Record number of teens succumbing to golf 'addiction'

The Lydia Ko effect has been in full swing in Taranaki this week, where the country's top junior golfers have been in action.

New Plymouth Golf Club's Ngāmotu Links has been hosting the National Age Group Championships - an event that teed off hard on the heels of the New Zealand Secondary Schools Championships, which wrapped up earlier in the week.

With Ko recently bagging an Olympic gold medal and a British Women's Open title at St Andrews, it seemed more people than ever wanted to swing a club.

Golf New Zealand talent development manager Liz McKinnon said the under-16 and under-19 national boys' and girls' titles were a recognised launching pad for pro careers and there had been no shortage of interest.

"So, they're aged between 13 and 18 and need to be on a handicap of eight or less and what we've seen is a record number of entries for this event, over 200.

"We've extended out the field to 176 players to try and have as many of them have this competitive experience. I think the maximum handicap we are seeing around here is a four handicap which is awesome."

McKinnon said it helped to have big names winning titles.

"Having players like Lydia Ko succeed on the international stage and just seeing other top quality players out there is really inspiring. Also our focus on participation programme and initiatives and our futures approach is amazing. We've got over 12,000 junior members across the country now."

Otago's Anahera Koni made headlines as a six-year-old when she hit a hole in one at Dunedin's Island Park Golf Club, and had not looked back since.

"When I was younger I used to play in a lot of US kids' [tournaments] in Australia, Auckland, lots of different tournaments. I played them and sort of started going to bigger tournaments and a couple of them I've made top three, which I've been really proud of and very grateful to have the experience."

Now 14, Anahera said Ko was her favourite player.

"She's been my idol since I was a little kid. Just watching her on TV hitting the ball. I think she's great and I really like the way she plays just the way she does her thing."

Anahera has ambitions to play on the US university circuit and eventually turn pro.

Aucklander Robby Turnbull already has a senior title to his name and was a favourite in the under-19 boys' division.

The 17-year-old reckoned more young people were turning onto golf.

"Ever since lockdown, people want to get out and they found golf was a new way to make friends, get outside and have fun."

Golf's dress codes and etiquette were no longer such a barrier.

"It might be at some clubs, obviously at some prestigious clubs, but you have a lot of country courses that don't mind. They honestly love it if you go out and play their course. If you pay and play they love it, so they don't really care about the etiquette."

Turnbull said he had a simple golfing philosophy.

"I think you just have to stay focused and understand you're never going to have a perfect day, you just have to accept that. You can't ever hit a perfect round, nobody ever will, so you have to go out and try your best."

He wanted to win the tournament and become "one of the best players in the world" and play in the United States or Europe.

McKinnon, meanwhile, reckoned golf's lure sucked in both the young and old.

"It's pretty addictive once you get that ball in the air and you can see it fly. I've got a 15-year-old and 13-year-old and they're into rugby and mountain biking, but there's still something about golf when you see that ball fly and it can be quite addictive.

"It's also a lovely environment to be hanging out in and I think youth today do appreciate that time out in nature and fresh air, as much as they might get a bad rap for wanting to be inside gaming and on social media."

Rotorua Boys' High School this week clinched the New Zealand Secondary Schools title for the first time in 20 years.

Results for the age-group titles were expected on Friday afternoon.