Golfers head for The Hills downunder
17 Feb 2009
It might sound like the great escape, but when international and national golfers head for The Hills next month (March 2009) they’ll be going to New Zealand’s most exclusive golf course to attend the country’s premier golfing tournament.
The normally private course near Queenstown in the South Island will become the venue for the second Michael Hill New Zealand Open, and a new agreement has elevated the event on the world international golf circuit.
PGA Tour
New Zealand Golf has confirmed that the 91st championship event at The Hills from 12 - 15 March will form part of a three tournament competition in Australasia, co-sanctioned with the US PGA Tour’s Nationwide Tour. The Nationwide Tour is billed as the "official proving ground of the PGA Tour".
The NZ Open will follow on from the Moonah Classic near Melbourne (26 February 26 - 1 March), and the HSBC NZPGA Championship at Clearwater, Christchurch (5 - 8 March).
The New Zealand events will carry a prize purse of more than NZ$1 million (US$600,000).
Second Hills Open
The new co-sanction arrangement with the Nationwide Tour is expected to further elevate the New Zealand Open event which was held at Michael Hill’s private course for the first time last year.
More than 35,000 people attended the 2007 event, and Michael Hill says he’s keen to build on that success.
"We are looking forward to welcoming people from all over the country and from overseas to The Hills and promise them that this will be more than just a golf tournament," says Hill.
"Main Street which is the focal point of the tournament providing shopping, restaurants, bars and entertainment was a major draw card last year and will provide a complete experience, in addition to the golf, for all age groups, in particular families," he said.
Party hole
And while there will be plenty of opportunity for social activity in the region there’s also added entertainment on the course this year with the golf open featuring the latest golfing craze internationally - a "party hole".
Party holes, where large crowds congregate and yell balls on to the green, have proved a hit in recent years and the 15th hole at The Hills will be designated a party zone during the four-day tournament.
Clocking in at 311m, the par-4 hole is apparently short enough for golfers to be goaded into having a crack at the pin by the baying crowd.
As well as a barbecue and music at the 15th, there will also be a pallet of Heineken beer sitting just off the green. Every player who scores a hole-in-one will get a pallet delivered to their home, anywhere in the world.
The hole will be known as Heineken Hill.
Media appeal
NZ Open promoter Bob Tuohy says the three-week run of events will provide extensive media appeal. The enhanced qualify of field, because of the boost in prize-money offered on the "Downunder Swing", will also attract media interest, he says.
The Hills course is normally closed to the public but the clubhouse has become world famous. After winning the New Zealand Institute of Architects Supreme Award in 2008, it was one of a handful of world buildings in the finals of the 2008 World Architecture Festival in Spain.
First NZ Womens Open
The men’s event follows on from the inaugural New Zealand Women’s Golf Open that was staged earlier this month at Clearwater Resort, near Christchurch.
The 2008 NZ Women’s Golf Open (30 January - 1 February) attracted players from the Australian, European and US tours, of whom many were visiting New Zealand for the first time.
The national women’s championship, which had been keenly sought for several years, would raise the profile of the game for women as well as providing aspirational opportunities for young golfers, according to NZ Golf CEO Bill MacGowan.
The women’s tournament, with a prize purse of $150,000, forms part of the Australian Ladies Professional Golf Tour (ALPG) - a four tournament 'swing downunder' that includes the LG Bing Lee Women’s NSW Open, the Women’s Australian Open and the ANZ Ladies Masters, offering points for the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
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