Ivan Howe (left) and Billy Beck are hoping to restore Tawhero Golf Club to its former glory. Photo / Bevan Conley
Ivan Howe (left) and Billy Beck are hoping to restore Tawhero Golf Club to its former glory. Photo / Bevan Conley
Rivercity Golf and Tawhero Golf Club, neighbouring but separate entities for decades, have signed documents to begin the process of an official merger.
Rivercity Golf leases the course from Whanganui District Council and operates a pro shop and driving range next door to the Tawhero Golf Clubhouse in York St.
Tawhero president Billy Beck said the club had operated since 1932, with Rivercity Golf coming into the picture in the late 1980s when Whanganui District Council gave up control of the course and leased it out.
"The club has just been drifting in recent times, and over the last five years or so membership has remained pretty static at around 70-80," Beck said.
"The problem with the management committee over the past decades has been the distinct lack of knowledge and understanding of governance and strategic development, with a clear lack of vision and planning for the future.
Howe said he was amazed to discover that his company, River Sit Tee Golf, was the first neighbour to approach Tawhero about a possible merger which, in his opinion, was "the logical thing to do".
"Over the years the rift between the two has become greater and greater, to the point where we were nearly going to lose Tawhero Golf Club as a whole," Howe said.
"To help rebuild and resurrect it, it was important for us to merge, because if we can get members to join Tawhero and play on the course that Rivercity Golf lease off the council, then it's a win-win.
"Rivercity can't become our own affiliate club because Tawhero is still operational, so why not merge the two together and rebuild a club that once was very, very prosperous?
"A lot of good golfers have come from out of here, and there's a lot of history here that needs to be embraced and shown off to people."
At present Tawhero Golf Club has 70-80 members, but Howe and Beck hope the merger will bring those numbers up substantially. Photo / Bevan Conley
A full-year membership at Rivercity Golf-Tawhero Golf Course will cost $370.
Beck said he had warned the Tawhero committee five years ago that the club would be finished if it continued to allow operations to "drift from year to year, doing nothing".
"Golf clubs are a business, and need to be run as a business.
"This has never been run as such, and I think that's the big issue, the whole 'she'll be right' way of thinking.
"There were no business ethics here at all, but there certainly is now."
Howe said bringing young people into the club was an important part of any future plans, and he had already begun to build a junior squad at Rivercity.
"Tawhero will be represented at a pennant level within Manawatū-Whanganui next year, and we'll be back with a vengeance.
"It makes perfect sense for a golf club, a golf course and a golf business to all be unified to achieve a common goal, which is to facilitate golf.
"Rivercity Golf is committed to this for the next 24 years and I'll retire here."
A mini-putt course will be constructed in front of the clubhouse this year, and the fencing that currently separates the building from the golf course is set to be removed in the next few days.
A fully equipped kitchen and bar will also be available to visitors, with a $10 social membership available.
"The building itself has massive potential, but it's been under-utilised," Howe said.
"We did about 50 meals in here last Thursday after twilight golf, with a bit of bar trade.
"That was the same on Saturday and Sunday, and as word goes around we hope it gets busier and busier.
"We need to get with the times and freshen things up."
