Important mission for golf officials

Press, 11 August 1982, Page 56

Important mission for golf officials

By’

BOB SCHUMACHER

The bid to drum up support for New Zealand, and more specifically Christchurch, to hold the world amateur teams’ golf championships — the Eisenhower Trophy for men and the Espiritu Santo for women — in 1984, begins in all earnest in three weeks time, j ’

That is when the chairman of the New Zealand Golf Association’s tournament sub-committee, Mr Tim Treacy, of Wellington, leaves for, Switzerland armed with all' the • ammunition a vailable to . present New; Zealand’s ■ case. • '

Lending support to Mr Treacy’s lobbying will be the chairwoman of the New Zealand Ladies’ Golf Union, Betty Fraser, of Rangiora. Mrs Fraser is the manager of the national women's team which will be playing in the Espiritu Santo tournament in Geneva from September 8 to 11.

Joining them at a later date will be another longserving golf administrator, Peter Joyce, of Wellington, who is the chairman of the association’s council. ,■ The world tournaments in. 1984 are to be held in the Asian-Pacific zone and New

Zealand’s opposition is from Taiwan and Hong Kong. “New Zealand’s big disadvantage is its geographical position,” said Mr Treacy from Wellington , yesterday, “but I have been on the committee of the. World Amateur Golf Council for the last four years and I ; think our case has been on-going. since then.” ? ’ Mr Treacy said that 62 countries had been sent circulars promoting the merits of New Zealand and that a special booklet of eight to 10 pages bad been produced with the help of the association’s public relations, consultants and Air New Zea-

land to act as a follow-up. The booklet was Christchurch orientated and more specific than the general bro-' chure advertising New Zealand. Yesterday Mr Treacy and Mrs. Fraser completed details of an entertainment area which they had set aside at Geneva to present their , case at the women’s ; tournament and a similar move was planned for the ; week preceding the men’s . tournament in Lucerne. “It is I - a lobbying job which is being I done , by the Ladies’ Golf ■ Union and the N.Z.G.A.;” said Mr Treacy. ■ . . - - . South Africa will defin-

itely not be invited tb New Zealand, said Mr Treacy. “That might give Taiwan an advantage in that it will probably be able to invite South Africa, but then there are other countries that can’t go to Taiwan.” "It’s a political issue as well, any administrator nowadays has got to live with it.” ; Mr Treacy said that he was aware of a lot of support for New Zealand’s case. “That is very heartening and I just hope we can do it.” i The big ‘decision will be made in Switzerland on September 14, the day before the Eisenhower Trophy begins. A

committee meeting of the W.A.G.C. will be held that morning and later that day, representatives of the countries in attendance will attend a council meeting to decide the venue of the 1984 championships. If New Zealand’s application is successful, the Eisenhower Trophy will be held at Shirley and the Espiritu Santo at Russley, George Walker, the Canterbury representative onjthe national council, said that 34 countries were expected to compete in Switzerland. “I would expect at least that number to come to New Zealand.”