Sir John Key has made a hole-in-one during the Chasing the Fox Super Six golf day at Royal Auckland and Grange Golf Club. Video / Mitch Powell
Golf is a game for anyone, at any time.
The sport has never been more popular in New Zealand with more than 140,000 full club registrations and 200,000 casual players taking to courses up and down the country.
Capitalising on and growing those numbers further is the reason for the partnership between Golf New Zealand and the TAB Chasing the Fox event - with emphasis on the Flexiclub initiative that allows players to get out for a round without needing to be a full club member.
Ryan Fox’s success overseas along with Lydia Ko’s world-beating career has contributed to this surge as Kiwis get more access to the sport of golf.
Locally, events like Chasing the Fox take golf to an environment outside the traditional confines and to audiences who take the game a little more casually or may be fresh to it entirely.
“Golf has never been more popular in New Zealand, and a big part of that is how people are discovering the game - whether through fun events, social content, or the personalities they follow.
“Chasing the Fox brings all of that together, and having our very own Ryan Fox as the headliner makes it even more special,” says Chae Blewitt, Golf NZ general manager of commercial.
The Flexiclub initiative allows casual players to play at courses for affiliated rates without the financial burden of paying a full club membership and Blewitt says that’s what makes it a perfect partnership with Chasing the Fox.
“Flexiclub is perfect for casual golfers who want flexibility, and we think it’s a great fit for the Chasing the Fox audience. We want to show that golf is a game for everyone, no matter your skill level, and that it’s something you can enjoy for life.”
Eric Murray drives at last year's Chasing the Fox event. Photo / Photosport
Year on year Chasing the Fox has grown in popularity and stature, the Herald understands this year it will be available to an even wider audience with a broadcast deal signed, to be announced in the coming weeks.
Also set to be announced is a New Zealand first party hole that the broadcast will be centred around with on-site commentators and an emphasis on crowd engagement.
The life of a professional golfer and casual hacker are worlds apart, but organisers aim to bridge that gap by providing an opportunity to see one of the biggest names up close and personal and on their screens at a New Zealand-friendly hour.
“Ryan is a huge inspiration for golfers at every level. Seeing him play at an event like this, alongside players from all sorts of backgrounds, helps connect the professional side of the game to the everyday golfer.
“It’s a fantastic way to show that golf can be fun, accessible, and something anyone can get involved in. We’re excited to be part of it,” says Blewitt.
Fox has been on record saying putting his name on this event comes down to an ambition to have as many eyes on golf as is possible.
“Recreationally we’re in a really good place, there’s a lot of people playing golf, this is another way to just get eyeballs on it. The idea of having people from other sports or other walks of life might encourage people to watch it that maybe wouldn’t watch golf normally.”
As with previous editions, this year’s Chasing the Fox will feature famous names from rugby league, rugby union, cricket, Olympians, media and political personalities as well as some international golf YouTube sensations.
Will Toogood is an online sports editor for the NZ Herald. He enjoys watching people chase a ball around on a grass surface so much he decided to make a living out of it.
