GOLF, MEN'S
GOLF, MEN'S
The first golf course in New Zealand was established in Dunedin in 1870 and, from this beginning, the game has spread to all parts of the country. In 1893 the first amateur championship was contested. The New Zealand Golf Association, which is the governing body of the game, was formed in 1910 when it superseded the New Zealand Golf Council. The association is primarily concerned with the administration of men's amateur golf, whereas the Golf Council, formed in 1899, controlled both men's and women's clubs. Women's golf is now the concern of the New Zealand Ladies' Golf Union.
In 1903, when the first statistics of the game were compiled, there were 15 men's and 11 women's clubs affiliated to the council. By 1962 there were 321 men's clubs with a total playing membership of over 28,000.
New Zealand Golf Association (Inc.)
The New Zealand Golf Association has its headquarters in Wellington. Its membership comprises 15 district associations, each administering the game within its respective territory. These district associations are represented at all general meetings of the national body. Between annual general meetings of the association the game is administered by a council of 14, nine of whom are elected in their respective areas by the district associations concerned, the remaining five being elected at large by the general meeting. The council meets at least four times a year and between these meetings routine business is handled by a management committee (comprising six councillors) which meets every month.
Championships and Competitions
Each year the New Zealand Golf Association is responsible for conducting the annual championship meeting at which the open, amateur, and professional titles are decided. In addition to these it also organises the Freyberg Rose Bowl tournament (for inter-provincial teams), and the North and South Island amateur championships.
Professional Golf
The New Zealand Professional Golfers' Association looks after the affairs of professionals, the majority of whom are engaged as full-time instructors. As yet there is no body of playing professionals who live on the prizes they win at tournaments. In this connection an outstanding event in the history of New Zealand golf occurred in July 1963 when the New Zealand born professional, R. J. Charles, succeeded in winning the British Open Golf Championship.
International Competitions
For some years New Zealand took part in matches with various Australian States for the Kirk-Windeyer Cup. This series was discontinued after 1934. New Zealand gained fourth place in the first world amateur team championship, which was held at St. Andrews, Edinburgh, in 1958. In 1961 New Zealand defeated Australia at Kingston Heath Golf Club, Melbourne, in an international match for the Sloan Morpeth trophy.
Kirk-Windeyer Cup
| 1927 | New Zealand |
| 1928 | New South Wales |
| 1929 | New South Wales |
| 1930 | New Zealand |
| 1931 | No competition |
| 1932 | New South Wales |
| 1933 | No competition |
| 1934 | New Zealand |
| (Discontinued) |
International Matches and Tournaments
| 1935 | v. Great Britain (at Wellington, New Zealand): Lost |
| 1947 | v. Australia (at Wellington, New Zealand): Drawn |
| 1948 | v. Australia (at Melbourne, Victoria): Won |
| 1952 | v. Australia (at Christchurch, New Zealand): Drawn |
| 1953 | v. Australia (at Sydney, New South Wales): Lost |
| 1954 | First Commonwealth tournament (at St. Andrews, Seo land): Fifth place |
| 1956 | v. Australia (at Wanganui, New Zealand): Lost |
| 1958 | First world amateur team championship (at St. Andrews, Scotland): Fourth place |
| 1959 | Second Commonwealth tournament (at Johannesburg, South Africa): Third place |
| 1960 | Second world amateur team championship (at Philadelphia, U.S.A.): Fifth place |
| 1961 | v. Australia (at Melbourne, Victoria): Won |
| 1962 | Third world amateur team championship (at Kawana, Japan): Fourth place |
| 1963 | Third Commonwealth Tournament (at Sydney, N.S.W.): Fifth place |
| 1964 | Fourth world amateur team championship (at Rome, Italy): Third place |
New Zealand Golf Association Teams in International Matches
| 1927 | A. D. S. Duncan, T. H. Horton, E. M. Macfarlane, L. Quin, Dr K. Ross (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1928 | D. Grant, T. H. Horton, S. Morpeth, Dr K. Ross (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1929 | J. L. Black, T. H. Horton, S. Morpeth, Dr K. Ross (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1930 | J. L. Black, A. D. S. Duncan, T. H. Horton, E. M. Macfarlane, Dr K. Ross (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1932 | H. A. Black, H. D. Brinslen, J. P. Hornabrook, B. M. Silk, R. Wagg. Manager: G. O. Sutton (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1934 | J. P. Hornabrook, T. H. Horton, B. H. Menzies, B. M. Silk, B. V. Wright (Kirk-Windeyer) |
| 1935 | A. D. S. Duncan, T. H. Horton, J. P. Mortland, B. M. Silk (v. Great Britain) |
| 1947 | R. H. Glading, W. G. Horne, B. M. Silk, D. L. Woon (v. Australia) |
| 1948 | R. H. Glading, J. P. Hornabrook, B. M. Silk, D. L. Woon. Manager: G. P. Roberts (v. Australia) |
| 1952 | A. Gibbs, W. G. Horne, B. M. Silk, D. L. Woon (v. Australia) |
| 1953 | T. J. Jeffery, S. G. Jones, S. A. McDonald, D. L. Woon. Manager: K. S. Glendinning (v. Australia) |
| 1954 | A. Gibbs, T. J. Jeffery, S. G. Jones, B. M. Silk, A. R. Timms, D. L. Woon. Manager: D. R. Richmond (First Commonwealth Tournament at St. Andrews) |
| 1956 | R. J. Charles, S. G. Jones, B. M. Silk, D. L. Woon. Manager: J. A. Scouler (v. Australia) |
| 1958 | R. J. Charles, J. D. Durry, S. G. Jones, E. J. MacDougall. Manager: J. A. Scouler (First World Amateur Team Championship at St. Andrews) |
| 1959 | R. J. Charles, J. D. Durry, R. H. Glading, S. G. Jones, R. C. Murray, R. R. Newdick. Manager: G. P. Roberts (Second Commonwealth Tournament at Royal Johannesburg) |
| 1960 | R. J. Charles, W. J. Godfrey, S. G. Jones, R. R. Newdick. Manager: D. O. Whyte (Second World Amateur Team Championship at Merion, U.S.A.) |
| 1961 | W. J. Godfrey, F. T. Gordon, S. G. Jones, R. C. Murray, R. R. Newdick, I. D. Woodbury. Manager: J. A. Scouler (v. Australia at Kingston Heath, Victoria) |
| 1962 | W. J. Godfrey, S. G. Jones, R. C. Murray, R. R. Newdick. Manager: V. C. Hollis (Third World Amateur Team Championship at Kawana, Japan) |
| 1963 | B. T. Boys, P. K. Creighton, S. G. Jones K. C. Murray, L. R. Newdick, T. S. Leech. Manager: R. E. Mackie (Third Commonwealth Tournament, Sydney, N.S.W.) |
| 1964 | T. McDougall, J. Durry, R. Murray, and S. G. Jones (Fourth Eisenhower Trophy World Amateur Team Championship at Rome) |
Freyberg Rose Bowl
| 1952 | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| 1953 | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| 1954 | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| 1955 | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| 1956 | Wellington |
| 1957 | Canterbury |
| 1958 | Auckland |
| 1959 | Auckland |
| 1960 | Auckland and Wellington (tie) |
| 1961 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1962 | Canterbury |
| 1963 | Hawke's Bay |
| 1964 | Manawatu-Wanganui |
| 1965 | Canterbury |
NEW ZEALAND OPEN CHAMPIONS
Cup presented by Mr G. Brodie Breeze, Glasgow
| Year | Champion | Score | Club | Venue |
| 1907 | †A. D. S. Duncan | 159 | Wellington | Napier |
| 1908 | *J. A. Clements | 333 | Wanganui | Otago |
| 1909 | *J. A. Clements | 324 | Wanganui | Auckland |
| 1910 | A. D. S. Duncan | 295 | Wellington | Christchurch |
| 1911 | A. D. S. Duncan | 319 | Wellington | Wanganui |
| 1912 | *J. A. Clements | 321 | Christchurch | Wellington |
| 1913 | *E. S. Douglas | 303 | Nelson | Otago |
| 1914 | *E. S. Douglas | 313 | Wanganui | Auckland |
| 1915–18 | Not played during war | |||
| 1919 | *E. S. Douglas | 327 | Miramar | Napier |
| 1920 | *J. H. Kirkwood | 304 | Riversdale, Vic. | Hamilton |
| 1921 | *E. S. Douglas | 302 | Miramar | Christchurch |
| 1922 | *A. Brooks | 308 | Hutt | Manawatu |
| 1923 | *A. Brooks | 312 | Hutt | Wanganui |
| 1924 | *E. J. Moss | 301 | Auckland | Auckland |
| 1925 | E. M. Macfarlane | 308 | Christchurch | Christchurch |
| 1926 | *A. J. Shaw | 307 | Unattached, Wellington | Miramar |
| 1927 | *E. J. Moss | 300 | Auckland | Hamilton |
| 1928 | S. Morpeth | 303 | Maungakiekie | Otago |
| 1929 | *A. J. Shaw | 299 | Napier | Wanganui |
| 1930 | *A. J. Shaw | 284 | Napier | Manawatu |
| 1931 | *A. J. Shaw | 287 | Unattached | Christchurch |
| 1932 | *A. J. Shaw | 289 | Unattached, Auckland | Wellington |
| 1933 | *E. J. Moss | 300 | Auckland | Titirangi |
| 1934 | *A. J. Shaw | 288 | Unattached, Wellington | Wanganui |
| 1935 | *A. Murray | 286 | Unattached, Auckland | Christchurch |
| 1936 | *A. J. Shaw | 292 | Unattached, Wellington | New Plymouth |
| 1937 | J. P. Hornabrook | 299 | Manawatu | Hamilton |
| 1938 | *A. D. Locke | 288 | Unattached, Sth. Africa | Otago |
| 1939 | J P. Hornabrook | 291 | Masterton | Miramar |
| 1940–45 | Not played during war | |||
| 1946 | R. H. Glading | 306 | Hamilton | Manawatu |
| 1947 | R. H. Glading | 291 | Titirangi | New Plymouth |
| 1948 | *A. Murray | 294 | Titirangi | Otago |
| 1949 | *James Galloway | 283 | Unattached | Hastings |
| 1950 | *P. W. Thomson | 280 | Riversdale, Vic. | Christchurch |
| 1951 | *P. W. Thomson | 288 | Riversdale, Vic. | Titirangi |
| 1952 | * A. Murray | 293 | Unattached | Wanganui |
| 1953 | *P. W. Thomson | 295 | Victoria, Aust. | Otago |
| 1954 | R. J. Charles | 280 | Masterton | Wellington |
| 1955 | *P. W. Thomson | 280 | Victoria, Aust. | Auckland |
| 1956 | H. W. Berwick | 292 | St. Michael's, N.S.W. | Christchurch |
| 1957 | *K. D. G. Nagle | 294 | Pymble, N.S.W. | Manawatu |
| 1958 | *K. D. G. Nagle | 278 | Pymble, N.S.W. | Hamilton |
| 1959 | *P. W. Thomson | 287 | Victoria, Aust. | Paraparaumu Beach |
| 1960 | *P. W. Thomson | 281 | Victoria, Aust. | Invercargill |
| 1961 | *P. W. Thomson | 276 | Victoria, Aust. | New Plymouth |
| 1962 | *K. D. G. Nagle | 281 | Pymble, N.S.W. | Titirangi |
| 1963 | B. W. Devlin | 273 | N. S. Wales | Wanganui |
| 1964 | *K. D. G. Nagle | 266 | N. S. Wales | Christchurch |
*Denotes professional.
†In 1907 the “Open” was played over 36 holes; subsequent years, 72 holes.