Locals line up to tee off at Tieke course
Mightly Local campaign paying off
Mighty locals are making the new Tieke Golf Estate their A-game with general manager Warren Collett reporting over 11,000 rounds of golf played since the course opened in December.
Not only are locals lining up to tee off, but they are also signing up to be members of the new club.
Warren says when Tieke opened four months ago, 550 members of the former Locheil and Narrows clubs transferred over to the new club.
“And since then our membership has virtually doubled to 1100 members. Local golfers love our new course — it’s so gratifying to have their support.”
Warren adds that Tieke is also proving popular with golfers further afield.
“We have Aucklanders playing here every day and we have hosted some large groups from the various Auckland clubs. With just an hour and a bit drive from Auckland, we’re very accessible and convenient.”
Located adjacent to Hamilton Airport running alongside the Waikato River, Tieke Golf Estate is a unique championship links-style course making use of the natural river sand.
Designed by Te Awamutu Walk of Fame inductee Phil Tataurangi, and Brett Thompson, the course is centred around the riverbank landscape while the clubhouse includes events facilities, a bar and a restaurant which is operated by the local Hamilton-based Kerr and Ladbrook catering company.
A driving range is now being developed and, as well as being a facility
for golfers, it will be available as a corporate events venue, including for team building events.
NZ Golf statistics show more rounds of golf were played in the Waikato than any other region in January.
Hamilton & Waikato Tourism’s interim general manager Nicola Greenwell says it is exciting to see the support for Tieke.
“It’s an amazing course with great facilities and it’s so pleasing to see the backing it’s getting from local residents, not only from golfers but also locals popping in to get a bite at the restaurant or have a drink at the bar.
“This is exactly what our Mighty Local initiative that encourages people to support their local businesses and enterprises is all about.”
The Mighty Local campaign is urging Waikato people to continue to shop, buy, eat, visit, stay, explore and experience in their own region because even as our borders reopen the volume of international visitors will take a while to build.
Mighty Local was launched during the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020 to encourage the support of businesses in the Waikato.
Greenwell says the initiative has over the past two years helped to ease the impact of the border closure and ongoing Covid restrictions on businesses in the region, including bars, cafe´s, restaurants, and retail outlets, alongside accommodation providers, activities, and attractions.
“While the news our borders are opening up is extremely exciting, there will not be an immediate rush of international visitors. The volume will take time to rebuild.
“Visitors will begin filtering through, rather than arrive in an immediate rush so we still need Waikato residents to frequent their local experiences and establishments and New Zealanders to travel domestically,” said Nicola.
To find out more about Mighty Local, visit www. mightylocal.co.nz or www. tiekegolf.co.nz