Lumberjax employee Gary Hann is one of the organisers and will play in the New Zealand Minigolf Open this weekend. Photo / Stephen Parker
Lumberjax employee Gary Hann is one of the organisers and will play in the New Zealand Minigolf Open this weekend. Photo / Stephen Parker
To many minigolf is simply a fun, social activity but this weekend players from around the country will be taking it a lot more seriously in Rotorua.
Lumberjax Minigolf is hosting the 2019 New Zealand Minigolf Open on Saturday and Sunday, the first time the event has been held outside Auckland.
Lumberjax employee Gary Hann is helping organise the event and will also play in the Pro Division.
He said it was hard to shake the stigma of minigolf being no more than a fun pastime but it was growing as a sport.
"When I started working here I didn't really take it seriously as a sport. It wasn't until I'd been to a few events that I realised these guys take it really seriously," Hann says.
"It's really hard to beat that stigma, everyone sees it as a game. It's really big in Europe and America - in Europe it's professional minigolf, in America it's more professional putting and the purse that goes up for that is insane.
"It's definitely growing as a sport here in New Zealand. There are more people showing up to events."
In the Open Pro Division, players will complete 144 holes over two days, the winner taking home a cash prize of $1000.
It is not just about the elite players though, there are also Youth (5-17 years), Parent and Youth Team and Women's and Men's amateur divisions. There will also be spot prizes on offer, including for best dressed and most holes-in-one.
Lumberjax employee Gary Hann is one of the organisers and will play in the New Zealand Minigolf Open this weekend. Photo / Stephen Parker
Hann said there were several reasons Lumberjax was a good place to host the event.
"A big part of it is the indoor factor and that sort of plays into the consistency of our course - we don't get sun or water damage on the turf surface. We're a really well-kept course and the holes are interestingly designed in that there's a good mix between challenging and not too hard.
"The biggest thing is everyone plays on the same course, so even if there's an easy hole, everyone's got the same. There are a few spots for potential blowouts, where you could destroy a game in one hole.
"I think consistency is going to be key and I'm hopeful that some Rotorua people are going to be in the top ranks, having home-town advantage. They've been coming in practising."
Lumberjax has hosted tournaments previously, as part of the New Zealand Minigolf Federation's tour of events.
"Personally, I've done pretty average at some of the other courses. My biggest downfall is I've gotten too comfortable with our surface and our conditions.
"The courses are all different, so that's something I've been working on, going to different courses. I'm looking at going to the Gold Coast in May for the Oceania Championships," Hann said.
There will be a number of seasoned minigolf competitors in Rotorua at the weekend, including former champions and those who have represented New Zealand at international level.
"It's going to be a mental game and that stands for myself and all the really good guys and basically anyone. The game will be lost in the head, someone will get into your head or you'll miss one shot and it will throw you off.
"Most of our holes, they are going to shoot ones, twos or threes, so if you can consistently shoot two on every hole, which is more than doable, I reckon that will take it out.
"The official tournament record on this course was 34 by Bobby Hart [of Auckland]. He won that tournament by eight shots and he's competing this weekend. We have a few Aussies coming over as well. Last year's winner was an Aussie but he's extremely unwell at the moment so he won't be here. There are some guys who are really, really good at minigolf coming, guys who compete in Europe and produce decent scores."
For more information go to nzminigolf.com/events/nz-minigolf-open-2019/
