Eagles national golf convention returns to Taranaki after 12 years

A national golf convention has made its way back to New Plymouth after 12 years and will tee-off this weekend.

The Eagles Golfing Society of New Zealand is holding its 52nd convention in New Plymouth between Sunday, February 21 and Wednesday, February 24.

Organiser Bill Bird, who has been to all but one of the Eagles’ conventions since 1988, said about 360 people will be attending from around the country.

Of that number, 176 men and 85 ladies will be competing on four golf courses around Taranaki.

The men will be split into two groups, with half playing in Stratford while the others will play at the New Plymouth golf course, before swapping the next day.

The women will spend Tuesday at Inglewood and Wednesday at Fitzroy golf clubs.

There will also a bus tour to an undisclosed location for the “ageing, infirm and ladies who don’t play golf”, Bird said.

The agenda for the convention includes the naming of the society’s golfer of the year at a dinner on Tuesday night, its AGM, and the election of a new president and other officers, who will serve for the next two years.

Bird said the Eagles Golfing Society was created in 1963 by senior golfers who wanted to help develop the sport.

A major misconception was the way people joined the society, Bird said.

“You don’t have to score an eagle to be a member.”

Instead, golfers simply had to be invited by a current member.

Bird, who joined the Eagles in 1985, said members of its Taranaki branch travelled around the different clubs in the region to give them support.

“We help the green fees and help the bars and just generally help the golf clubs,” he said.

The society also raises money for the Halberg Trust, which helps disabled sports men and women, and this year handed about $414,000.

In total the Eagles have raised $4m for the trust.