Southland Golf Club still proves popular
The Southland Times Club of the Week series continues as we take a look at the great work grassroots sport clubs do in the province. This week we put the spotlight on the Southland Golf Club, and its Oreti Sands links course, which is popular not only for many Southland golfers but also for visitors from throughout the world.
Club: Southland Golf Club – Oreti Sands
Established: In 1960, at the invitation of the Southland District Golf Association (now Golf Southland) Sandy Point was visited by Kel Nagle and Peter Thomson, two of Australia’s best professionals of their time. They were impressed and described the area as some of the best golfing country in the world. It took another nine years before nine holes were carved from the unforgiving links land, and the course was officially opened.
President: Georgina Ellis is the current and first woman president.
What is the club’s most successful moment or era?
In the late 1970s when golf clubs universally enjoyed halcyon days of large memberships, Oreti Sands held the New Zealand record for the most new members signed up in one year. Then, again in the late 80s, the club held the record for the most Laing Shield challenges defended. This prestigious trophy is played for between all Southland golf clubs. That record has been overhauled twice, but at that time it generated mana and many financial benefits for the club.
Any national champions to come out of your club?
Paul Adams has won Senior Lefties National Championships on two occasions and gifted former golfer Michael Atkinson was in the New Zealand boys’ team. In May this year Doug Carmichael won the overall gross score at the Central Otago Five Course Challenge. While that tournament is not classed as a national event, over 500 golfers from Australasia competed in it.
Who is the leading men’s and women’s player at the club at the moment?
Matt Tautari. Since joining our club he has broken all the course records on our championship blue tees, the white club tees and also the shorter red tees. Our top woman golfer is ex-Southland representative Cheryl Tretheway.
How many members do you have at the club at the moment?
Golf numbers have dropped right around the world. In the case of Oreti Sands lower numbers has not necessarily meant a weaker club. We are described as ‘‘a small club with a big heart’’, and this has been reinforced at the annual ILT Challenge which is played between all four Invercargill clubs. Oreti Sands has won it four times from the six ties played so far.
How does your course rank in New Zealand?
We are enormously proud that Oreti Sands is considered one of the best 20 courses in New Zealand. We are ranked fourth in the South Island, behind the big names of Jack’s Point and Millbrook, and 12th in New Zealand. We are also one of the New Zealand Experiences courses promoted by the New Zealand Tourism Board. It is an honour that we have the capacity to attract golfers from all over the world. The local spinoff for accommodation, restaurants and general retail is significant. Last month alone we had over 100 hits on our website from places as far afield as Dubai and Canada, and it isn’t uncommon to find someone from Holland or Denmark playing in your group on an ordinary club day.
What is the club’s biggest challenge in the current day?
Lack of local members and green fee players is definitely a challenge. For a few years after our major redevelopment in 2006 our membership dipped. However, current members have thrived playing ‘‘real’’ links conditions and are extremely pleased how the course has matured and grown in status.
Any initiatives/events in the pipeline?
We are holding our annual Ladies Tournament on Thursday and the Murihiku Maori Tournament on Sunday, which is open to all affiliated golfers.