Obituary: Jim Clelland

Jim Clelland, who died last week, was a top golfer who made a huge contribution to the New Zealand Professional Golfers Association and the wider Taupo community.

Taupo professional senior golfer and national events manager for the NZ Professional Golfers Association (NZPGA) Jim Clelland always loved a challenge - particularly on the golf course.

Around 400 people who attended a memorial service for Jim at the Taupo Golf Club on Monday heard about the 71-year-old's passion for golf, commitment to the community, sense of humour, and courageous comeback from a near-fatal fall seven years ago.

Jim was born in Featherston in 1942, the second of seven children, and was educated at Featherston Primary School and Wairarapa College. He went on to work for the National Airways Corporation, in a bank, and as an accounts clerk. But his real passion was golf. He perfected his game playing alongside his father and brothers at the Martinborough Golf Club, going on to play in the Duncan Cup in the Wellington competition.

In 1966 the scratch golfer took up a position as the Taupo Golf Club professional, a job he held until he was lured to Turangi to help establish the town's 18-hole course in the mid-1970s.

Three years later he embarked on a 25-year career in real estate in Taupo but he remained involved with golf. He played in senior pro tournaments in New Zealand and Australia and was on the board of the NZPGA. He held the position of treasurer before taking on the volunteer task of co-ordinating NZPGA events, which grew into a full-time paid position.

Jim's energy and commitment promoting golf events saw the prize money for PGA events double in two years. He organised tournaments all over New Zealand and Australia.

A fall from his deck in November 2007 threw up one of Jim's greatest challenges. He suffered life-threatening injuries, including a shattered right lower leg. He spent eight months recuperating but with no guarantee of recovery, opted for amputation below the knee so he and wife Helen could move on with their lives. Three months later he was back playing golf.

He returned to full-time work with the NZPGA, playing regularly at Taupo Golf Club and the Wairakei and Kinloch resort courses; hitting 69 off the stick at Wairakei at the age of 69.

Jim and other members of the Taupo Golf Club started the club's junior programme in the mid-1960s. His involvement with the programme continued for the next 46 years.

Helen still runs the junior club and Jim was a regular coach and supporter.

His interests didn't just lie with golf. Jim was the inaugural chairman of the Lake Taupo Cycling Trust, which is behind the BikeFest celebrations and is organising Pedal the Plateau.

Jim also served as a trustee and chairman of the Lake Taupo Events Trust, which operated the Crater to Lake Multisport Challenge for several years and was a Taupo district councillor, serving from 1986 to 1988. He was involved in the Taupo community, as a member of Taupo Lions, an Ironman volunteer, Taupo Junior Cricket and tournament organiser for the Life Flight Trust in Taupo.

At Monday's memorial service, his youngest brother John described him as "funny, kind, clever, determined and wonderful" and at times, a little grumpy if his golf wasn't going well.

Jim, who died at home last Thursday after a short illness, is survived by his wife Helen, children Belinda and Andrew, and two grandchildren.