Golfers descend on Sherwood Park golf club for pro-am tournament

New Zealand's top golfers from the past and present practising their swings before the start of last year's pro-am golf tournament at Sherwood Park Golf Club. Photo / Supplied

Golfers from around New Zealand will take to the Sherwood Park golf club greens today for the start of the fifth-annual pro-am tournament.

The competition, with main sponsors Platinum Homes and DVS, will feature over 120 players in about 30 teams, all vying to take home their share of the $30,000 prize purse. Teams are made up of four players, including one professional golfer.

The two-day tournament, beginning at 12pm by shotgun start, had been growing in popularity in its five years and this year's field was one of its most competitive.

Professional golfers taking part in the tournament included Michael Hendry, winner of the 2010 Indonesia Open and the 2012 New Zealand PGA Pro-Am Championship, and Richard Lee, the 1992 NZ Amateur champion, 2003 Vanuatu Open champion and 2005 Thailand
Open champion.

"It's a great tournament and should be an entertaining one for people to watch," Platinum Homes owner and Sherwood Park golf club board member Dean McGonagle said.

With a prize purse of $30,000, McGonagle said the tournament was one of the more profitable pro-ams for golfers in contrast to its length.

"The ultimate goal is to get up to $40,000 but the value for money is pretty good over just two days of play instead of four."

At the end of the two 18-hole rounds, the top professional will receive 18 per cent of the purse with the rest of the field receiving scaled amounts from there. The amateur prize table valued at about $10,000.

The tournament was also affiliated with the Northland charity, I Have A Dream, which serviced children from the local community who came from rough backgrounds.

During the tournament, 10 Tikipunga High School Year 9 students who were affiliated with the charity would be caddying for 10 teams over the two days.

"We've been searching for a charity to connect to in a way of maintaining a sustainable tournament and our vision is that this tournament will last for the next 10-15 years and become quite prestigious," McGonagle said.

"I've caddied a little bit myself and I think you learn things about life like respect, listening, patience and thinking about others so we thought it was a good fit."

The new caddies will receive a quick training session before the Hendry hits the first tee at 12pm today.