Newsletter July 2025

Not that you needed reminding – the soggy socks and muddy footprints probably did that for you. But with all this moisture around, there's one issue that's really starting to show up across our region: pitch marks.

 

Now, I know I'm not the only one noticing them—because I'm barely hitting greens these days, so they definitely aren't mine! But seriously, too many pitch marks are being left behind, and it's making our greens look rough and play worse than they should.

 

Every time you grab your putter, take a detour.

Go to where your ball landed and check for a mark. If it left a dent—fix it. It only takes a few seconds, but it makes a massive difference to everyone's game and to the health of the course.

 

Let's show some love to our greens. After all, they're doing it tough too this winter.

 

 

 

Click here to watch a video on how to repair a pitch mark properly.           HERE

 

Aarun Langton and I recently attended the Golf New Zealand AGM and Forum. Rather than a full rundown, here are the key takeaways we believe will be of interest to our clubs and members:

 

If your club hasn't reviewed its constitution recently, now's a good time. Golf NZ has completed theirs, and it includes the introduction of a national Integrity Code for sport—a must-read for anyone involved in club governance.

 

Ongoing upgrades to DotGolf are in motion, aimed at making the system more intuitive, user-friendly, and efficient for both clubs and players.

 

Some fascinating insights were shared:

That's a huge base of potential members, social players, or volunteers—they've tried it, now let's invite them back.

It's a reminder that while traditional formats still matter, there's a growing demand for flexible, social, and stress-free golf experiences. Clubs that embrace this trend—whether through casual formats, twilight games, or inclusive events—are likely to thrive in this changing landscape.

We have an abundance of club competitions—and for many, they remain a vital part of the golf experience. But we also need to ask: Are we offering enough for the players who aren't driven by a scorecard?

 

 

An independent review of the current national/regional partnership model is underway. We'll be invited to contribute feedback during July and August, with outcomes expected by October.

 

 

Golf NZ is developing its next 5-year strategy. We'll keep you updated as more details emerge and opportunities to engage arise.

 

We're thrilled to welcome Skin Clinic Taranaki to our family of partners! With golf keeping us outdoors for 4+ hours a day, this partnership couldn't be more relevant.

 

As a special welcome, Skin Clinic Taranaki is offering a fantastic deal to our 5,000 Taranaki Golf members:

 20% off your first appointment (for new patients who are golf members)

 10% off all future skin check appointments (for both new and existing patients)

 

 Please note: Discounts do not apply to those already receiving a discount. Conditions apply. Look after your skin — it's the most important gear you've got on the course. 

 

We're thrilled to announce that New World Merrilands has joined the Taranaki Golf partnership family – and they've come on board with incredible energy and enthusiasm!

 

This is more than just a partnership – it's a chance to support a local business that's stepping up to support our golfing community. Throughout the year, New World Merrilands will be generously supplying a wide range of prizes, hampers, and goodies for our tournaments and events – adding even more excitement and value for our members.

 

We're proud to welcome them into the fold and encourage all our golfers to show your appreciation by supporting New World Merrilands whenever you can. Whether it's grabbing your groceries or stopping in on the way home from the northern courses, let's return the favour and keep this partnership thriving.

 

Here's to a winning year ahead – on and off the course!

 

Peter Harold

TG Executive Officer 

 

We had a record field with numbers and calibre weeks out from the event with 104 young people teeing it up at New Plymouth and Fitzroy golf courses. We were fortunate to have two beautiful days. 

 

This year we had cups presented for every age group recognising people that have contributed to golf in the respective catergories: Chris Wilson, Margaret Putt, Debbie McCallum, Sam Jones, Grant Moorhead and Murray Martin, 

 

Jackson Moorhead took out the U19 Sam Jones Cup with a brilliant round of 64 featuring 4 birdies and an eagle to go with his 75 in round one at New Plymouth. 

 

1st Jackson Moorhead – 75 64

2nd James Smithson – 73 68

3rd Kingston Taylor-Voyle – 77 65

9th  Max Van Beers – 74 70

11th Divan Denton – 78 69

 

3rd Michael Obreja-Damian – 71 73

5th Louie Wright – 71 75

7th Oliva Symes – 74 73

 

4th Louis Searle – 82 77

 

All results can be found at www.golf.co.nz/national-championships

 

A big thank you to New Plymouth and Fitzroy Golf Clubs for hosting and fuelling the players, Rod Pattison and Nick Northam helping out on rules, Holly Winter, Celeste Broderick and Joe Conley for helping with starting and scorecard return and Chris Hill for capturing specatular photos.