CENTRAL NORTH ISLAND TURF MANGERS ASSOCIATION
DELEGATES REPORT MARCH 2008

The last year has been very busy for the association with a number of field days, a trainee of the year competition and keeping our website up to date with news and information for members which has kept the committee on its toes.

Over the last six months we have had four interesting field days with an excellent turn out from members and trade which has averaged around seventy people at each field day. Covering such a wide land area it is important for members to make an effort to get to these field days as it is of more benefit to them than any one else. Some of the highlights were:

Topics included the recently introduced kiwisaver scheme with the highs and lows being outlined so that people had a better understanding of what the government were trying to achieve with their money. David Ormsby spoke on couch establishment and maintenance and how well suited this species is to our local climate which was later looked at in the course walk. Also on the walk Course Superintendent Graeme Duncan outlined some of the recent revetting of a few bunkers and the work involved in the process.

This field day provided the chance to break out of the routine turf topics and look at what goes on at the racetrack on a day to day basis included the hosting of the A1 GP in January. The morning session finished with a lap around the track taken up by most people. At Taupo Golf Club, Course Superintendent Grant Wilson went over the recent tree removal on the centennial course and the procedure involved in disposal of the material.

For this field day an invitation was sent out to club managers to come along and see what goes on at our field days. Grant Schoones spoke on the relationship between superintendents and managers as to where we are at presently and where we need to be in the future. Alex Glasgow then outlined what is involved in a tree redevelopment program which is on the cards at Mount Maunganui. The day finished with a course walk and presentation from Course Superintendent Greg Swafford on the upcoming men’s interprovincial tournament.

This day proved very popular with most parts of the North Island having some representation at the event. Dean Scullion gave a presentation of his company Epar from Australia, which sets up environmental systems for golf clubs with online support services. The system is adaptable to all golf clubs and was very cost effective, within the near future some golf clubs over here will take this system on board. Course Superintendent Steve Marsden then led us on a course walk and did a presentation on the recently opened back nine holes which were are due for official opening in March when Jack Nicklaus is over from the U.S.A.

The trainee of the year competition comes to a conclusion in April at the A.G.M with the winner being announced and presented with the prize of a trip to Australia and working at Royal Sydney under Course Superintendent John Odell. The amount of trainees that entered the competition this year was disappointing for the prizes that are on offer hopefully this coming year will see a turn around in numbers.

Over the next year with a new committee coming on board we are looking to develop the website with more information for members to access. The field days are set for 2008 with the Christmas tournament at Kinloch this year where C.N.I.T.M.A hopes to reclaim the jaffa trophy from the Auckland boys.

Greg Swafford –
C.N.I.T.M.A Delegate