The New Zealand Professional Golfers’ Association has announced the NZPGA Championship to be held at the Te Puke Golf Club from April 28th to May 2nd of this year. This is particularly exciting with a prize purse of 100 grand and the introduction of a team format to the regular stroke play. Players will compete in a sort of ‘State of Origin’ competition no doubt for bragging rights and less than gentle banterising (newly coined George Bushism)
Firstly, let me congratulate Dominic and the PGA for their forward thinking here. Generating interest in an important trophy in New Zealand golf is a worthy task. This trophy has been won by Bob Charles, Tony Jacklin, Kel Nagle, Peter Thompson, Frank Nobilo, Greg Turner and more recently Michael Hendry, Ben Campbell and Brad Kennedy. Secondly, getting the tournament to great courses like Te Puke (teh-poo-keh) is great for the regions to raise the numbers excited about golf and seeing world class players at their home track. Not to take away from events like the NZ Open in Queenstown, but playing for major trophies on courses that have the old boys playing for a dollar on a Tuesday is fantastic. We are blessed with many of these gems scattered around New Zealand too.
It is also very encouraging to see the Institute of Golf being major partner. I love to see self-made success stories and Craig and Guy and the team have built that place from nada to normous. Sorry, trying to use alliteration cleverly but have failed miserably. You may also realise they took a bubbly wee Lydia Ko to world number 1.
Entry is free and set up will be a party hole and family areas. Might even make a special trip for giggles – not to play, Christ I haven’t swung a bat in weeks, just to be a part of it.
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