Growing player numbers underpin three new staff appointments by Golf New Zealand

The thriving growth of golf in regional New Zealand has seen the sport’s administrative body, Golf New Zealand, appoint three new personnel to club support and player development roles around the country.

Ben James is the newly appointed development officer for golf in the Manawatu/Whanganui region, Simon Winter is the newly appointed club support manager for golf in the Tasman district and Phil Robinson is the newly appointed golf co-ordinator across the Southland province.

As the sport’s central administrative body, Golf New Zealand has partnership agreements with multiple golfing districts throughout the country -- including Bay of Plenty, Manawatu/ Wanganui, Tasman, Aorangi, Otago, and Southland – which allow for a streamlining of operations and access to a range of support services and programmes.

The partnership model allows Golf New Zealand staff living and working locally in their respective provinces to deliver national initiatives at a regional level.

Golf New Zealand’s general manager of partnerships and legal, Hana-Rae Seifert, said the organisation was excited about continuing to grow its service delivery capability to produce more participation initiatives and performance pathway-based programmes around the country.

“Golf participation player numbers in New Zealand continue to grow yearon-year across many demographics – including children, women, Maori, those with disabilities, and existing players taking to the fairways more often when they can,” said Ms Seifert.

“Ben, Simon, and Phil will be instrumental in underpinning this growth in their respective regions, and we look forward to welcoming more new players to the sport this year as a result of their endeavours.

“It is critical for golf that the sport embraces the future and plans effectively to meet the changing needs of participants. This means not only sustaining what we currently have in terms of grassroots participation, but also delivering a sport which attracts a new generation of players who will develop a lifelong love of the game.”

Simon Winter joins Golf New Zealand from a sporting background as a long-standing professional tennis coach, where he developed and managed participation programmes at a provincial level at both a school and club level. Simon’s extensive coaching career spans three decades both in the United States and New Zealand.

In his role as Golf New Zealand’s club support manager at the top of the South Island, Simon will take responsibility for co-ordinating interclub competitions, supporting Tasman’s age group and school championships, and overseeing the district’s stroke play tournaments.

Based in Nelson at the heart of the Tasman region, Simon will take on responsibility for supporting local match committees by arranging the district’s pennant programme, and annual tournament calendar for both men and women.

Meanwhile, sport-loving Phil Robinson comes to golf from a career in business administration and management, most recently as the owner/director of his own digital marketing and advertising design agency in Invercargill. He is also involved with Southland charities such as Southland Charity Hospital and Sunrise Rotary.

Within the Golf New Zealand remit, Robinson will now be focussing on growing the game in the Southland region – working closely in partnership with golf clubs, golf facilities, and coaching professionals, to provide introduction and development programmes at schools, in communities, and in golf clubs — all aimed at increasing player participation and club membership.

Said Robinson: “This will include the development and delivery of regional participation initiatives with a focus on young people, women and girls, and casual players through the implementation of Golf New Zealand’s range of participation programmes.

“I’ll also be assisting in the development and management of annual business plans and budgets of golfclubs in the district.”

Rounding out the trio of new appointments, former New Zealand Army senior non-commissioned officer and provincial rugby coach Ben James joins Golf New Zealand to undertake similar club liaison activities for the sport’s administrative body in the Manawatu/ Whanganui region.

Born and raised in Palmerston North, James has a strong affiliation to developing the potential and opportunities for golfers of all demographic backgrounds in the Manawatu/Whanganui province – either those striving just to get out for a weekend round with friends, or those in a competitive space aiming for higher national honours.