Rivercity Golf to become a 'one stop shop' under new owners

Caleb Watt (left) and Ivan Howe are keen to push on with the development of Rivercity Golf. Photo / Lewis Gardner

Rivercity Golf at the Tawhero Golf Course is under new ownership, with three members of a local greyhound syndicate taking over last week.

The new co-owners are Ivan Howe, Caleb Watt and Tom Clark.

Howe, formerly the bar and event manager at Whanganui Greyhounds, said an agreement with previous owner Ray Rahui was reached with a handshake in December, and he and his partners were now keen to take business to the "next level".

"It's been a nice, smooth transition," Howe said.

"We've been in here for a week and it's been fantastic. We haven't had a quiet day since we took over."

Howe said he had been putting in 12 hour days since the takeover but that "had to be done".

"You only get out what you put in, and what we want to achieve is to provide a top quality public golf course for Whanganui and the surrounding communities."

Howe plays off a nine handicap but had been as low as a two in years gone by, and Clark (currently based in Australia) sits on a four.

Watt said his main sport was softball and it would take some time to adjust from a ball coming towards him to a ball heading off in the other direction.

"I definitely try though and I love the game," Watt said.

Developing junior golf would be one of the main focuses in the next few months, Howe said, along with working alongside neighbouring Tawhero Golf Club and constructing a mini-putt course in front of the shop.

"Junior golf is key, and we want to see those numbers increase because at the moment there are zero members here.

"There are a lot of juniors that come through socially that we're trying to capture, and we've got a couple of them so far.

"Back in the 90s I was lucky enough to be given an opportunity with Golf City and the Vining family in Palmerston North, with coaching and clubs and bags as part of their academy.

"Now it's about giving back, and taking the skills I learned then and transitioning them into teaching the youth here."

Howe said increasing junior membership numbers would also help to rebuild the Tawhero Golf Club, who he was meeting with on Sunday.

"The goal is to join up with Tawhero Golf Club and grow together," Howe said.

"There's a fully-fledged golf clubhouse there, and we'd like to help them utilise it. It could host Christmas parties, work functions and team building exercises with the driving range and the golf course.

"There could even be a buffet put on for lunch afterwards. The possibilities are endless really."

Installing a mini putt course would help Rivercity Golf become a "one stop shop", Watt said.

"Mum and dad can hit the golf course, the kids can have a go at mini putt, and grandma can have a bash on the driving range.

"That's the goal - to cater to everybody."

Rivercity Golf had signed exclusive deals with Titleist for golf balls and FootJoy for apparel, Howe said, and the shop would continue to be stocked with entry level, intermediate and "high end" equipment.

"If people need something we're happy to order stuff in as well.

"We can also do club repairs, reshafting, regripping, all that sort of jazz."

The first big event for the trio will be the Downer New Zealand Masters Games in February, with both golfers and harriers using the course for competitions.

"We're looking at putting on a hole in one competition in the future, as well as a six hole Ambrose tournament in March to make the most of the rest of daylight savings," Howe said.

"If we get 30 players a night at $5 a head, that's $100 for prizes and $50 for a barbecue at the end of it.

"That caters to the tradies as well, and in the next couple of weeks we'll be extending our trading times to a 6.30pm last tee off. That means they don't have to rush to get here and know there's no hassle with getting a round of golf in."