Peter Williams: Disparity between major bodies is amateurish

The New Zealand Professional Golfers Association (NZPGA) elected itself a new president just before Christmas. But those expecting any significant change to the way the organisation does business will be disappointed.

The affable Dennis Clark, or Yogi as he's known by everyone in golf, has been a golf professional for 42 of his 57 years. He's been both a good tour player and a successful club pro. Nowadays he lives near Te Puke and imports and distributes golf equipment with a particular emphasis on shafts and grips.

Clark was elected as president ahead of the long-serving Richard Ellis and some NZPGA members have suggested his elevation signals the start of a closer relationship with the newly amalgamated amateur body, New Zealand Golf. But Clark doesn't necessarily agree.

"I don't think the organisation is going to change direction," he told me this week after meetings with New Zealand Golf in Wellington. "But we are closer with them than we've ever been and continuing to work towards a better relationship."

The game's more progressive thinkers often wonder why golf, alone in modern sport, needs separate organisations to administer professional and amateur players.

Most of the reasons are historical but the NZPGA, like similar bodies around the world, plays an absolutely vital role in training coaches, teaching and producing club professionals. The three-year apprenticeship produces a golf teacher, a businessman, a club repairer and player all in one. The game worldwide needs a continual supply of these PGA-qualified professionals. But it's at the competitive playing level that there's room for more cooperation between the NZPGA and New Zealand Golf.

Greg Turner is in print again this month, criticising the NZPGA for not allowing our top amateurs the opportunity to try to qualify for the rich NZPGA Championship at Clearwater next month.

"Greg's on the board of the Australasian PGA Tour," said Clark "and they don't let amateurs play in the Australian PGA. You look at PGA Championships in most places around the world and amateurs are not allowed to play."

"With our co-sanction arrangement with the Nationwide Tour, there are only a few places available in the tournament for non-exempt Tour members and we'd like to give our own PGA members the chance to play."

Which is an entirely admirable sentiment but is it doing the best by all this country's elite talent?

"I'm a traditionalist," admitted Clark, "and there is a distinction between the amateur and professional game. But I'd like to think PGA members could do a bit more to help out top young amateur players."

"It would be great to get some of us older pros to caddy for some of these kids in a tournament situation. Not to offer a whole lot of advice during a round but so we can look close up at their thought patterns and course management and then talk with them afterwards.

"Somebody like John Lister, for instance, could be invaluable in a one-to-one situation like that."

This year, for the first time, New Zealand Golf will make the North Island, South Island and New Zealand Strokeplay Championships open to professionals as well - if sponsorship can be arranged. The events will be part of the GTNZ tour.

For now it seems the elite playing opportunities where top amateurs and professionals compete against each other are being driven by the amateur body, New Zealand Golf.

In time it's hoped the NZPGA will find a way to reciprocate.