New Zealand Golf & UOA tee off innovative business program
By Mathilda Andersson
New Zealand Golf joins forces with the University of Auckland in a unique business venture to increase awareness and change the perception of golf to help grow the game.
In the wake of New Zealand Golf’s praised initiative ‘LOVE Golf’ launched in 2014, the national body is determined to curtail aged old perceptions of the sport and continue to drive youth participation in the country.
Reports of golf’s global struggle to gain and retain new blood have been widely circulating for the past decade. Disparaging views that golf is only for the old and wealthy middle class on the higher rungs of the corporate ladder have hampered the sport’s younger demographics from picking up a golf club.
In New Zealand, junior participation numbers have stayed relatively static over the past few years but with some positive growth recently recorded according to Dean Murphy, New Zealand Golf Chief Executive.
“The number of young players transitioning to junior golf club membership remains static,” he said. “The number of junior club members is also reasonably static at 6,000 junior boys and 1,200 junior girls, however we continue to see growth in the number of young New Zealander’s who participate in introduction programs.”
Part of the accumulative junior involvement in the country can be traced back to the many youth initiatives offered to Kiwi children and youth.
Last week, New Zealand Golf, with the support of the University of Auckland, announced a cooperative business program created to pair ambitious young students with leading business professionals in strive to introduce the younger demographic to the sport.
The idea behind the initiative is to highlight the value of golf in a business context through co-curricular activities providing students with the opportunity to network with the biggest names in New Zealand business including Sir John Key (GNZM), 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, Susan Paterson (ONZM), Director of Sky Television and Les Mills, Jason Paris, Chief Executive Spark Home, Business and Mobile, Cecilia Tarrant, Independent Non-Executive Director of Fletcher Building and many more.
“THE BUSINESS COURSE highlights the positive attributes of golf and its close connection to the business world. The ability to socialise with mentors between shots enables students to build relationships and discuss areas of interest in business,” said Thiem Nguyen, New Zealand Golf Participation and Insights Manager.
“We believe in diversity and inclusiveness in sport and business. The students who were selected as part of THE BUSINESS COURSE all come from culturally diverse backgrounds,”
“We make the game affordable and accessible by providing the students who have never played previously with the necessary equipment to start their journey in golf,”
“The practice facilities, support from coaches, mentors and format of play enables new players to have a positive first experience on course whilst still providing the challenge for experienced players.”
Over the course of six weeks, the program will combine weekly workshops hosted by University of Auckland with on-course golf experience in the format of an Ambrose hosted by New Zealand Golf. Each week the workshop topics will vary from ‘interviewing for your first job’ to ‘building your own personal brand’.
The program will be held at renowned Remuera Golf Club, located just outside of Auckland, and the club’s General Manager Chris Davies said the club is proud to host the pilot project.
“We aspire to be a club that is the hub of the community and provide opportunities for everyone to learn and play the game,” he said.
“We saw this as an opportunity to help grow the game, be part of something special and contribute to the development of the lives of young people.”
THE BUSINESS COURSE is funded by Air New Zealand, Business Mentors New Zealand, Remuera Golf Club, EZGO and STA Travel, and the twenty-four mentors involved have volunteered to be part of the program in strive to help grow the game and to inspire the next generation into the game of golf.
The students will later graduate from the course at an event held alongside New Zealand’s first LPGA event, the MCKAYSON New Zealand Women’s Open on October 1st.
New Zealand Golf Initiatives
She Loves Golf
She Loves Golf is a month-long campaign celebrating golf, fronted by New Zealand’s celebrities and influencers like Jamie Curry, Toni Street, Laura McGoldrick, Matilda Rice and Lydia Ko.
The main purpose of She Loves Golf is to have a hero brand for clubs, districts, golf professionals, driving ranges and other industry partners to run an initiatives and programmes aimed at attracting females to the game.
Casual Golf
Casual Golf was launched for New Zealand Golf to capture the playing habits of non-member golfers, as well as provide a gateway for those participants to get a taste of what being a golf club member provides.
Get on the Green
A platform for the golf sector to promote their offerings to a community of 160,000 golfers comprised of golf club members and casual golfers.
Junior Golf
A new strategy will be launched in 2018 to promote the value of golf and inspire young people aged 5-18 years old to play competitively or recreationally as part of an active, healthy lifestyle.
To find out more about NZ Golf’s initiatives, please visit their website: http://www.golf.co.nz/
