Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club.
There was a bit of doubt when Leo Barber started working on Paraparaumu Beach Golf Club's entry for the Electra Business & Innovation Awards.
"It's the first time we've entered the awards," the club's general manager and course superintendent said.
"You look at the awards and always think someone else is bigger and better.
"Should we put ourselves forward?
"Is what we're doing worthy of being acknowledged?
"I guess there was a little bit of doubt on our behalf."
But the golf club had every reason to enter especially with what has been happening there in recent times.
It has been doing a lot of various levels from innovation, course management, membership and lots more.
The club is now one of the finalists in the prestigious awards.
"I was very proud that we could be recognised on a regional scale for some of the things we're doing well."
When Covid-19 lockdown temporarily closed the club last year it was an uncertain time.
With everyone stuck at home Barber started a Legends of the Links podcast to re-engage with icons of the game as well as keep members connected.
"I started drip feeding these stories out and it was very popular."
Course-wise there's a very good green story going on.
"We've got 50 hectares of open space in an increasing urban area.
"We've got a whole lot of intact dunes that we've been doing a lot of work on opening up and clearing weeds out, enhancing wetlands, reducing chemicals and so on.
"We've also been doing a lot of irrigation over the last six years which has seen a much more efficient use of water to the point where, in our last water renewal, we gave back 40 per cent of our water take to the regional council.
"We take our green responsibility seriously and as kaitiaki of the course are doing our best to enhance and grow the use of it.
"We also put solar on our roof last year so that powers the club house."
And the club, which dates back to 1949, has diversified its membership offering from a one size fits all approach to various options such as age groups, nine holes, secondary membership, through to programmes like She Loves Golf to boost the female demographic.
The club, which has hosted 12 New Zealand Open championships, is a popular course for golfers around the world not to mention locally and nationally.
It also holds various charity events throughout the year enhancing the social fabric of the district.
Moreover the club is an integral community asset.
"We're in the middle of the community, we're open for the community, and we help bring people to the district who in turn use other facilities while they are here."
