Calls to re-circulate open
A former New Zealand Golf Board president is concerned New Zealand’s centralised golf open is detracting from the game in the regions.
Neil Woodbury, based in Waikanae, said the tournament belonged to every golfer in New Zealand.
‘‘To me, it’s not an open championship any more.’’
Woodbury said membership at clubs in the regions were taking a hit, partly because the tournament was not circulated around.
‘‘In New Zealand a great many clubs lose members. They’ve had to merge or close down.‘‘
However, New Zealand Golf chief executive Dean Murphy said the arrangement had not negatively impacted club membership in the regions.
The New Zealand Golf Open is based at The Hills and Millbrook courses in Arrowtown, and has been held there in seven of the past nine years.
Woodbury said the Boulcott’s Farm Heritage Golf Club in Lower Hutt had dropped from 1300 members to 800 in the last five years, although the Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club had maintained a stable membership due to an influx of junior players.
PBGC had conducted ‘‘magnificent events’’ in the past and was strategically placed to attract visitors.
It could be on a venue rotation alongside other standout courses from around the country, he said.
Murphy said there was no set policy on where the event was hosted, but it would remain in Arrowtown for the foreseeable future.
The shift to Arrowtown was to develop a funding model to host a ‘‘premiere-level’’ event - about $5million in funding was needed to provide a prize purse over $1m.
PBGC manager Leo Barber said the course was still garnering attention from national and international visitors, despite last hosting the open in 2002.
‘‘The Paraparaumu club would like to once again stage the open championship, but members also appreciate that sponsorship arrangements are a key factor in hosting the event.’’
Boulcott’s Farm general manager John Freer said the decision came back to the event’s ‘‘economic viability’’.
Other important tournaments like the NZPGA and Charles Tour were still held in the regions, he said.
Freer said the club’s membership had grown by 56 members this year, to about 900 overall. The decline had been more about the merger of two clubs into one and a revamp of the course.