New golf format targets young professionals

Northland Golf Club's Sian Jackson

Whangarei golfers are being called out to get behind a new form of after-work golf which starts tomorrow at the Northland Golf Club.

Cheeky9 golf has been created to allow players to squeeze in nine holes during the middle of the week in a relaxed environment.

Starting tomorrow, Northland golfers can experience the new variation of the game - which includes a new way to score points.

On certain holes - which changes from week-to-week - points are given for winning the hole, longest drive, nearest to pin, chipping in from off the green, along with a bonus point type system which sees more points given if a win is by more than five points, or a loss by less than five.

Cheeky9 aims to provide a new alternative to the business-house social sports like soccer and bowls.

It's aimed mainly at the Gen X and Gen Y age groups, especially young professionals, and has a heavy focus on the social aspect.

Not only is Cheeky9 a new form of golf, players can compare themselves to others around the country through scoring on a smartphone app.

Northland Golf Club manager Sian Jackson hoped the new format would bring in some more young players, adding that Cheeky9 had in a way been designed for a younger audience.

"I see it as a fun night but also an opportunity for people who might not want to play 18, or play normally, to get involved," she said, adding they hoped 10 teams of two would enter.

"I think golf is changing, I think we're definitely seeing the end of the traditional membership and more into green fee members."

The new format was trialled in Auckland last year and has now been extended around New Zealand.

- Registration is now open on the Cheeky9 website, cheeky9.com, or pop along to the Northland Golf Club on Tuesday at 5.45pm.

The competition will run for 10 weeks.