Time to bite the bullet

The elephant in the room is finally out in the open – too few golfers and too many courses, especially in New Plymouth; those who are in a position to do most about it have their heads firmly stuck in the sand.

Taranaki Golf, mentioning the dreaded ‘A’ word (amalgamation) then shunning it off as ‘not straightforward’, is an example of putting things in the too-hard basket while clubs wither on the vine.

Every club member pays a levy to TGA, but I wonder what we get for our money.

They need to take the lead, because clubs are unlikely to.

To hear club officials – well meaning, incredibly hard working people –suggest that we will have to look at this in 10 years’ time is just too late; delaying going to the doctor knowing something is wrong, but not wanting to confirm it, won’t benefit anyone.

In 10 years’ time as many as 50 per cent of our current golf members will no longer play the game because time waits for no man, or woman.

The quality of the courses will decline further for lack of money or volunteer help and what will be left will be poor fare for locals and the visitors to our great little city.

That is only the first step; we need to look at new ways to generate further income, and make what is left financially viable long term.

We need to bite the bullet now; I hope it’s not too late.

Peter Barker, Bell Block