New Zealand golf clubs to go casual

in bid to attract new members

By PHIL HAMILTON
New Zealand's most exclusive golf clubs will relax their dress codes as part of a drive to attract new members.
The new dress standards will not exactly be heading into the rough, but among the proposals are allowing players to wear shirts without collars. After all, even Tiger Woods does that.
The lower dress standards for beginners and juniors are part of a New Zealand Golf initiative, called Golf Nation, to stop falling membership putting financial pressure on clubs.
A Golf Nation roadshow will be presented to Christchurch clubs next month at Russley.
Despite having one of the healthier rolls in the city with 1050 members, Russley has budgeted for a shortfall of $78,000 this year, with its golfing income outweighed by expenses.
General manager Rod Gordon said the number of male members, who pay $985 annually at Russley, had gradually declined.
"We're not in dire straits; it's just representative of the difficulties clubs are experiencing," he said.
"In fact, we're better off than most. But because of different lifestyles now, people are playing more casual golf, where they pay green fees."
As part of the Golf Nation initiative, clubs must commit to requirements that include relaxing dress codes for juniors and beginners, having nine-hole membership and allocating tee times for golfers from other clubs. The initiative will also allow golfers to play free at clubs similar to their own.
Gordon said Russley would probably remove the sign at the entrance that spelt out dress requirements such as a collared shirt, no jeans, no beach shorts and no track pants .
"It's all about trying to remove the image of being stuffy," he said.
New Zealand Golf has also recommended that clubs increase their green fees.
"When you do the sums, members are paying not much less than what a green-fee players pays, so there's less incentive to join," Gordon said.
Waitikiri manager Ron McPhail said members, who pay $890 for a full men's membership, would be keen on being able to play free at other courses in the same band.
"I would bet my bottom dollar every tee time at certain clubs would be snapped up pretty quickly," he said.
Christchurch Golf Club manager Struan Cain said membership at the Shirley course, which costs $1500, was down on previous years and the club was keen to embrace Golf Nation.
He said the club would be happy to relax its dress code, although he thought members would probably draw the line at the wearing of jeans being permissible.