Half a century of golfing ‘mateship’
Golfing friendships spanning some 50-years were celebrated when a group of long-time mates from across New Zealand and Australia gathered in Northland for the latest chapter in their annual tournament gatherings.
The bunch of buddies are loosely known as the Goat Trackers, who drew their name from the hilly New Judgeford Golf Course in Porirua, which was one of the many venues they played on frequently in the early days.
The group of Poneke rugby club teammates took to the fairways when they weren’t in the scrum, then decided to meet once a year for a game of golf, which then morphed into going away for weekends, and then for a week or more in later years.
The Goat Trackers comprise a mix of regular club golfers and casual ‘‘hackers’’ who enjoy getting out for the occasional round just for the fun of it. Their handicaps range from nought to 36.
Starting with the original six members – all of whom are still playing today – the Goat Trackers kept their membership tight-knit, like their friendships, adding just three further members over the ensuing decades. Now their wives join in the event, although more for the ‘‘after match’’ celebrations than putting on the greens.
With evolving lives and families since playing the inaugural tournaments at the Judgeford, founding members of the Goat Trackers hackers migrated around the country – to Northland, Hawke’s Bay, Waikato, Levin, one in Australia and three stayed in Wellington.
Each year the lads gather from around Australasia for their annual Goat Track Trophy. For most, it’s the only time the guys see each other, yet their friendship through golf has endured over the decades.
Over the years their annual one-off tournaments have taken the Golf Trackers to courses throughout New Zealand – encompassing rounds in Auckland, the Waikato, Rotorua, Taupo, Hawke’s Bay, Taranaki, Tasman, the West Coast, Queenstown, Dunedin, Southland.
The Goat Trackers’ fairway treks have even taken them abroad – with rounds in the Australian states of Victoria, Queensland, and South Australia, as well as in Norfolk Island.
Every player in the group apart from two of the new intakes has had their name on the trophy – some more than others, such as founding member and Trentham Golf Club player Trevor Coleman, who sits top of the all-time leader board and hasn’t let major heart surgery get in the way of his love for the game.
Others in the group also have ongoing health problems, but manage to get that special game in with their mates. Two members have passed away during the 50-years.
In October, the Goat Trackers played their 50th tournament at Carrington Golf Course in the Far North.
Fellow founding Goat Trackers member Dennis Wolff said he and the boys never envisaged they’d still be sharing bunker banter together when they first started 50-years ago, but added that every year they had plenty of great times and laughs.
One non golfer, Jan Thomson has been with the group since its inception, and later married Trevor Coleman.
One tradition is haggling for handicaps the night before the big game. The trophy winner selects and arranges the following year’s venue.