KEY POINTS:
More than 100 years after pioneer golfers began hitting balls in the Auckland Domain, the men and women of the game are formalising their relationship.
On May 1, the Auckland Golf Association and Women's Golf Auckland will combine under the name Auckland Golf Inc to administer the game
in an area stretching from Maramarua and Onewhero to Titirangi.
The Auckland Golf Club, the first to be formed in the district, was established in 1894, trailing South Island ventures by some years. The sports section of the New Zealand Herald reported on April 14 that year: "A golf club has been started in Auckland and in a few weeks it is expected that the game will become very popular.
"The club have arranged to have the links in the Domain and the first practice will be held this afternoon. Anyone desiring of joining the club can do so by making application to Mr Gillies, the Secretary."
Two years later, the Auckland Ladies Golf Club was formed and used land at Market Rd, Epsom. The two clubs subsequently moved to Green Lane, One Tree Hill and finally Middlemore.
The men's Auckland Golf Association was originally formed in 1939 but went into recess from December of that year until March 1946. The association was incorporated in 1950 with the name "Auckland District Golf Association".
Bill Ralph, one of the founders of the Remuera Golf Club, was the first president.
At one stage, the association included clubs as far north as Wellsford and stretched eastwards to Thames and Coromandel. Its jurisdiction was last trimmed with the formation of North Harbour Golf in 1995.
The Auckland District Ladies' Golf Association was formed in 1956 with Molly Morris from the Auckland club as president. It was incorporated in 1973 and changed its name to Women's Golf Auckland in 1997.
The men's and women's administration has, for some years, been combined under Peter Seagar in offices at the Remuera course. The national bodies amalgamated three years ago as New Zealand Golf.
Auckland Golf will begin its existence with 23 clubs and 16,500 members - 12,500 men and 4000 women. It will be headed by a four-person board: Ethel Tomkins (Maungakiekie), Don Bunting (Auckland), Helen Peters (Pakuranga) and Peter Haslam (Akarana).
The new constitution provides for men's and women's presidents. The first office holders will be Ann Graham (Aviation) and Pat McIntyre (Titirangi).
* Titirangi and Remuera will combine to stage the New Zealand men's and women's amateur championships next April.
This month for the first time both events will be staged at the same time and in the same district at the Waikanae and Paraparaumu courses north of Wellington.
The women's strokeplay will be played at Waikanae from April 22 and the men's at Paraparaumu before both matchplay championships are staged at Paraparaumu.
Next year, New Zealand Golf plans to have the men and women play their 72-hole strokeplay events on alternate days at Titirangi and Remuera before the matchplay championships at Titirangi.
Titirangi will stage the international Alister MacKenzie tournament this November, featuring teams of 12 from courses designed by the legendary Scottish architect.
A total of 16 teams are expected from Britain, Ireland, Australia and Argentina. MacKenzie designed the original Titirangi layout in 1927 and was also responsible for the famed Royal Melbourne course.
