“I don’t think access to golf has necessarily opened as much for the sort of people who haven’t been in and around the game and know all the ins and outs.”
He said people, particularly beginners, wouldn’t have to worry about following certain rules, golfing etiquette or attire.
“I wanted to open a facility where people could access golf in a non-confronting environment.”
He said he had been fortunate to have access to some of the greatest golf in the world through his dad.
Phil was a member of the New Zealand team that won the Eisenhower Trophy in 1992 and played professionally for 20 years, including on the PGA tour.
“I grew up travelling the world, following my dad, playing professional golf, and I chased that dream here in New Zealand.”
Kahu said golf wasn’t considered a “cool sport” when he was in school, but that had changed.
“I’ve seen the trend towards more popularity around the sport, and more golf entertainment.”
Bunker provides virtual access to international golf courses, such as Pebble Beach, St Andrews and Bay Hill. Photo / Ben Parry
The TGL virtual golf league in America - headlined by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy - and places like Topgolf – a driving range game with electronically tracked golf balls and automatically scored drives – showed the direction of golf entertainment.
“The technology is evolving, and everything is moving towards virtual or a more short-form version of certain sports.”
He said an indoor golf simulator allowed people to engage with the game without worrying about the weather or booking out a half day to hit the course.
Bunker has two golf simulator rooms and guests can virtually play on famed international courses such as Pebble Beach, St Andrews and Bay Hill.
“For seasoned players, we’ve got all the technology and all the data for them to completely nerd out on.”
Flightscope Mevo+ utilises 20 data parameters to track players’ shots and calculate the trajectory and distance, providing information on spin axis and club-head speed.
He said this was revolutionising the game from one steeped in history and tradition.
“It’s holding on to some of those things, but putting a little twist on them.”
Kaitlyn Morrell is a multimedia journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post. She has lived in the region for several years and studied journalism at Massey University.
