Golf: Mal Tongue unfazed by chief's notice

The crisis facing New Zealand golf shows no signs of abating as Mal Tongue refuses to be cowed by the latest developments.

The national director of coaching sees no reason to smile, despite the saga seemingly unfolding more in his favour when New Zealand Golf Association (NZGA) chief executive Peter Dale announced he had joined him in the lengthening resignation queue.

"It is a matter of principle. I am not doing this to be a martyr. I am prepared to go. I'm doing this for the benefit of New Zealand golf," said Tongue yesterday.

Dale's action took to seven the number of resignation letters - none of which has yet been accepted - awaiting the NZGA board when it meets in Wellington on Thursday.

Dale told the NZGA of his decision on Friday night, and said on Saturday that he took the action to enable the board to be able to discuss the resignations of Tongue and his five assistant coaches without further impediment.

A matter of hours before Dale resigned, NZGA board chairman John Patterson told the Dominion Post newspaper that Dale's job was safe even if his differences with Tongue could not be resolved.

Tongue, national director of coaching since 1998, and his five assistant coaches - Bob McDonald, Shane Scott, Murray Macklin, Simon Thomas and Brian Boys - resigned en masse last Wednesday after Tongue decided he no longer had Dale's confidence.

Tongue said he decided to cut his ties with the NZGA, which he has worked for under contract in various roles since 1994, after differences between Dale and himself - dating back 18 months - came to a head during a meeting on February 12.

Tongue said Dale told him, among other things, that he had "no strategy or vision" for New Zealand golf.

Dale also told Tongue he had considered terminating his contract, which is due for review in October, but relented "in the best interests of the players in New Zealand".

Less than a week later Tongue decided to resign after receiving information which convinced him his position was tenuous at best.

Tongue did not see Dale's resignation as a victory of any kind.

Dale issued a statement announcing his resignation, saying he was disappointed Tongue had decided to take their private disagreement into the public arena through the media.

Tongue reiterated that his primary concerns were far weightier than any differences he had with Dale and he pointed out that Dale had yet to respond directly about his recall of their meeting on February 12.

"I want to keep my job but this is not about me keeping my job. It's about the principles, the respect and the traditions of the game," Tongue said.

"This is not a Mal Tongue and Peter Dale issue. They [Dale and Patterson] have a strategy to make out to the general public that it is. It is not."

"It is absolute garbage to say this is a personality clash," Tongue said, referring to comments made last week by Patterson and NZGA chairman Neil Woodbury that the central issue in the dispute was a personality clash between Tongue and Dale.

- NZPA