone seems to know what speedgolf is in New Plymouth, unlike elsewhere.”
McKinnon has been without peer in women’s speedgolf worldwide for many years. However because she has been unable to travel to the World Championships in recent years she ranks second on the ranking list of two years ago. The 2024 World Championships are in Japan and McKinnon said: “They are on my radar.” That will be something to look forward to.
these principles and to creating a more inclusive and diverse golf community.
The university’s commitment to the women in golf charter is part of a wider effort to promote gender equality in sports and academia. In recent years, there has been a growing recognition of the importance of diversity and inclusion in all areas of life, and sports organisations and academic institutions have been working to address issues of gender inequality and discrimination.
In practical terms, signing the women in golf charter means that the university will be working to promote gender equality and diversity in its own golf programmes and facilities, as well as in the wider golf community.
This may include initiatives to encourage more women and girls to take up golf, providing support and opportunities for women golfers and coaches, and working to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment for all golfers.
Fourteen-year-old Cooper Moore, from Clearwater Golf Club in Christchurch, can feel very pleased with his efforts in the very strong field at the Australian Amateur Championships in Tasmania last month.
Playing in the international open under-19 field he was tied for the lead after a first round 69 then second after a solid 70 in the second round. While he fell off the pace a little with concluding rounds of
72 and 75 he still finished ninth against much older players.
However, his two under par total was still good enough for second place in his under-16 division.
The Asian Tour will make history by staging an event for the first time in Scotland at the acclaimed Fairmont St Andrews.
The sixth leg of The International Series 2023, the inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship, will take place from August 24-27 at the venue’s Torrance Course, a 7320-yard layout set among 520 acres of stunning Scottish coastline with views of St Andrews Bay.
Following immediately after the International Series England in an Asian Tour UK summer swing, the 156-strong field will compete for a minimum of $US1.5 million prize purse on the modern links layout.
Designed by former Ryder Cup stalwart Sam Torrance, the course is characterised by its deep revetted bunkers, large greens and links design.
Less than five miles from the home of golf St Andrews, where there is recorded evidence of golf being played as long ago as 1552, Fairmont St Andrews has previously staged many notable international events including on the DP World Tour, the European Seniors Tour, on six occasions between 2009 and 2014, as well as an Open qualifying event.
Fairmont St Andrews owners Caleb Chan and Dr Peter Lam both hail from Hong Kong and their decision to host the event comes off the back of the inspired recent victory of Taichi Kho – who became the first Hong Kong player to win on the Asian Tour.
His victory in the World City Championship in what was just his third professional start on the Asian Tour also earned him a berth in his first major championship, The $US14 million Open Champion-
ship at Royal Liverpool from July 20-23.
Callum Nicoll, head of golf and estates at Fairmont St Andrews, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be staging another world class event at Fairmont St Andrews, and to be making history as the first Scottish host for the distinguished Asian Tour.
“The Torrance Course offers a challenging test for the players this summer, blending the principles of links golf with a more modern style. Contouring the hotel and set against the backdrop of the picturesque east coast of Fife, the Torrance will test the short and long game whilst the risk-reward design provides numerous options both off the tee and for approach shots to the green.
“The elevated nature of The International Series with generous purses, strong international fields, and the re-
ward of a place for the series winner in next year’s LIV Golf League, all makes for a very exciting tournament in the summer.”
Cho Minn Thant, commissioner and chief executive of the Asian Tour, said: “There are few greater experiences in golf than playing in Scotland. It is widely known that Scotland’s golf fans are among the most knowledgeable fans anywhere in the world and our players are really looking forward to teeing it up at a venue that is linked to the origins of the game as we know it. It is a true privilege.”
The Asian Tour’s elite-level International Series comprises of 10 events, featuring elevated prize funds, staged at iconic venues and welcoming top golfers from every continent and tour.
The Hong Kong Open, one of the Asian Tour’s most iconic golf tournaments steeped in rich history, will make its long-awaited return this year to its traditional home at the Hong Kong Golf Club (HKGC).
Furthermore, the event will be part of the burgeoning International Series and will offer a purse of $US2 million.
The tournament, which is the oldest professional sporting event in Hong Kong, will be played on the HKGC’s acclaimed Composite Course from November 9-12.
The famous venue was the scene of one of Hong Kong’s greatest sporting moments in March when Taichi Kho triumphed in the World City Championship, becoming the first player from Hong Kong to win on the Asian Tour.
That event marked the return of international tournament golf to the Special Administrative Region of China for the first time in 38 months.
Wade Ormsby, who won the International Series Thailand in March, was the last player to win the Hong Kong Open which was in January of 2020, shortly before the covid-19 pandemic brought the season to a prema-
ture conclusion. The Australian also claimed victory in the 2017 event.
The 42-year-old, who has stated his aim to tee-up in all 10 of the International Series events in 2023 in pursuit of a return to the LIV Golf League, said: “To have a crack around a course I’ve had success at is fantastic. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Australians have enjoyed great success at the Hong Kong Open, producing more winners than any other nation, with fellow Antipodean victors including major champions Greg Norman, Peter Thomson and Kel Nagle plus Scott Hend, who is tied third for the most Asian Tour wins of all time with 10 victories.
Past champions from further afield include major winners Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland), Justin Rose (England), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain), Bernhard Langer (Germany), Ian Woosnam (Wales) and Orville Moody (US).
The Hong Kong Open has been a pre-eminent event on the Asian Tour for decades and was first held in 1959. The HKGC has staged every edition.
Andy Kwok, captain of the Hong Kong Golf Club, said: “This event has a proud history of welcoming golf’s leading talents from around the world, and in that sense shares values with The International Series, the expanded entry criteria for which makes this a compelling proposition for tour players around the world.”
Rahul Singh, head of the International Series, said: “The International Series is an exciting new initiative, but part of its success has been its ability to build relationships with historic tournaments and events like the Hong Kong Open and the Hong Kong Golf Club.
“The International Series offers life-changing pathways for players and with the Hong Kong Open scheduled at the business end of the year it will play a vital role in deciding which players make the coveted top 32 and qualify for the LIV promotions event.”
The International Series, introduced last year through a landmark investment by LIV Golf, sits within the Asian Tour schedule and has already seen three events this season in the Middle East and Thailand with the next tournament scheduled in April in Vietnam.
The 150th Open at St Andrews last year generated more than £300 million ($NZ606 million) in economic benefit for Scotland, according to an independent study commissioned by The R&A, VisitScotland and Fife Council.
The historic championship provided a total economic impact of £106 million to Scotland – new money entering the economy – according to the study conducted by Sheffield Hallam University’s Sport Industry Research Centre (SIRC).
Independent research led by YouGov Sport also shows that £201 million of destination marketing benefit was delivered for Scotland as a result of The 150th Open being broadcast worldwide through linear television and digital platforms.
The total economic benefit delivered
last year is the highest in the history of the Championship.
Martin Slumbers, chief executive of The R&A, said: “The 150th Open was a historic occasion for golf which has generated a substantial economic benefit for Scotland thanks to a record-breaking attendance at St Andrews and tens of millions of fans worldwide who watched the championship broadcast.
“We enjoyed a hugely memorable week in which we welcomed tens of thousands of visitors to the home of golf for perhaps the most eagerly anticipated open of all time that certainly lived up to its billing. We would like to thank all of our partners for their support and commitment to staging a world-class event.”
Scottish culture minister Christina McKelvie said: “Scotland is the home of
golf and this independent report confirms the significant benefit The 150th Open brought to our economy.
“The Scottish government has a long-standing track record of supporting golf events, including direct support for the annual men’s and women’s Scottish Open. Last year was an unprecedented success for golf events in Scotland, headlined by The 150th Open at St Andrews.”
The 150th Open attracted a championship record 290,000 fans to St Andrews, surpassing the previous high mark of 239,000 set at the same venue in 2000. The study concluded that Fife alone had received a £61 million injection of new money as tens of thousands of visitors travelled to the region to attend the tournament.
Over half of the spectators who attend-
ed The Open (62.3 percent) travelled from outside of Scotland, including visitors from elsewhere in the United Kingdom (31 percent), the United States of America (19.2 percent), Canada (2.6 percent) and Republic of Ireland (2.3 percent). Around 48 percent of spectators stated that this was their first visit to The Open and 76 percent of visitors from overseas were making their inaugural trip to the championship.
More than half (52 percent) of all spectators expressed an intention to attend at least one of the next three editions of The Open being played at Royal Liverpool (2023), Royal Troon (2024) and Royal Portrush (2025).
The weather may not have exactly played the game in South Taranaki on the 1st of April, but the big hitters still came out in force and showed what the sport of Long Drive Golf has to offer. 23 competitors used the Regional Event to Qualify for the North vs South Champs, National Event being held in Auckland on October 29th 2023.
Long Blacks Sam Jones (Pictured above)and George Waddell (Pictured right ) duelled it out again in similar fashion to last year’s event, with a change of the title holder, this year going to Sam Jones with an im-
pressive 335 metre drive. Local legend Jake Parker (Pictured below) of Hawera took the Men’s Open Title with his best efforts and Former Rugby League player
turned Long Drive Golfer Brent Snooks held off stiff competition to take the 45+ Division, while another local legend Kylie Lodge won the Women’s Title. This has been the second year the regional event has been run at Fairfield Roads Hawera Golf Club with a huge following starting to grow for the event which wouldn’t be possible with our sponsors Wilson, Malone Golf, Hawera Welders, Game Changer, Bunnings, Rough Habits Restaurant and Bar, Pak n Save Hawera, Supercheap Auto’s, Z Hawera and Long Drive NZ.
IGANZ - XDL is about to announce one of it’s biggest movements in the sport of Long Drive since they started in 2016. IGANZ is known for paying out the largest purse in the sports history and bringing the biggest drivers of the sport together. With the pandemic taking the whole world into lockdowns, events and IGANZ plans were put on hold, and so to was investment for the sport. The CEO of IGANZ and founder of XDL Olna Ford, is about to announce major developments for the sport in media this June.
Their is much excitement around the table that will see the WORLDS BEST drivers coming to Australia and New Zealand bringing the biggest show on the planet for the BIG HITTERS.
Maurice Allen is the 1st player to be sponsored by IGANZ and was brought to NZ with Frederik Frost in April 2016 to showcase this dynamic sport. The IP #GolfJustGotLoud quickly became a hit (pun intentional) due to IGANZ making
noise and creating a party on the tee environment. International Players (IGANZ TOP 8) were sponsored to NZ by IGANZ in November 2016 which became the turning point for Olna Ford who started IGANZ with intentions to concentrate on celebrity golf tournaments. Fast track to 2023, the IGANZ brand and Olna Ford can
be proud of the success that’s been created for the sport with 34 events in 8 countries, largest purse paid out, two national teams formed, a Halberg nomination for team of the year 2021, a Queen’s honour received 2022 for XDL’S top women’s Athlete (nominated by IGANZ) and Olna Ford being congratulated by the sports minister and Sports authorities for the investment and dedication to sport being listed as the first NSO (National Sports Organisation for Long Drive and XDL) in the World. Olna has supported Golf along her journey in growing Long Drive with 3 major sponsorships to PGA tournaments and 4 Gold sponsorships to pro-ams thus far.
Getting ready to clear the GRID in NZ & AU with major announcements for the sport being revealed this June. Go to www.xdlworldwide.com and follow XDL facebook www.facebook.com/ xtremedriversleague.
From give it a go events, tots to teens IGANZ KIDS has always been at the heart of our growth plan for Long Drive since 2016. Fast track to 2023 and this June IGANZ Kids is about to get serious with NEW plans for a Trans Tasman Tour that will see our Aspiring Juniors take to the tee off shore.
Interest has grown for our little champs who are determined to one day wear a New Zealand Long Blacks or Aussie Long Ballers Jersey. Thanks to
our amazing sponsor FRUIT GUYS who has keep our little ones entertained at the tee since 2016. With IGANZ and Olna Ford officially recognised for investment and dedication to the sport of Long Drive, there is developments in place to take our Juniors to the next level and provide a sustainable pathway of events and grow opportunities worldwide for our young champs with BIG DRIVE.
With juniors expected to travel from Australia this October, IGANZ - XDL is excited to be formally announcing the schedule of Junior events for NZ & AU this June. Check in with us this June at xdlworldwide.com/kids
The Northland Golf Club is a par 71, 18-hole course set in a peaceful rural valley with many native trees and bird life. We provide a scenic and challenging course for all levels of golf, all year round. We are 3kms past the Kamo lights (which is 10 minutes north of central Whangarei). The course is open for green fee players and visitors are welcome to join in our haggles. Northland Golf Club is a classic inland course boasting tree lined fairways along with the very best in greens and views of the historic Mt Parakiore and Mt Hurupaki. These views are complemented by well-groomed areas of native trees which provide sanctuary for many varieties of native birdlife.
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With stunning vistas and memorable golf and hospitality, it’s a day you won’t forget.
The Links Course is not long, but rarely conquered. It comprises one par 5, eight par 4 and nine par 3 holes, including two double greens and a triple green via major elevation changes, with ocean, ponds, cliffs, penal bunkering or roughs encircling the greens. The Mountain Course is a significantly more difficult challenge and not for the faint hearted.
Visit www.onekakalinks.com for a course guide also incorporating drone
footage of the course and testimonials of visiting players. We also have a Facebook page which is regularly updated. The green fee of $60 per head for 18 holes for a minimum of four players covers:
* Exclusive use – no other players on the course that day
* Golf cart and electric trundlers, laser distance finder
* A course guide – the course designer and club champion
* Hosted free drinks and snacks after the round
Although a private course, it’s open to visitors 364 days a year. However, to enable hosting arrangements bookings must be made at least two weeks in advance to chris@widespread.co.nz
“Golden Bay is full of amazing things to see and I just discovered another. If you play golf, Onekaka Links is a must visit. I have played golf all around the world and Onekaka gave me more fun and challenging shots than most courses that have hosted major championships. Your host Chris Castle with great imagination has created a wonderful course on a spectacular property. Thank you Chris, for a day to remember.”
- Kindest Regards, Bill Mackenzie (PGA Professional, St. Andrews East Golf Club, Canada)
“Onekaka Links is one of the most special New Zealand golf experiences one could have - it really is a must play for anyone who loves dramatic golf and out
of the box thinking. You have three or four green-sites that would rival the very best in New Zealand. I will be sending more people your way for sure.
You really chose all the best green sites to maximize your property. Your green in the far coastal corner of the property does this so well. The triple green with the bunker and lower green level and water hazard. It is the interest you created that is so much fun. Onekaka can’t fit inside a box and it should not be contained by the world’s idea of a routing and par. It is just an awesome place to play golf.
You and Richard Barham have done such an amazing job with your property - really impressive stuff. If you ever end up doing that new green we discussed
Th e C ou rse for Eve ry one
drop a me line and I may try to volunteer some shovel time for you if the timing works!
Thank you again and it was so kind of you to host me there. “
- CJ Kreuscher, Director of Agronomy for Te Arai Links and the original Superintendent of Tara iti, who recently played both courses.
“Great day out at the Onekaka Links in Golden Bay. Stunning scenery. Some exciting holes and wonderful hospitality. It’s a very unique offering but lots of fun and risk and reward. Wonderful hospitality from President Chris Castle and Club Captain Linda Sanders. Highly recommended. “
- Barry Johnston, Wanaka
Pay $840 to play golf through to 29 February 2024
Big Bertha is one of the most iconic names in golf, providing game-changing performance and making the game more fun for players of all abilities –that’s the Big Bertha standard. The new Big Bertha family is precisely engineered for players who want to launch the ball higher and play with more confidence every time they tee it up. This extremely forgiving lineup is designed to make every shot your best.
Our new Big Bertha hybrids
are designed for golfers who prefer hybrids over long irons. They are easy to hit from an inviting Big Bertha shape and launch extremely high from precisely positioned tungsten weighting. These designs are developed with an enhanced offset to limit your slice, so shots fly far and incredibly straight.
A large, high volume head shape provides incredible forgiveness to create a hybrid
play with more confidence every time they tee it up. This extremely forgiving lineup is designed to make every shot your best.
Our new Big Bertha Driver is especially designed with an ultra-low, forward CG for players who want to reduce their slice for straight distance and an easy launch. From the generous profile to the highstrength XL face, these drivers are built for more confidence and for players to find more fairways.
STRAIGHT DISTANCE AND SLICE REDUCTION FROM AN ULTRALOW, FORWARD CG
that is extremely easy to hit. Enhanced offset helps to reduce a slice and side spin for a straight and exceptionally long ball flight.
Precision tungsten is positioned internally to deliver outstanding forgiveness and a high launch. Lightweight components are easy-to-swing and promote hitting the ball high in the air while an adjustable hosel provides the ability to optimise trajectory.
FAST BALL SPEEDSThe A.I. designed Jailbreak with Batwing Technology stabilises the body, while allowing the face to flex for incredibly fast ball speeds across the face.
A high-strength 455 face cup is designed using cutting edge A.I. technologies to optimise speed and spin across the face. Each model features a unique A.I. pattern to enhance performance in that specific loft.
An all-new lightweight Jailbreak system has been enhanced to deliver stability and incredibly fast ball speeds across the face.
INCREDIBLE FORGIVENESS FROM A CONFIDENCE-INSPIRING
With a generously stretched profile and
large, forgiving head shape, Big Bertha inspires confidence and promotes incredible forgiveness.
EASY DISTANCE FROM A LIGHTWEIGHT PACKAGE
Featuring a triaxial carbon crown and lightweight components, Big Bertha is designed from the ground up to be easyto-swing.
Play Golf in the Winterless North
MAKE EVERY SHOT YOUR
WITH OUR EASIEST TO HIT CLUBS
Big Bertha is one of the most iconic names in golf, providing game-changing performance and making the game more fun for players of all abilities – that’s the Big Bertha standard. The new Big Bertha family is precisely engineered for players who want to launch the ball higher and
For players that are fighting a slice, Big Bertha brings game changing technologies off the tee. A low and forward CG helps to reduce the spin that can cause a slice. Big Bertha also utilises weight in the heel to promote hitting a draw.
LARGE, FORGIVING SWEET SPOT FROM THE A.I. DESIGNED HIGHSTRENGTH XL FACE
Big Bertha’s XL Face features a large sweet spot and uses cutting edge A.I. technology to optimise speed and spin across the face.
FAST BALL SPEED FROM NEW
90 Mile Beach Golf Links, Kaitaia Golf Club Inc is a true links golf course with panoramic views.
Takahe Street, Ahipara | 09 409 4833 | 90milebeachgolf@gmail.com
We love having groups come and play our course and offer a discount for 12 players or more. Give us a call to enquire about bringing your golfing buddies, or a ladies golf group, to Ohope Beach Golf Links ... and think about combining it with a round at one of our neighbours; Whakatane, Opotiki, Kawerau or Te Teko.
Tourism bodies state Kiwis preferred 4-5 of Australian destinations are in Queensland, including Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast. Book today with our specialist and trusted golf travel companies.
Golf Encounters is delighted that ‘normal service has resumed’ after the last few years of disruption to travel around the world. Once again Kiwis can escape the New Zealand winter and spend some time in the warm winter sun of Queensland. Golf Encounters has a great selection of 8, 14 or 28 night golfing holidays to choose from, either in the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast, or both!
Our fully hosted packages ensure you have a hassle free and relaxed time, staying in 1 or 2 bedroom self catering accommodation based in Coolangatta or
Mooloolaba. There are restaurants close to your accommodation or choose to use the full facilities in your apartment for those who wish to dine in.
There are golf courses aplenty in these parts of Queensland and all of a great standard. With 7 rounds over two weeks with never more than two rounds played on consecutive days, these holidays will allow you to enjoy a holiday, your golf and in the warmth of the winter Queensland climate. For those who would prefer to stay nearer to home, Golf Encounters is continuing to offer their Golf Getaways
around New Zealand. This spring a Getaway to Wellington is planned. Getaways are normally based in a central hotel, include breakfast each day and include a day off from golfing mid week so that you can explore the local area and visit attractions.
For Australians wanting to experience golf in NZ, there are also North & South Island tours that have been designed for overseas visitors.
Golf Encounters has a great selection of fully hosted golfing tours and holidays just for you – go to www.golfencounters.
co.nz for more information and booking details.
From Wellington to Queensland, or further afield to Vietnam and Cambodia - we have the golf getaway, holiday or tour for you! A golf getaway in Wellington will allow you to experience the best courses in the region; a golf holiday in Queensland will give you some warmth away from the NZ winter; and a golf tour in Vietnam & Cambodia will transport you to different cultures, traditions and landscapes.
Our fully hosted packages ensure you have a hassle free, fun and relaxed time when travelling with us. You’ll find all the details of these and other tours on our website, including convenient online booking.
It’s time to escape the cold weather and take a trip abroad to Australia’s sunshine state! With plenty of courses on offer, a Gold Coast golfing holiday might just be your perfect paradise.
» Travel Info: From Broadbeach 10 minutes
» From Surfers Paradise 15 minutes
» Website www.lakelandsgolfclub.com.au
SITUATED in the heart of the Gold Coast, Lakelands Golf Club is Jack Nicklaus’ first signature course designed in Australia. Lakelands Golf Club combines the traditions of Golf and Hospitality by providing its members, guests and visitors with the environment, facilities and services that satisfy their Golf, social and business needs and interests. Opened on 17th February 1997, Lakelands Golf Club had gained a reputation for “The Best Serving the Best” providing standards and facilities second to none on the Gold Coast. Multiple tee positions make the course user friendly and yet challenging, whatever the standard of golf you play. Nicklaus has used bunkering extensively in his strategic design and water features on many of the course’s 18 holes.
With tee times available to the public every day at Lakelands Golf Club, it is a must to play this golf course which has all of the tell tale signs you would expect of Jack Nicklaus designed Golf Course which is situated in the heart of the Gold Coast, less than 10 minutes from Broadbeach and 15 minutes from Surfers Paradise. Lakelands also has full locker room facilities, Golf Shop, Signature Restaurant and Bar, a full length driving range, PGA certified coaches available each day, along with all the other facilities you would expect a facility of this reputation to have.
Whether you are here for a trip away with good friends, or on a holiday, Lakelands Golf Club is a course you must visit for a game on our beautifully presented course, making sure to enjoy a drink on the deck while overlooking those behind finishing out on the 18th green, or
commencing their back nine on the challenging 10th tee with water all up the left hand side of the fairway.
Neat dress code is required at all times with strictly no denim or cargo pants permitted, collared shirt and enclosed footwear is a must while on course.
For more information please contact us on: proshop@lakelandsgolfclub.com. au or call 011 61 7 5510 6507
No.1 Golf Course*, is perfectly located, central to both Brisbane and the Gold Coast. We invite you to experience our championship golf course and first class clubhouse facilities. Contact Links Hope Island for bookings or further information on: Golf I Membership Options I Events I Weddings I Links Restaurant Phone 07 5530 9000 or email events@linkshopeisland.com.au
With its 5-Star clubhouse and practice facilities and consistent rankings as one of Australia’s top ten resort courses, Links Hope Island is the ultimate destination for corporate and social golf, functions, glamorous events or weddings. There are also a variety of membership options available from full membership, to corporate or 5 day options. Contact us today to find out more.
residential development. A natural water-course featuring lakes, ponds, creeks and native wildlife completes a rare golf course environment.
The front nine holes are particularly striking as the trees envelope you as you move around, and the final two holes are a great way to finish the round.
Consistently ranked in the top resort courses in the country, the service before and after you play is superb, and we feel certain you will enjoy your day.
» Holes: 18 Par: 72 Metres: 6,457
» Designer: Peter Thomson
» Ranking: 6th best Public Access Course in Australia 2005 (#6 in 2004)
» Course Facilities: Practice Range, Putting Green, Club hire Locker Room, On Course refreshments, Golf Academy
» Travel Info: From Brisbane 50mins
» From Broadbeach 35mins
» From Surfers Paradise 30mins
» Website: www.hir.com.au
LINKS HOPE ISLAND is a gem of an 18 hole traditional “links” style championship course, designed by five times British Open champion Peter Thomson and reminiscent of the great courses of Britain and Ireland. Challenging, yet very approachable, the two nines unfold with beauty and intrigue ensuring those that appreciate golf presented at its best leave with an unforgettable experience and a strong desire to return again and again. Forget about trying to play Links Hope Island like all the standard format resort courses, this one deserves special skill and attention. Bump and run golf is a great challenge for those not accustomed to it, and we guarantee you will come away with renewed admiration for how the poms play their golf. A fantastic opportunity to sample good old fashioned British links golf without the 20 hour plane ride! Don’t miss it.
Links Hope Island, the Gold Coast’s
» Holes: 18 Par: 71 Metres: 6,078
» Designer: Graham Marsh & Ross Watson
» Course Facilities: Practice Range, Club Hire, Locker
» Room, Bar, Restaurant, On Course Refreshments, Golf Academy
» Travel Info: From Brisbane 60mins
» From Broadbeach 10mins
» From Surfers Paradise 15mins
» Website: www.palmergoldcoast.com.au
CARVED out of 65 hectares of native woodlands, with fairways lined by towering gum trees, this unique layout is unlike any other resort course on the Gold Coast. Palmer Gold Coast (formerly Robina Woods) possesses maturity well beyond its years, and has developed a reputation as one of Queensland’s best-loved resort courses. The rolling fairways, manicured greens, and towering eucalyptus trees are strikingly beautiful and blend harmoniously with the surrounding
» Holes: 18 Par: 72 Metres: 6,424
» Designer: Mitsuaki Kobyashi
» Course Facilities: Practice Range, Putting Green, Club
» hire, Locker Room, On Course Refreshments, Restaurant
» Travel Info: From Brisbane 60mins
» From Broadbeach 10mins
» From Surfers Paradise 15mins
» Website: www.palmercolonial.com.au
A FARMLAND once home to cows, weeds and bush has been transformed into a beautifully groomed course with lush fairways and meticulously manicured greens. The championship resort layout meanders its way through 39 hectares of towering eucalyptus, picturesque lakes and serene waterways.
Flowering native and exotic trees and plants abound, while ornate bridges cross watercourses in which luxuriant lilies jostle for space The distinguishing feature of the course is the clubhouse, with its Colonial Queenslander design. You feel like you have drifted back in time as you sit down to that first thirst quenching drink on the wide, breeze-catching Queenslander verandahs which surround the building and offer panoramic views over the golf course and Gold Coast hinterland. Palmer Colonial is well worth the visit, and great value for money.
» Holes: 18 Par: 70 Metres: 5,904
» Designer: Ross Watson
» Travel Info: From Brisbane 55mins
» From Broadbeach 35mins
» From Surfers Paradise 30mins
» Website: www.sanctuarycovegolfclub.
» com.au
THE Palms Golf Course at Sanctuary Cove is another masterpiece from renowned Golf Course architect Ross Watson. With gently undulating fairways dissecting critically placed bunkers, it offers a wonderful challenge for all golfers.
With a par of 70, it has a mixture of long and shorter holes, with some par 3 holes that are sure to attract critical acclaim. Visually it has that links style appeal, and the more golfers play it they will appreciate its strategic qualities. A great golfing experience!
lometres of golf cart paths around the fairways. Palm Meadows has a fleet of 72 Club Car Electric Golf Carts with wet weather covers.
The challenging 350 hectare course was designed by leading Australian golfer Graham Marsh. Par 72 measures 6319 metres off the championship tees. Water comes into play on 14 holes and there are 82 sand bunkers.
The first hole is recognised as one of the world’s most challenging opening holes. Water runs the length of the hole on the left and the world famous Bamboo Curtain forms a barrier to the right.
Palm Meadows’ signature hole is the world famous 18th; it measures 523 metres from the championship tees. Players accept the challenge and decide how much of the right dogleg they want to cut off. American Golf Digest rated Palm Meadows 18th in the world’s top 500 golf holes.
Palm Meadows Golf Course is a public course with limited memberships. All golfers may enjoy the facilities of the course, clubhouse and Lakeview Restaurant.
» Par: 72 Metres: 6319
» Travel Info: From Broadbeach 5 minutes
» From Surfers Paradise 10 muntes
» 18 Holes Par 72 measures 6319 metres
» Designer Greg Norman
» Website: www.palmmeadows.com.au/
PALM MEADOWS Golf Course at Carrara on the Gold Coast is centrally located within 10 minutes drive of Surfers Paradise and five minutes from Broadbeach. Palm Meadows welcomes golfers of all standards. There are no reserved tee times and patrons may utilise all facilities including the clubhouse, function rooms and Lakeview Restaurant.
The all weather golf course has 11 ki-
» par 72, 7264 metre
» Website: www.glades.com.au
THE GLADES GOLF CLUB boasts the reputation as one of Australia’s most prestigious resort golf courses and is located right here on the Gold Coast. Designed by champion Australian golfing icon, Greg Norman, the course is typical of his trademark aggressive layouts offering golfers a challenging round of golf within visually stunning surrounds.
PARADISE GOLF TOURS is the longest-established specialist Golf Tour company on the Gold Coast (since 1989), which means that you are dealing with a very reputable and experienced company.
Over the years, Paradise Golf Tours has built excellent relationships with the Gold Coast’s premier resort courses and this means they can usually secure your preferred tee-time on all courses, on any day.
Because of their buying power, they have access to significant discounts at a huge choice of accommodation venues as well as all golf courses – discounts which are passed on to their clients ensuring that Paradise Golf Tours provides excellent value with lower prices than can be obtained by going direct.
Let Paradise Golf Tours organise your next group trip to the Gold Coast and
you too could be playing on exclusive and private renowned courses such as Hope Island, Sanctuary Cove Pines, Sanctuary Cove Palms, the Jack Nicklaus-designed Lakelands, the Greg Norman-designed Glades or Brookwater, the home of the Australian PGA – Royal Pines, Arundel Hills and many others too.
With a modern fleet of buses to provide transfers throughout your stay and a myriad of choices for accommodation, it’s no wonder they say:
“We’ll cross all the tee’s for you!”
Begin your trip planning right now by going to: www.paradisegolftours.com.au and click on the red “GET A QUOTE” button, or email them at : info@paradisegolftours.com.au or just call on 0402 049 868 right now – it’s really that easy to organise a golf trip for any number of golfers from 2 to 100 or more.
Now servicing Sunshine Coast.
The naturally refreshing SUNSHINE COAST, where you will experience a laid-back lifestyle centred around pristine beaches, freshwater rivers and lakes, subtropical forests and warm sunshine. From the naturally stylish Noosa, to the family fun of Coolum, Maroochydore, Mooloolaba and Caloundra, to the cool and creative hinterland villages of Maleny, Montville and Mapleton. Any destination you choose for your Sunshine Coast holiday will fill your body, mind and soul with an enduring sense of warmth. And the Golf is great too! So take your clubs and escape the Winter Blues.
line, and within easy reach of Brisbane, Headland provides exceptional golf and hospitality experiences to members and visitors alike. With its rolling and treelined fairways and pure greens, the historic par-72 championship course offers a layout to challenge the best of players, while providing a fair and invigorating test for golfers of all abilities. It is this combination of challenge and enjoyment that makes Headland a top-rated golf course and must-do for visiting golfers.
The Noosa region, with its beautiful beaches, lush green hinterland, stunning coastal national park, pristine river, cosmopolitan lifestyle and lively calendar of events is one of the most popular beachside holiday locations in Australia.
Located on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, Noosa is surrounded by ocean, lakes, river, national parks and a lush hinterland. But it’s more than just another beachside holiday spot. What makes Noosa special is its laidback atmosphere and year-round warm and sunny climate, combined with award-winning restaurants and cafes, a great choice of accommodation and a diverse range of activities and adventures for everyone.
There is also a busy calendar of events that celebrate the best in surfing, food, sports, music, theatre, creativity and more. Noosa offers a diverse and wonderful experience for everyone who visits.
The region is renowned for its award-winning restaurants and cafes, with an abundance of fresh, local and delectable produce prepared by dedicated and experienced chefs. From casual, alfresco dining and first-class restaurants to pubs and cafes, and produce markets, a culinary experience is guaranteed on any visit.
If you love nature and the outdoors, Noosa is a perfect destination with unspoilt beaches, stunning national parks, excellent fishing and trails that traverse the hinterland and are suitable for walking, horse-riding and mountain biking. Indulge in diving, surfing, stand-up pad-
dle boarding, golf, fishing, swimming, boating, kayaking, kite-surfing and more. For those wanting a more relaxed and chilled-out experience Noosa is also home to many superb day spas and health retreats.
Nestled in this paradise you’ll find picturesque Noosa Golf Club. Enjoy the beauty of this 18-hole championship course in a natural parkland setting with an abundance of local wildlife at your side. Families of kangaroos laze in the sun and koalas can be spotted snoozing in the trees. Unlike players, the koalas actually like being in the trees! The course is said to be very forgiving with 6000+ metres of easy walking and wide fairways. Still, it’s no pushover and can be a challenge to golfers of all levels.
After playing 18, the perfect place for relaxing with friends is at the clubhouse. The 19th hole offers a fine bistro and relaxing deck to take in the superb view over the ninth and 18th holes.
Noosa Golf Club celebrates the camaraderie of golf with the best value green fees, membership and hire charges on the Sunshine Coast. Golfing great or just a beginner, we warmly welcome you to our club.
Noosa is just 1½ hours from Brisbane’s international and domestic airports, or just 30 minutes from Sunshine Coast Airport which has daily flights from Australian capital cities and direct flights from New Zealand.
For further information visit www.noosagolf.com.au and for accommodation www.visitnoosa.com.au
Located just one hour north of Brisbane in the stunning surrounds of Golden Beach, it was the first Greg Norman-designed course on the Sunshine Coast. Open to the public and designed to rank among the premier courses (ranked No.1 on the Sunshine Coast and No.16 in the top 100 public access courses in Australia, according to Golf Australia Magazine), this spectacular 18-hole, 6359m championship course fittingly boasts one of the finest clubhouses and practice facilities in Australia. Pelican Waters features an impressive driving range, practice putting and chipping greens, and a well equipped shop. Find out more at: » www.pelicangolf.com.au
The traditional clubhouse experience is equally as memorable, with popular restaurant Vista@Headland offering excellent food and stunning views in a relaxed dining experience. Open for lunch 7 days a week, and Friday night’s for a special a-la-carte menu, you can enjoy a great day out at Headland Golf Club. The idyllic location also provides the perfect setting for a wedding or function. For more information or to make a booking please call +617 5444 5800 or email golf@headlandgolfclub.com.au.
» www.headlandgolfclub.com.au
The course is internationally recognised as one of the top six resort courses in Australia and members naturally consider it the best on the Sunshine Coast. The 18-hole, par 72 championship course was designed by five-times British Open champion Peter Thomson and partner Mike Wolveridge.
The stunning setting and challenging layout combine to produce an enjoyable game of golf for all players. Visit their website for full details:
» www.twinwatersgolfclub.com.au
Located in the heart of Queensland’s magnificent Sunshine Coast, Headland Golf Club is the region’s premier golf club and home to an outstanding 18-hole championship course. Beautifully positioned on the hills of Buderim, overlooking the spectacular Sunshine Coast coast-
ABOVE PAR GOLF TOURS, one of the region’s leading tour operators, is owned by a fellow Kiwi, Mike Cox. The Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast are undoubtedly the favourite winter golf destinations for Kiwis, and having spent 20 years in the depths of Southland, Mike can fully understand why.
“Our aim is to simplify your holiday by taking over all of the accommodation, golf and transport bookings on your behalf, and at the same time using our bulk buying power to provide the package cheaper than you can do it yourself – a classic win-win situation,’’ he said.
“Packages are tailormade for your individual requirements with a large selection of accommodation and courses available to suit any budget.’’
Peregian Golf Course and Driving Range: a premier pay-to-play golf venue on the Sunshine Coast.
Located just 7 minutes north of Coolum and 12 minutes south of Noosa, the Peregian Golf Course is a highly ranked park-land style golf course open to the public 7 days a week. We have relaxed dress regulations to ensure that all golfers and visitors are made to feel welcome
at the course and driving range. Families and juniors are encouraged to enjoy the wonderful facilities including the Par Bar where you can relax and watch the sports channels provided.
Whether you’re a keen golfer, casual golfer or not even a golfer at all, have a browse through our website and see what your piece of Peregian will be.
» www.peregiangolf.com.au
Conveniently located in the Moreton Bay region between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, is the home of Pacific Harbour Golf and Country Club at Bribie Island. Surrounded by pristine national parks, and inhabited by plenty of local wildlife, this course is one that you’ll want to add to your bucket list!
Operating since 2006 and open to the public, we offer social play 7 days a week and visitors are welcome to play in our competitions. The course boasts lush green fairways, responsive fast paced greens, challenging par-3s, lengthy par4s and some rewarding par-5s for golfers of all levels. With an aquatic driving range, chipping area, practice green and spectacular views of natural surrounds, this course is a must-see destination. You will not regret coming out and testing your golfing skills on this beautiful hidden treasure!
Not only does the club boast a stunning course, the beautiful clubhouse was designed so that it appears to be floating, offering a scenic view over the course from The Deck Bistro, with lunch available 7 days a week from 11am and dinner Friday and Saturday evenings.
» www.pacificharbourgolf.com.au
The company offers outstanding value packages for small and large groups, and provides a comprehensive website with slideshows of all golf courses.
The website also has a unique online quote system which means you can go on-line 24 hours a day, seven days a week and construct your own dream holiday from a wide range of accommodation, resort courses, hire cars or daily transfers.
Once the selections are made, a no-obligation quote is immediately emailed, saving hours of time and money contacting Australia.
Mike’s sales staff then work on a oneto-one basis with you to ensure a truly memorable holiday for all.
For full information visit: » www.abovepargolf.com.au or call Mike on 0061 7 5522 9055
NORTHLAND
NZ WOMEN’S MASTERS REVIEW NORTHLAND WIN
for Napier prior to the devastating cyclone, the event was hastily rescheduled for Otaki.
Northland were the eventual champions finishing with a team total of 380 to win by 7 points separating Bay of Plenty in 4th (361) and Canterbury in 7th (354.)
AUCKLAND
AUCKLAND GOLF - SOUTH ISLAND
AGE GROUP
The South Island Age Group Championships played at the Ashburton Golf Club in April .
taking advantage of her opponent’s errors to enter the final round with a comfortable five-shot lead.
Despite Li’s attempt to make a late charge on the back nine, Blackwell-Chin held her nerve and maintained her lead, ultimately winning the tournament by a five-shot margin. The victory was well-deserved after Blackwell-Chin’s impressive performance throughout the tournament.
had to settle for silver, finishing behind Kishida in the Women’s U16 section.
In the U16 Men’s section, Xie appeared to be a real contender for the top prize after a remarkable start to the tournament, putting up impressive scores of 68 and 66 in the first two rounds. However, the conditions seemed to get to Xie early on in round three, as he struggled with two early bogeys through the first four holes, compounded by a birdie by Moore, resulting in Xie’s lead being cut down to just one shot. Despite valiant efforts to regain momentum, Xie faltered in the last round, signing off with a score of 78, which was not enough to hold off Clearwater GC’s Moore, who took the top prize, leaving Xie finishing 5 shots behind and taking home silver.
The 2023 NZ Women’s Masters event took place recently at the Otaki Golf Club in the Kapiti Coast. Originally scheduled
In the Women’s U19 section, it was a close battle between Blackwell-Chin and Li after the first round, with Li holding a two-shot lead over Blackwell-Chin. However, Blackwell-Chin was able to capitalize on Li’s mistakes in the second round,
Meanwhile, in the Women’s U16 section, Zheng struggled in the first round and trailed Kishida by a daunting nine shots. However, Zheng bounced back in the second round, going on a birdie run on the back nine to keep herself in contention going into the final round.
Unfortunately for Zheng, a slow start in the final round proved costly, with two early bogeys and a birdie not enough to make up the deficit. Despite a late surge with birdies down the home stretch, Kishida managed to hold her nerve and win the tournament by five shots. Zheng
Tieke 1 were the winners 2023 Men’s Division 1 Championship Pennants with the final round being played at Walton Golf Club on Sunday 16th April.
Putaruru coming back to secure the 3/4 matches, it was going to be a close one for the top players. Raglan just to strong with 2 wins to take the final 4-2.
Blake.Not pictured but played a big role in the teams success Hamish Cradock and Dennis Williams.
Fellows-Ford,
Steel. With Tieke 1 defeating Ngaruawahia 1 in the morning semi-final 6-0, and Hamilton 1 getting past Morrinsville 5-1 it set up a mouth watering clash of the two teams that have been leading the way all season.
The final did not disappoint with Tieke 1 sneaking past Hamilton 1 in the closest of margins 3.5-2.5 to be crowned our Division 1 Champions for 2023.
MEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP PENNANTS - DIVISION 2 WINNING TEAM
FROM RAGLAN
Raglan Golf Club were the Division 2 Championship Pennants final at Raglan Golf Club on Saturday 16th of April.
Semi-Final Results: Raglan 4 - Pirongia/ Pouri 2Putaruru 3 - Tieke 3 ( Putaruru winning 12-11 on countback.
It was off to the final for Raglan vs Putaruru in what were very windy conditions, which made shot and club selection very difficult. With Raglan winning the first 2 matches out on the course and
Waitomo were the 2023 Men’s Division 3 Championship Pennants played at Te Awamutu Golf Club on Sunday 16th of April.
Waitomo proved they were ready for the final with a good win against Cambridge 2 in the semi-finals 5-1, and with Hauraki sneaking past Te Awamutu 3.5-2.5 it set up a great match-up for the afternoon final.
Waitomo came our firing with there number 6,5 and 4 players all recording wins, and when Shannon Davis had secured a half it was time to celebrate.
Final score was 4.5-1.5 win against a very good Hauraki team which have been tough to beat all season.
Te Aroha were the winners of the 2023 Men’s Division 4 Championship Pennants played at Te Aroha Golf Club on Sunday 16th April.
After a dominate display in the morning semi-finals to win 6-0 the team were full of confidence heading into the Final. This showed with another strong and dominate display to win the final 6-0 against The Dunes, who did all they could to spoil the party for the home team but it was a hurdle to far.
Results from Rangitikei Golf Club:
Wednesday 5th April - Competition Stableford:
Jason Bowles 39pts, Geoff Ingram 37pts, Joseph Tapper 35pts, Joe Ferrier & Cynthia Luckham 34pts, Marty Field, Neil Atkins, Bryan Northcott, & Clive Robinson 32pts, Richard Norton & Stephen Ryan 31pts, Joe Yorke, Neville Berendt & Pat Pearce 30pts.
Twos: Stephen Ryan 3rd & Kelvin Burt 3rd & 12th.
Best Stableford 0n 13, 14 & 15: Bryan Northcott 8pts.
Lucky Draw: Ron Harris
Results from Rangitikei Golf Club:
Saturday 8th April - Competition PAR: Dan Scotson, Richard Norton & Kelvin Burt -1, Lynne McDonald, & Clive Robin-
son -2, Joseph Tapper, Marty Field, Geoff Ingram & Ron Harris - 3, Varina Mitchell, Barry Donovan & Peter Thompson -4.
Twos: Geoff Ingram & Marty Field - 3rd, Peter Thompson - 12th.
Closest to Pin on 12th: Peter Thompson
Results from Rangitikei Golf Club: Wednesday 12th April - Competition
Stableford: Caroline Watson 39pts, Marty Field 36pts, Richard Norton & Geoff Ingram 35pts, Lynne McDonald 34pts, Dion Hawkins, Chris Duffy, Dan Scotson, Kelvin
Burt & Pat McCarthy 32pts, Bryan Northcott & Pat Pearce 31pts.
Twos: Dion Hawkins - 12th, Geoff In-
gram - 16th.
Best Stableford on 14, 15 & 16 - Geoff Ingram 8pts.
Lucky Draw: Clive Robinson
Results from Rangitikei Golf Club:
Saturday 15th April - Competition Medal:
Seniors:
Karen Yorke nett 72, Richard Norton nett 73, Geoff Ingram nett 75, Kevin Smith & Liz Kinloch nett 76, Roger Perkins & Kelvin Burt nett 78 [by lot].
Juniors: Bruce Kinloch & Stew de Burgh nett 73, Joe Yorke nett 75, Clive Robinson & Noel Crocker nett 77.
Twos: Stew de Burgh - 3rd, & Varina
Mitchell - 16th.
Closest to pin on 12th - Roger Perkins
Lucky Draw: Varina Mitchell
TITAHI OPEN WINNERS
Titahi Open winners Adam Church (gross 65) and Tasia Mania Vaka (gross 75.
KAREN BRIEN MEMORIAL
Results were:
1st: Laura Crawford & Warren Phillips
2nd: Bevan Ritchie & Michael Newton
After the weather-enforced interruption back in early March, the 2023 Canterbury Match Play was completed recently. Played at Waitikiri Golf Club the opening 3 rounds of the Match Play were able to be completed on the 4th and 5th of March before weather conditions suspended play leaving all finals matches to be played. With Waitikiri’s scheduled greens coring taking place from the 6th of March and one of the Men’s finalists being based in Auckland this added a few more challenges to rescheduling the remaining fixtures however these were eventually confirmed and played.
The Men’s category again featured several high-quality players from throughout Canterbury and beyond all looking to capture the “Challenge Cup”, first presented in 1906. The round of 16 draw threw up some interesting first-round matches with last year’s finalist Reid Hilton playing Aucklander Robby Turnbull, the latter prevailing in a tight affair 2/1. Canterbury Stroke Play champion Dominic Brettkelly was also defeated in round 1 by Sam Harris in a notable scalp with the majority of the other top seeds advancing. The quarter-finals saw Dean Harvey stop Harris’s run fighting back to advance 1Up while Cooper Moore accounted for Tim Graham to advance to the semis alongside defending champion Tom Lee and Robby Turnbull. The semi-finals were a tight affair with both matches in the balance when play was suspended. With both matches recommencing on Sunday they both went to the wire with Tom Lee and Robby Turnbull both advancing 1Up vs Dean Harvey and Cooper Moore respectively. In the final showdown, it was the Aucklander Turnbull who got off to a hot start birding 3 of the first 4 holes to steal a march on his opponent. Lee hung tough however and won holes 15 and 16, including a 114m hole out on the 16th to take the match to the 17th. Turnbull came up with a solid approach on the par 3 17th however to see out the match 3/1 and secure the title.
In the women’s division there was a good display of youthful golfers with a couple of more experienced players in the mix too.
Catherine Palmer (nee Bell) came away
with a big round of 16 victory over her opponent Eva Yin with Alisia Ren also advancing via a 4/3 victory over Zaria Bourne. That theme continued for Palmer and Ren as they advanced through their quarter-final rounds with Jessie Mercer also progressing with a 1Up victory over Lexi Thomson Hall and Junie Chang also advancing by the same margin over Vanessa Lim. The semifinals saw Alisia Ren matched up against Jessie Mercer and Catherine Palmer versing Junie Chang. The conditions for both matches were extremely testing with the strong rain and course conditions providing a significant challenge. Both matches did however come to a conclusion with Ren advancing 8/6 and Palmer also winning 7/6 to set up the final showdown. With play suspended, that match took place on the 25th of March and was a very tight affair going all the way to the 18th. Both players
held slim leads throughout with Ren holding the upper hand 1Up after the 16th hole. It was Palmer that fought back however winning 17th to set up a grandstand finish with Palmer eventually taking out the hole and title 1Up.
In the Men’s Masters category the initial qualifying round resulted in the 2 divisions to decide the eventual champion. Paul Fitzsimmons had the best of the qualifying and was accordingly matched up against Brent Mackey in the quarterfinals, a match he went on to win 2/1. One of the Canterbury favourites Woo Bong Kim could only manage a 7th place finish but was enough to secure his progression to the Championship division quarter-finals where he met fellow club member Simon Marshall. Kim going on to win that one 7/6. Michael Bailey and Ian MacDonald were the other players to progress to the
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semifinals overcoming James Howard and John Rademakers respectively. The semis saw Kim matched up against MacDonald and Bailey vs Fitzsimmons. Woo Bong was able to advantage of his home course knowledge to win that match 4/3 with Michael Bailey outlasting his opponent in the deteriorating conditions progressing 3/2. With play suspended the final again took place on the 25th of March with Bailey and Kim meeting to settle the title. However, it was the latter who prevailed with Woo Bong Kim taking out the match 2/1 in a tight affair. Kieran Sharvin managed to win on the 19th vs Nathan Moore to secure the Master’s Division 2 prize.
The Boy’s U19 division likewise started with a qualifying round leaving a Championship division and Division 2. Etienne Collier prevailed as the top qualifier being matched up against Maadi Kiri Kiri in the quarter-finals where he won convincingly. Nelson-based Caleb Minson also won his quarter-final match up vs James Walker 5/4 with Jono Fry and Marshall Johnstone also progressing. The semi-finals saw Minson and Fry do battle as well as Collier and Johnston in the testing rain conditions. The top qualifier Collier was able to do the job 4/3 with Jono Fry the 7th placed qualifier prevailing over Minson 2Up. The final again took place on the 25th of March with Collier looking to carry on his momentum from a few weeks prior, and it was the Avondale junior who took out the match defeating Fry 2/1 to claim his first Canterbury Match Play u19 title. Uny Shao went on to win the Division 2 prize defeating Louis Edwards.
The final division was the Men’s Seniors with just a small field competing. Following the qualifying round, newcomer Dion
Ratahi progressed as the top seed facing up against David Storey in the semifinals where he won 2/1. The other semifinal saw defending champion Marty Holman match up against Lin Wang, the former progressing via a play-off hole in a very tight contest. The final match was played over the weekend with Holman continuing his dominance in the division prevailing 3/2.
The Final round of Presidents Grade Interclub was held at Coringa Golf Club recently in fine conditions and the course in great order.
Russley were crowned Presidents Grade Champions after just one loss throughout the 13 round competition and that was to Runners-up Rawhiti, who finished a point behind Russley. Bottle Lake finished in third place a further four points behind Rawhiti.
The hotly contested MVP Trophy and customary bottle of Gordons Gin was shared between Marty Rhodes (Rawhiti) and Gary Shaw (Templeton) pictured with Canterbury Golf Executive Committee Member John Thompson.
The first Boyle Cup challenge for 2023 was played at Amberley Golf Club recently in fine conditions, with the current Boyle Cup holders Amberley backing up after three successful challenges in 2022 and hosting Cheviot.
In a very close match Cheviot’s team of, from left Phils Morris, Sue Anderson, Jenny LePine, Annie LePine and Val Parsons defeated the current Boyle Cup Champions Amberley 3-2.
Cheviot will now contact Canterbury Clubs requesting applications from clubs wishing to issue a challenge, and then undertake a ballot to confirm challenges for the remainder of the season.
Through two rounds of Women’s Silver Pennants, some clear teams have made
themselves frontrunners. Ashburton, Geraldine and the composite team of Timaru/Temuka sit on 21, 20 and 19.5 points through two rounds, meaning all teams have gained at minimum 80% of the available points.
The first round saw Ashburton edge out Gleniti 1 by a 9 – 3 margin, whilst both Geraldine and Timaru/Temuka started their campaigns perfectly with 12 – 0 wins over North Otago and Tinwald/Mayfield respectively.
After the second round was washed out, the third was played at Pleasant Point Golf Club on March 27. Ashburton took on Gleniti 2 and played extremely well to get all points on offer. Pauline Bell, Jenny Stoddart, Bev Chinn and Kay Fox all won their matches and fourballs to complete the impressive 12 – 0 score and sit in first place by a narrow margin.
Tinwald/Mayfield took on Geraldine in the tightest of contests. The singles were shared 2 apiece with Christine Ross and Leen Bell winning for Tinwald/Mayfield and Jenny Kellahan and Susan Lyttle winning for Geraldine meaning the fourballs came into play to determine the outcome. Geraldine managed to claim the top match in the singles and the second match came down to the wire which ultimately ended in a halve and gave Geral-
dine the victory 7.5 – 4.5.
Timaru/Temuka sit in second after an 8 – 0 victory. Lynda Brown, Morna Hogan and Di Taylor all got wins for the composite side whilst Karen Devlin managed the sole victory for North Otago. The fourballs both went the way of Timaru/Temuka, but an unfortunate situation with the rules saw both teams lose 2 points in the overall standings.
Wakatipu High School continued their recent dominance at the Southland Secondary Schools event with a convincing 18 stroke victory over the rest of the field.
Played in perfect golfing conditions, the number one team of Sumin Kang, Yoonae Jeong and Nico Cheifetz all recorded scores under par to comfortably finish ahead of the Southland Boys High School 2 team of Jacob Boniface, Charlie Standish and Duncan Tait. The scoring was a lot closer for the minor placings with Wakatipu High School 2 and Southland Boys 1 just two and three strokes behind Southland Boys High 2.
Nine teams competed at this years event which continues to grow on previous years with another 19 teams battling it out in the Ambrose Teams event.
The team from Central Southland College 3, Archie Bryan, Blake Howes Kollat and Ryan Cooper sneeking ahead of the Wakatipu High School 1 team Toby Gallie, Willem Wikstrom and Diego Maddison. Verdon College 4 and Wakatipu 2 finished tied in third place.
In the girls division Verdon College pipped Fiordland College 2 by one stroke, with the team of Olivia Goodall, Isobel Andrews and Emily Brown taking out this year’s event.
Wakatipu led the individual honors with Nico Cheifetz 70 and Noah Novacek 71 both finishing under par in the boys and Sumin Kang 73 under par on the womens course.
Wakatipu High School will now go on to represent the Southland Secondary Schools at Pleasent Point Golf Club on August 27th and 28th at the 2023 NZ Secondary Schools Championships.
Wakatipu golfers Nico Cheifetz and Jan Ebbinge battled it out for the 2023 Southland Age Group title at Winton Golf club recently.
Cheifetz carded a one over par score of 73 in ideal conditions finishing one stroke ahead of club mate Jan Ebbinge 72 posting the two best scores of the day on the tight Winton lay out. These two were followed by Southland golfers Ollie Piggott and Taine Withy both carding 82 rounding out the top three placings in the under 19 age group.
Yoonae Jeong, Ricky Kang and Josh Harris all Wakatipu, filled the top three places in the under 16 competition with Will Carson the best of the Southland golfers finishing with a 78, the lowest posted score by a Southland golfer on the day.
Gaeun Lee (Wakatipu) accumulated 41 stableford points in the under 13 division comfortably ahead of Cory Holland (Clinton) on 37 points.
