Golf Course Proposed For Bromlev

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28920, 13 June 1959, Page 5

Golf Course Proposed For Bromlev

pive months ago, Mr A. R.

Blank, a founder of the Harewood Golf Club for young players and a founder of the golf foundation, wrote to the Christchurch Drainage Board and suggested that a fine nine-hole course could be made on part of the lard bounded by Kearney’s road and Pages road, the former site of the board’s sewage farm. As the land had been lying idle for years and as the board’s new works were under way, Mr Blank considered that the project was practicable. In his letter he suggested that the course could be used by young people from the St. Andrew’s Hill, Mount Pleasant, Bromley, Heathcote and Sumner areas, who were at present poorly provided for in recreation areas.

Mr Blank said that the undulating, sandy country would be ideal for a course and it would make an excellent fire-break in an area which was constantly ravaged by fire. He was also anxious to provide some golfing facilities for the young people of the south-eastern area, similar to that provided so successfully by the Harewood young peoples’ course for the Western suburbs. Decision

Mr Blank has not yet received an answer from the Drainage Board. The only notification he has seen was an article in the newspapers which said that a golf course had been suggested for the sewage area, but that the Christchurch City Council was taking over the property

for cricket and football grounds. “I have been negotiating with Mr J. A. G. Connell, chairman of the board, by telephone, because I have been anxious to carry on with the idea.” Mr Blank said. ‘‘l inspected the property with Mr L. Stephen, the board’s engineer, and after several inspections I made a preliminary lay-out, which I handed to the board. It was of a ninehole course, 3295 yards, with a standard scratch score of 74. Large Area “Although it is possible to make cricket and football grounds on comparatively small areas, it is not the case in laying out a golf course where a large area is required—at least 30 to 40 acres. The type of land suitable in Christchurch for golf courses is very limited and if provision is not made for a course today, there is little hope of getting land in the future.” Mr Blank spoke of the difficulty he had in persuading the New Brighton Borough Council to lay out the course which is now known as Rawhiti. Mr Blank said he had approached the mayor who did not favour the idea, which was eventually turned down. Later he had waited on the new mayor, who gave immediate apr proval, and Rawhiti was begun. It was a wilderness of lupin and

scrub; but today it was not only a beautiful course, but there was provision also for football and cricket grounds. With the drainage board’s vast area now available he thought that a combination of the three sports, football, cricket and golf could easily be arranged. ~ ‘‘This is the best golfing country you can get anywhere,” Mr Blank said. “It is something similar to that at St. Andrew’s in Scotland, where it is sandy and dry and maintenance costs are low. ' Many Golfers “Now the average councillor today always has in mind the provision of football and cricket grounds, but I would say that Christchurch is very golf minded, with thousands of players; but there is little thought given to the provision of golf courses. “The City Council has now had considerable experience with Hagley Park, and what a blessing the golf course there has been. It is used day by day, while football and cricket grounds are used far less frequently, generally only on Saturdays. The city would be wise to consider when it has a chance

of getting a golf course in an area such as this.” y

Because of the size of the land at Kearney’s road, Mr Blank thought that there would be areas available for a golf course, even if> the particular section set aside for football and cricket grounds was going to be used for that purpose alone. The course would not cost the ratepayers a penny, according to Mr Blank. Maintenance and any cost would be borne by the club itself. The course at Harewood, which had been established now for two years was fully developed, but ratepayers had contributed nothing towards it, as it had been maintained by the club.

t Another point in favour of a . golf course at Kearney’s road t was the nature of the land there, 3 Mr Blank said. Football and cricket grounds required level areas, 1 but golf preferred sandhills and i undulations, which were already - a feature of the property owned s by the board. There would be ’• no need to spend huge sums t in levelling, as for other sports. e Option Mr Blank said that he was so keen on the idea ot a course that he hadgone so far as to get an option on purchasing some 40 acres of land in the vicinity with the object of forming a club there and taking It over, if nothing could be done in getting a suitable area. He had no doubt it would be successful. Akaroa had realised the advantage of having a good golf course in its area, and at the request of the Akaroa Progress League he had Inspected a small portion of land at Takamatua to see if a course could be made there, Mr Blank said. Here again it was hilly country where little lg or no provision had been made > for flat areas for recreational J purposes. Golf enthusiasts there, ; however, had endeavoured to play ’ golf in an almost impossible area f in the hills.” 5 "I suggested to the Progress s League, and to the district en- » gineer Mr E. Hattrick, that the a only chance of a full course at ■, Takamatua was to reclaim some . 30 or 40 acres' from the Taka-

matua Beach. This together with the flat land available would give them a good 18 hole course,” he said.