Pupils from three schools create murals for Lakeview Golf Club

Pupils from the three schools with their murals depicting Ngongotahā (left), Mamaku and Kaharoa. Photo / Supplied

New murals created by local primary school pupils have made one golf club brighter and friendlier.

Lake View Golf Club asked three local schools - Mamaku, Ngongotahā and Kaharoa - to create a mural depicting what it meant to be in each of the communities.

The murals were officially unveiled last Wednesday when pupils from each of the schools went to the golf club for a fun day, administrator Sue Falconer said.

"From Mamaku School we have the railway line, blueberries and a pukeko and forests, from Ngongotahā we've got the mountain, a marae and a body of water ... and from Kaharoa School we've got Hamurana Springs, the lake and fishing," Falconer said.

Kaharoa School pupils with their mural. Photo / Supplied

"It's quite remarkable what they've managed. We've not had any doubles ups."

Falconer said getting local school pupils to paint the murals was part of a wider vision to grow the game of golf and connect with the community.

"We feel we've got facilities here so let's become a hub for the community and breakdown perceived barriers of being exclusive and elitist."

Falconer said the city's three clubs were all aiming to encourage children to play golf.

Ngongotahā School pupils with their mural. Photo / Supplied

Government Gardens Golf Club-Pro Drive, Springfield, Lakeview and Rotorua golf clubs have jointly formed Geyserland Junior Golf Club, she said.

"Golf teaches some really good life skills. It tends to be steeped in tradition and rules and manners. It teaches them a lot of life skills like co-operation, manners.

"It's healthy, it's exercising out in the fresh air and it's a skill they can take with them anywhere."

Mamaku School pupils with their mural. Photo / Supplied

Kaharoa School principal Warwick Moyle said the chance to create a mural for the golf club was a unique opportunity.

"The project fitted in perfectly with our biennial art week and it was great we could display the finished work at our exhibition.

"It was also neat seeing what children felt represented the the Kaharoa/Hamurana catchment."

Pupil Lucy Barker, 11, said the artwork made the area seem "brighter and friendlier".

"It shows all the people who go to the golf club a little bit about our community and what it means to us.

"I enjoyed having a go at crazy golf because it was lots of fun and I learnt a lot about being patient and hitting the ball gently."

Meg Short, 11, said she loved seeing the mural hung up.

"I think we were all proud of the paintings and the crazy golf got everyone involved with the celebration."

The murals were funded by Creative Communities Rotorua.