Golf Facilities Problem To Be Investigated

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31027, 5 April 1966, Page 18

Golf Facilities Problem To Be Investigated

The problem of facilities loomed over metropolitan golf and was approaching a serious stage, Mr G. V. Williams, president of the Canterbury' Provincial Golf Association, said at the annual meeting of the association last evening.

“Over all this looms the problem of the growing inadequacy of golfing facilities in the metropolitan area—a problem which is facing practically all the main golfing centres,” he said.

“The membership of the association has increased by 750 during the last year. “Every association in New Zealand shows similar growth and all these extra people have been crammed into existing courses. “On the one hand we are encouraging young people to take up the game; on the other we are saying, “You cannot play golf—there is no room for you’,” said Mr Williams. Vast Upsurge “On top of all this there is the tremendous upsurge in the popularity of the game—an upsurge which is proving a further embarrassment to the majority of the clubs. These are already embarrassed by applications for membership. “Not only is this a problem affecting people who cannot join clubs; it is in another way affecting clubs themselves.” He said the demand on existing courses for inter-club, provincial, national and sponsored fixtures, was growing year by year. Competition Problem “In spite of the demand, the management committee, after consideration, has been unable to find any way of increasing the number of teams in the inter-club competition as it is at present constituted,” said Mr Williams. “More teams mean more rounds and a greater demand on existing courses. The urgent need in Christchurch is for more golf courses. “In the United States, in the six months ended July last, 348 new courses (including par three courses) were constructed,” he said. Not Keeping Up

“New Zealand has a greater golfing population for its size than has the United States and to cope with the unprecedented rise in golf members we should be increasing

the number of golf courses by something like four or five a year.

“W’e are not doing it Unfortunately, because we are already members of clubs and have no need to worry about our own future as golfers, we are inclined to forget about this pressing problem. “What can be done about those who want to become members of clubs and cannot without a long wait? “Can we go on encouraging young persons to take up the game if we cannot provide the facilities for them? “It is very easy for us. from within the security of our own clubs, to say the cost of buying land and building a new course is prohibitive,” said Mr Williams. He said many believed that, within the next 20 years, golf clubs within city boundaries would be things of the past. They would be forced by high costs to go further afield. The longer the delay, the worse the problem would become. said Mr Williams. “Either that or the interest of the young people will wane

from sheer inability to meet their desires. “Comparatively, of course, the cost today is not as prohibitive as it sounds. The standard of living is higher It is certain, however, that the longer we wait the higher costs will become," he said. “It is not the function of an association such as this to build golf courses—although there might be considerable merit in an association owning its own course. “But those who administer the game cannot, 1 believe, go on encouraging people to play golf on the one hand and completely ignoring the problem on the other.” said Mr Williams. Recommendation A motion from Mr I. B Cromb “that a subcommittee be formed by the management committee to consider the problem.” was passed unanim ou sly. “The question of more clubs is a most serious thing," said Mr Cromb. “It is a matter that concerns every club in Canterbury. We should be building a course a year.”