Golf: Mal Tongue unsure about reapplying for job

1.00pm

Mal Tongue has not decided whether he'll apply for his old job as national director of coaching after the New Zealand Golf Association board (NZGA) accepted his resignation yesterday.

Speaking on National Radio this morning, Tongue was unsure if he and his five assistants would chase their former positions, but if so, they would reapply as a group.

Tongue said he was surprised and very upset at yesterday's decision which ended his association with NZGA.

Along with co-coaches Bob McDonald, Shane Scott, Brian Boys, Simon Thomas and Murray Macklin, who offered to relinquish their roles in support of Tongue, NZGA chief executive Peter Dale was another casualty after the board accepted his resignation in the biggest crisis to hit the sport's governing body.

"We were just trying to make them aware of the situation. We knew there would be some impact, but not quite as much as there has been," Tongue said about yesterday's decision.

"I was very upset.

"We've given New Zealand golf 100 per cent but were in a situation where we didn't know where to go."

The lead-up to NZGA's internal haemorrhaging began on March 10 when Tongue hand delivered his, and his assistants' resignation letters to Peter Dale.

Dale followed suit two days later and their departure was confirmed at yesterday's NZGA's board meeting in Wellington.

The NZGA have consistently said the matter came down to a clash of personalities between Dale and Tongue.

In a statement, the NZGA said all the coaches were eligible to re-apply, but Tongue said today he could not speculate on his future.

"At the moment I'm feeling like hell -- sick to my gut. I just love the game.

"My belief and that of the other coaches is that New Zealand golf creates a culture of honesty.

"They need an environment where people can comment and be part of the picture.

"I'm not a trouble maker but I've got an opinion and if it's not worth listening too and if I'm not being respected how are you going to feel?" Tongue said.

It was reported yesterday that Tongue and his co-coaches had been approached about establishing a private academy.

"That holds an appeal and as a group we've talked about it," he said.

Acting NZGA chief executive John Patterson said they were advertising for replacements in the wake of yesterday's upheaval.

Patterson said he would like Tongue to reapply for his old job.

"We looked at what opportunities we had to keep the game going and stop the bleeding," he said.

"One of the ways to try and dampen the problems we were facing was to accept all the resignations."

Patterson thought it would be unlikely that Dale would reapply.

"That's up to him. We didn't sack them -- they chose to resign."

- NZPA