Fairway Newsletter Taupo GC 2 April 2017
Kia Ora from Renee’s Desk
I arrived here two weeks ago and have been made very welcome by one and all. My first impressions are that the Club has many strengths and this bodes well for the future. I would like to acknowledge some of our people doing an amazing job.
Junior Golf
I met with Helen and spent a little time with some of the juniors. It is the commitment of people like Helen that grows the game and is so important for the health of our club. A few days ago there was a piece about the growth of Junior Golf in the Bay of Plenty Times. Here is an excerpt:
The days of golf being the bastion of the rich and elderly are long gone.
Nowhere is this more evident than in the Bay of Plenty where numbers of young people taking up the game continues to grow at record levels.
Figures released by NZ Golf reveal junior golfers under-19 increased by 21 per cent in the last 12 months across the wider Bay of Plenty region.
Mike Campbell said he was hoping for an increase in numbers every year but the 21 per cent leap in the last 12 months exceeded his expectations.
"There have been some clubs that have had some big, big increases in that period particularly with Helen Clelland at Taupo and Jan Higgins at Otumoetai.
"Helen has run the junior section at Taupo for quite a long time. Last year she got together a dozen volunteers we put them through the PGA Foundation Coach Certificate programme so she now has another 12 coaches she can call on to help out with junior days.
Greenkeepers
We are fortunate to have a 36 hole course however it takes some doing to maintain such a large area. The four greenkeepers led by Gordon do a fantastic job so hats off to your team Gordon. Without a course we have no golf. I have some ideas that once I get settled I would like to explore to enable us to support Gordon’s team.
Caterers
Recreational activities are great for our health and nourishing food/kai to sustain us after a game of golf is so important. Sharing food/kai with our friends and family affords us the opportunity to enjoy their company and have fun. We are lucky to have Darryl and his “can do” team provide great wholesome food/kai.
Administrators
Laura has resigned from her position and takes up a new role in two weeks’ time. While I have not had the pleasure of working with Laura she has been helping me understand how the administration team functions. Laura’s job has been advertised however in the meantime I look forward to working with Louise.
The Board
I would especially like to mention the Board. It has been a privilege to work with such a committed team. I would like to thank them for their support particularly over the past two weeks while I was finding my feet. I look forward to working positively with the Board.
Pro Shop
On Friday James cleared out the shop on his final day here. It was also Kevin’s last day. While it is the “end of an era” I am sure James and Kevin are looking forward to the future. The 31st March is always a tough stock take day around the country!
After the shop was cleared the work needed to begin. Pro Drive are now providing our stock and Steve from Pro Drive arrived to re-stock the Pro Shop. Pro Drive have been great to work with and I am sure we will continue to have a strong working relationship.
In the meantime Jeff and I worked on the electronic payment system with plenty of challenges. I have enjoyed working with Jeff and look forward to exploring how we can improve our systems with a particular focus on streamlining our booking system.
With the stock coming through the doors I had a number of helpers to thank. Dan, Helen, Tom and Gary helped take the stock out of the cardboard boxes and we began stocking the shop. Ivan, my bonus Dad and Mum began the task of cleaning. We were a great team and worked into the night to get a semblance of order for the following day. Saturday Maggie and Ivan helped and Tom popped his head in the door to see if I needed some help. Thanks so much it is always great to work with a committed team.
While there is still plenty to sort Dan and I would like to welcome you to the Pro Shop over the coming weeks!!
Handicap Committee News
Les Wraight – Chairman Handicap Committee
Penalty Scores:
Many thanks to members for greatly reducing the number of Penalty Scores we have had to enter into your records:
January 108
February 21
March 17.
If for any reason you are unsure if you card should be entered for handicapping, such as an incomplete round, not played to the Rules of Golf, or you have just had a bad round and you don’t want it entered, then just write that on the card and put it in the slot in the Main Office wall and we will do the rest.
Charts are still by both screens for guidance in card entering.
We wait a week before we enter Penalty Scores to give you time to enter cards that have gone home by mistake.
You can identify Penalty Scores in your records in two ways.
1. The “Entered” and “Played” columns will show a 7 or 8 day gap and
2. When you select a particular round by clicking it will only show an “Adjusted Gross” score and no “Hole by Hole” details.
We are hoping to get both Centennial and Tauhara courses re-rated in the near future as they have not been assessed for a number of years.
Our Next Charity Day
Our fantastic “hole” girls run this each year and have been able to donate a sizable cheque to Taupo Hospice. We get good support from local businesses for prizes, have a great raffle table and a small auction. However we do need the entries. It’s an ambrose, teams of 4, straightest drive, nearest the pin on both front and back of Tauhara.
The course is booked, entry forms up in the pro shop and on the 9 hole notice boards. Hospice do an amazing job within the community so let’s support our team in making this a successful day. SIGN UP TODAY at the PRO Shop or email johnlyn@xtra.co.nz
Remembering Kevin Neill
Kevin Neill passed away on Tuesday 28 March. He will be well known to a number of the senior members of our club, having been a Past President, and for many years and until fairly recently he held the office of Honorary Vice President.
During Kevin's term as president he initiated the formation of the Taupo Veteran Golfers Society. Formerly it had been a loose playing group of older members, and then about three years ago became an incorporated society.
Although in his youth Kevin had been a victim of polio which forced him to wear a specially raised shoe, he was a regular and very fit golfer. About five years ago, sadly his health began to fail and he reluctantly gave up the game.
Kevin and his wife Brenda came to Taupo about 1954 and built their house on Tauhara Road opposite the 4th fairway. He was deeply involved with many other local identities in voluntarily clearing away scrub and Manuka and filling in “tomos” to help make the Tauhara Course playable, and was likewise heavily involved in the creation of the Centennial Course. He had been a tireless worker for Taupo Golf Club.
Owing to advancing years and failing health Kevin and Brenda sold their Tauhara Road property and moved to Liston Heights two years ago.
Messages to Brenda at 28/3 Liston Avenue, Liston Heights.