Golf: Family members need boundaries

Men's and women's golf in New Zealand completed their nuptials last month, but they still have to bring some of their children into line.

Many of the provincial districts within the family have developed from amalgamations and defections over the years, with the result that the men and women in the same club can belong to different provinces.

These divisions go unnoticed for much of the year until the national provincial competitions. This week, for example, the women's interprovincial teams' championship has 14 teams, with Poverty Bay and Hawkes Bay combined in one team.

When the men stage their equivalent competition at Titirangi next month there will be 15 teams, with Poverty Bay going it alone.

And there are even more subtle differences.

The Waikato team in the men's competition represents members in the Thames-Coromandel area. But in the women's competition Thames Valley is linked with Bay of Plenty.

Does it matter? New Zealand Golf expects to work out some solution by early next year. It sees advantages in having the same provincial boundaries for men and women.

"It's not our number one priority but I would expect something to be sorted out soon," said NZ Golf's commercial manager, Brendan James.

"I think it will come down to a bit of persuasion from us and initiatives from the districts and the clubs."

Poverty Bay have relied on their strong tradition to retain full status in the men's interprovincial.

When North Harbour was split off from Auckland, a new format for the annual competition had to be devised to accommodate 15 teams.

At Napier last year there were grumbles about the inequality of the resultant section play and various changes were mooted and rejected.

Harsh reality would suggest that Poverty Bay should combine with Hawkes Bay for that event. The Poverty Bay district had 792 men and 314 women registered last year, fewer than most Auckland clubs. The team's number one, Baden Waiwai, plays most of his golf at the Wairoa Club in Hawkes Bay.

Waikato is the province most affected by the different loyalties of men and women in clubs within its district.

When it grasped the nettle of amalgamation of the men's and women's organisations at provincial level, it decided the simplest solution was to ignore the problem of the 12 clubs from Te Aroha towards the Coromandel that had women allied to Bay of Plenty.

Waikato chief executive Robin Fulton says it would have been deeply unpopular to force a change and well-established competitions would have been disrupted.

But Ann Cambie, who has administered North Harbour since it was formed as a unisexual association 10 years ago, has her doubts. She asks whether clubs with split allegiances would have two votes in any polling on any national issue.

Where North Harbour led, other associations are following. Auckland has started the process of amalgamation and should set a timetable this month.

Amalgamation of men's and women's golf at national level would have been unthinkable a few years ago when the Ladies Golf Union wielded a mean mashie. Here's hoping the new era can heal the old wounds to the advantage of everybody.

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The Waikato King Country Ladies Association will celebrate their 50th jubilee on Sunday at the St Andrews Golf Club in Hamilton.

The association was founded in 1956 when the South Auckland District was abolished, and two new provincial districts were formed, to be named "Waikato King Country" and "Bay of Plenty Thames Valley".

In that half-century Waikato have won the annual shield 26 times and Bay of Plenty 24.

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If you want to get a free drink at the 19th, join the Taupo Veteran Golf Society and the odds are in your favour.

The group of about 70, who play each Wednesday on one of the Taupo Golf Club's two courses, have had a remarkable run of holes in one - four last month.

Athol Lonsdale did the deed on September 7. John Grimmer obliged a week later, and it was Denis Douglas' turn on September 21.

Ralph Robertshawe joined the party on September 28.

All the successful golfers were over 70 and their clubmates enjoyed the traditional "shout" in the bar.